By Alan Sorensen
Last weekend was the final tune up for teams entering the Class C district basketball tournaments this week.
District 9C gets under way Thursday at the Havre High School gym with Kremlin-Gildford (5-13) vs. Rocky Boy (5-13) in the first game and Blue Sky (9-9) vs. Hays-Lodgepole (4-14) in the second. Big Sandy (18-0) and Box Elder (14-4) have first-round byes and won't play until Friday.
Chester (17-1) has a first-round bye in the 10C tourney in Shelby Thursday, while Joplin-Inverness (3-15) plays in the nightcap against Heart Butte (11-7).
Here is the way area teams finished out their regular seasons:
FRIDAY
Lady Eagles outshine Morning Stars
ROCKY BOY Blue Sky High's Lady Eagles got off to a fast start and built a 36 to 19 half time lead on the way a 68-59 win over the Morning Stars. Blue Sky took 13 more free throws than Rocky Boy and connected on 10 more.
Four Lady Eagles scored in double figures, led by Natalie Strissel with 18 and Lindsey Anderson with 16. Leading the way for the Stars were Shana St. Pierre with 18 and Louisa Hines with 15.
Blue Sky
21
15
17
15
68
Rocky Boy
13
6
20
20
59
Blue Sky Cassidy Han 10, Lindsey Anderson 16, Heather Wendland 2, Natalie Strissel 18, Jessica Patrick 13, Ashlee Lincoln 9. Totals: 22 14-27 68.
Rocky Boy Shana St. Pierre 18, Lindsey Harris 8, Jalene Small 10, Cherish Daychild 2, Trisha Daychild 4, Roni Jo LaMere 2, Louisa Hines 15. Totals: 26 4-14 59.
Total fouls Blue Sky 14, Rocky Boy 20. Fouled out Small. Three-point goals Small 2, Hines.
Bears breeze by Thunderbirds
BOX ELDER The Lady Bears outscored Hays-Lodgepole's Thunderbirds by 82 points Friday, 104-22.
Putting up big numbers for the home team were Rose Crebs with 29 points and Kristy Pullin with 22.
Box Elder
25
25
22
32
104
Hays-Lodgepole
5
6
7
4
22
Hays-Lodgepole Alicia Myrick 6, Ray-Lyn Shambo 2, Vanessa Webb 2, Amanda Holly 5, Charlene Chandler 7. Totals: 10 1-6 22.
Box Elder Sarah Bigknife 6, Kristie Pullin 22, Rose Crebs 29, Tami Infante 14, Amanda Windy Boy 8, Josie Rosette 5, Chassidy Parisian 6, Tashina Duran 2, Brandy Lawrence 12. Totals: 46 13-22 104.
Coyotes smother Lady Rams
JOPLIN Chester showed again why it's considered on of the top teams in the state by downing the J-I Lady Rams on the road 102-27 Friday.
Topping out in tallies for the Coyotes was Michele Van Dyke with 30 points. Carlane Jensen contributed 18 to the win.
Chester
25
23
27
27
102
J-I
9
10
8
0
27
Chester Carlane Jensen 18, Maci Tempel 10, Debbie Brown 3, Jamie Graham 11, Heidi Cicon 8, Mari Tempel 2, Chassie Buffington 2, Katy Engstrom 16, Michelle Van Dyke 30, Amanda Schlepp 2. Totals 43 16-27 102.
J-I Hope Anderson 6, Julie Moog 5, Laine Lybeck 5, Alisha Fossen 0, Megan Herdina 6, Cari Fusk 5. Totals: 12 1-2 27.
SATURDAY
Big Sandy Bitzes' Geraldine
GERALDINE Katherine Bitz notched five three-pointers en route to a 25-point night for the Pioneers in their 91-51 win at Geraldine Saturday. The second-ranked and undefeated Big Sandy squad was aided in its 18th victory against no losses by 18 points from Kristy Upham and Amy Silvan.
High scorers for the Geraldine High Tigers (6-12 on the year) were Hannah Furlong and Jolene Bronec with 13 apiece.
Big Sandy
19
24
26
22
91
Geraldine
10
15
13
13
51
Big Sandy Erin Darlington 6, Celeste Darlington 9, Kristy Upham 18, Katherine Bitz 25, Amy Silvan 18, Sheena Darlington 7, Ashley Goodian 2, Lindsey Danreuther 6. Totals: 40 6-9 91.
Geraldine Hannah Furlong 13, Jolene Bronec 13, Daphne Qunell 4, Megan Goldhahn 1, Kalyn Fairbanks 11, Amber Robison 6, Alix Edeling 2, Erin Withrow 1. Totals: 18 12-18 51.
Total fouls Big Sandy 17, Geraldine 8. Fouled out none. Three-point goals Bitz 5, Fairbanks 3.
Fifth-ranked Chester dims Sunburst
CHESTER The Coyotes more than double the score on the Sunburst Refiners Saturday, 90-43. The well-balanced Chester attack was led by Michele Van Dyke with 18 points, Chassie Buffington with 16, Carlane Jensen with 14 and Heidi Cicon with 12.
Sonya Iverson had 16 points for North Toole and Anna Pudelka added 10.
Chester
22
22
16
21
90
Sunburst
12
15
10
6
43
Chester Carlane Jensen 14, Maci Tempel 9, Jamie Graham 8, Heidi Cicon 13, Mari Tempel 2, Chassie Buffington 16, Katy Engstrom 8, Michelle Van Dyke 18, Amanda Schlepp 2. Totals 43 16-27 102.
Hays-Lodgepole falls on road to Dodson
DODSON The Lady T-Birds lost their last non-conference regular season game on the road 68-44 to Dodson before heading to Havre for the 9C tournament on Thursday.
The Thunderbirds of Hays-Lodgepole were led by Amanda Hawley who threw in 16 points. Leading Dodson were Tracie Overberg with 25 and Amber Martin with 18 points.
Dodson
18
14
17
19
68
Hays-Lodgepole
5
14
11
12
44
Hays-Lodgepole Amanda Hawley 16, Alicia Myrick 5, Rae-Eve Shambo 3, Ray-Lyn Shambo 9, Charlene Chandler 4, Vanessa Webb 5. Totals: 15 12-21 44.
Dodson Tracie Overberg 25, Sarah Wilson 1, Jaci Hawley 5, Stephanie Fox 10, Amber Martin 18, Shyla Bishop 9. Totals: 25 13-29 68.
Total fouls Hays-Lodgepole 24, Dodson 17. Fouled out none. Three-point goals Overberg 3, Fox 2.
Lady KouGars outlast Morning Stars to end season
GILDFORD A half-time deadlock gave way to a third and fourth quarter surge by KG and a cold spell by Rocky Boy as KG moved even with Rocky Boy on the season 5-13 with the 44-37 win Saturday.
The game was a fitting prelude to the first game of the 9C District Tournament Thursday at Havre High.
Leading the way for the KouGars were Becky Henry with 14 points and Ashley Melby with 12. Louisa Stump tallied 12 for Rocky Boy and Shana St. Pierre added 10.
KG
14
8
10
12
44
Rocky Boy
9
13
6
9
37
Rocky Boy Shana St. Pierre 10, Lindsey Harris 2, Jalene Small 4, Cherish Daychild 4, Trisha Daychild 3, Roni Jo LaMere 2, Louisa Stump 12. Totals: 14 7-14 37.
KG Lindsey Johnson 4, Ashley Melby 12, Kim Berg 9, Emily Stewart 4, Melissa Williams 1, Becky Henry 14. Totals: 18 5-17 44.
