It's all on the line in Chinook

For three area Class C volleyball teams, last weekend was about staying alive. Now however, it’s about earning a coveted trip to Bozeman’s Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.

When the Northern C Divisional volleyball tournament kicks off Thursday morning in Chinook, three Hi-Line teams, and a total of eight squads, will all have one goal in mind — advancing to the Class C state tournament, which is a mere week away.

The host Chinook Sugarbeeters have an excellent chance of that happening for the second straight season. Chinook, which won its second straight District 6C East championship last Friday in Chester, finished second at the Northern C a year ago, advancing to state for the first time since the Beeters captured the 2006 Class C state title.

But Chinook, led by a deep and talented roster, which includes Hannah Weber, Katelyn Neibauer, Brooke Nicholson, Mariah Swank and more, isn’t looking to be a runner-up this week. Instead, the Beeters will look to extend their perfect season with three wins on their home floor, and be crowned divisional champions in the process.

Another Hi-Line squad that has a good chance of reaching the state tourney is the North Star Knights. North Star has lost four matches this season, and all of them are at the hands of Chinook. The Knights have come agonizingly close at the Northern C the last two years, finishing third twice, and this week, they have a chance to go one step further. North Star, like Chinook, has depth, and the Knights are balanced. Mackenzie Hansen and Tylynn Rettig are excellent leaders, while Sheridan O’Neil, Sam Pester and Kiera Miller give the Knights a great net presence. Graysen Spicher is another excellent all-around player for North Star.

A third 6C East team, the Chester/J-I Hawks are also in the field this week. C/J-I is a young team, but the Hawks have made a strong wrong the last month. Though they’re a long shot to advance out of the divisional tournament, with few upperclassmen on the roster, the Hawks will get great experience this week. Sophomore Allix Goldhahn leads the Hawks in most offensive categories, while veterans Erin Wolfe and Madeline Woods are also standouts.

As for the rest of the field, it’s like any other Northern C tourney, it’s loaded. District 7C champion Belt is the favorite this week alongside Chinook, while Geraldine-Highwood is no pushover either. The two teams from the 6C West might also have something to say about this weekend’s outcome. Simms has been a perennial Northern C contender for years now, and Sunburst is a former 6C power that is now back on the big stage.

The tournament starts Thursday with C/J-I taking on Simms at 9 a.m. North Star will have a tough opening match with Geraldine-Highwood in the second match of the morning session. At 12 p.m., the Belt Huskies take the floor to battle Sunburst, and the opening round concludes with the Beeters facing off against Cascade, the third-place team from the 7C. Thursday’s action continues with the two quarterfinals, starting at 6 p.m., while the first two loser-out matches will be played starting at 10 a.m. Friday. Friday will also see two more loser-out matches beginning at 1 p.m., followed by the winner’s bracket semifinal at 7 p.m.

The tournament resumes with the fourth-place match at 9 a.m. Saturday morning, with the third-place match set for 30 minutes after. The Northern C championship match is slated for 6 p.m. Saturday night, and if needed, a second title match will be played 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first match. All the action this weekend will take place at the Chinook High School gymnasium, and the top two teams from the Northern C advance to next weekend’s Class C state tournament in Bozeman.