Girls Hi-LIne Roundup: Longhorns keep winning; Beeters sweep

It was a busy week of girls high school basketball on the Hi-Line. But it was also a big week. Conference play is in full swing now, and the race to district tournaments is on.

The action started last Tuesday when the Chester/J-I Hawks paid a visit to the Chinook Sugarbeeters. The game used to be a huge non-conference rivalry, but now that C/J-I is in the District 9C, the rivalry has become even more intense.

And in C/J-I first game against the Beeters as a 9C opponent, the game was as advertised — a fight to the finish. But in the end, the host Beeters were able to pull away for an impressive 50-33 victory. The difference was the second half where the Beeters outscored the Hawks 34-19.

Chinook kept on winning this past week, too. Friday night, the Beeters were home again, and took care of Class B Shelby 55-46. Chinook jumped out to a 16-5 lead, and though the Coyotes tired to battle back, the Beeters were never really threatened. Katelyn Neibauer led three Beeters in double figures with 20 points. Brooke Elliot added 12 while Hannah Weber pitched in with 11.

C/J-I also found its way back into the win column Friday night. On the road for the second time in a week, the Hawks had little trouble with winless Big Sandy. C/J-I blasted the Pioneers 71-26 for a 9C victory. The Hawks led 37-10 at halftime, and the youthful Pioneers could never catch up.

Allix Goldhahn scored 20 points for C/J-I, while Madeline Woods added 15 and Peyton Cole scored 13. Maddy Reichelt paced the Pioneers with 13 points and Abby Gregory scored eight.

There were two more 9C games on the docket Friday night. In Box Elder, the Fort Benton-Geraldine Longhorns held off the host Bears 47-40. The Longhorns led 24-11 early on, but Box Elder rallied to make things interesting down the stretch.

Cassidy McCarthy scored a game-high 21 points for the Longhorns, while Alicia Wolf Chief scored 16 for the Bears. Tyrah Gopher added 11 points for Box Elder in the loss.

Meanwhile, in Hays Friday night, the Turner Tornadoes picked up their fourth win of the young season in a hard-fought game. The visiting Tornadoes beat Hays-Lodge Pole 48-39. And a 20-12 Turner run in the second quarter was enough to keep the Thunderbirds at bay.

Ella Billmayer scored 14 points for Turner with Kristina Conlan adding 10. HLP got 10 points by Tia Zander and nine from Rayleigh Kirkaldie.

Friday night was a rough one for the areas two Class B schools. The Rocky Boy Morning Stars suffered just their second loss of the season, as they were beaten at Malta 70-40. Now Rocky Boy’s only losses have come at the hands of the top two teams in the state in Fairfield and the M-Ettes.

In the loss, Jai-Lynne Day Child and Rachel Parker each scored 10 points for the Morning Stars.

Meanwhile, things weren’t any better for the Harlem Wildcats. After suffering a gut-wrenching 48-47 non-conference loss to Shelby Thursday night, the Wildcats were back on the road to play 2B rival Glasgow Friday. And it was the Scotties who edged Harlem 50-43. Harlem did well to build a 28-19 lead at halftime, but the Scotties roared back, out-scoring Harlem 31-15 the rest of the way. In the loss, Mari Ereaux scored 15 points and Teche Ereaux added 12 for Harlem.

Things did turn around for the Morning Stars Saturday night. Rocky Boy was on the road, and back in 1B play, and the Morning Stars grabbed a huge conference win over the Choteau Bulldogs. In a close game, Rocky Boy used a 16-6 run in the final eight minutes to win 46-40. The game had been tied through three quarters. Jai-Lynne Day Child scored 15 points for the Morning Stars, while Lauren Four Colors chipped in with nine. Rocky Boy now has a firm hold on second place in the 1B standings.

Back in the 9C Saturday night, Chinook made it a perfect three-for-three week as the Beeters toppled Turner 52-26 in Turner. Chinook’s defense was the key as the Beeters held the Tornadoes to two points in the second quarter and three in the third.

Katelyn Neibauer scored 18 points for the Beeters and Brooke Nicholson added 10, while 10 different Chinook players got into the scoring column in the win. Conversely, only three Tornadoes scored in the contest, led by Ella Billmayer’s 12 points. Rylee Conlan also chipped in with 11.

And in the biggest 9C game Saturday night, two bitter rivals met in Rudyard, where the North Star Knights edged the C/J-I Hawks, 41-34. The Knights were clinging to a three-point lead when the fourth quarter started, and in a fast-paced period, they were able to outscore the Hawks 17-13.

Tylynn Rettig led three Knights in double figures with 15 points. Mackenzie Hansen and Sheridan O’Neil each added 10. C/J-I, which lost its second big rivalry game in a week, got nine points each from Allix Goldhahn and Madeline Woods.

Box Elder picked up an important league win as well Saturday night. Playing at home, the Bears trounced Big Sandy 58-22. Box Elder exploded for 20 points in the first quarter and never looked back. Leilani Gardipee made three 3-pointers and scored a game-high 18 points for the Bears, while Tyrah Gopher added 10. Anny Gregory scored 13 points in the loss for the Pioneers.

Finally Saturday night, the Fort Benton-Geraldine Longhorns remained perfect on the season, as they crushed HLP 57-13 in Hays. In both the first and third quarters, the Longhorns held HLP scoreless. The Longhorns saw 10 different players score, led by Coya Nack’s 12 points. Rayleigh Kirkaldie scored five points for HLP in the losing effort.

Thursday

Shelby 48, Harlem 47

Harlem 14 7 14 12 – 47

Shelby 15 12 15 6 – 48

Harlem – Mari Ereaux 7, Teche' Ereaux 7, Ticia Cliff 4, Sami Werk 4, Brooke LaValdo 22, Erin LaMere 2. Totals: 18 6-14.

Shelby – Katie Kelleher 17, Kylee Bailey 11, Sarah Sanchez 6, Brie White 2, Brooke Aklestad 7, Abbey Aklestad 5. Totals: 17 10-22

3-pointers – M. Ereaux, T. Ereaux 2, LaValdo 2, Kelleher, Sanchez 2, A. Aklestad. Total fouls – Harlem 19, Shelby 13.

Friday

Glasgow 50, Harlem 43

Harlem 12 16 9 6 -- 43

Glasgow 7 12 13 18 -- 50

Harlem – Mari Ereaux 15, Teche Ereaux 12, Ticia Cliff 8, Sami Werk 1, Brooke LaValdo 5, Erin LaMere 2. Totals: 16 6-14.

Glasgow – Amanda Wolff 9, Abbi Kolstad 18, Jordan Kulczyk 4, Lexi Nixdorf 1, Leinie Hughes 10, Tyra Johnson 6, Khloe Krumwiede 2. 20 8-21.

Three pointers – M. Ereaux 3, T. Ereaux 2, Wolff 2. Total fouls – Harlem 19, Glasgow 12. Fouled out – M. Ereaux, Hughes.

Chinook 55, Shelby 46

Shelby 5 15 6 20 -- 46

Chinook 16 9 8 22 -- 55

Shelby – Katie Kelleher 20, Kylee Bailey 11, Sarah Sanchez 7, Brie White 4, Brooke Aklestad 4. Totals: 18 8-12.

Chinook – Abigail Ellison 4, Brooke Nicholson 6, Hannah Weber 11, Kelsey Mathon 2, Katelyn Neibauer 20, Brooke Elliot 12. Totals: 18 16-24.

Three pointers – Bailey 1, Sanchez 1, Weber 2, K. Neibauer 1. Total fouls – Shelby 15, Chinook 18. Fouled out – Kelleher, Nicholson.

Malta 70, Rocky Boy 40

Rocky Boy 18 3 8 11 – 40

Malta 22 16 19 13 – 70

Rocky Boy – M. The Boy 9, J. DayChild 10, S. Henry 2, K. Cantrell 4, R. Parker 10, J. Mitchell 1. Totals: 17 4-8.

Malta – Marley Manoukian 11, Sophia Stiles 18, Markelle Lett 9, Hailey Nicholson 12, Jada Nicholson 6, Rebecca Smith 5, Darby Schye 9. Totals: 29 7-10.

3-pointers – The Boy, DayChild, Manoukian, Stiles 2, Lett, Smith. Total fouls – Rocky Boy 10, Malta 8.

Fort Benton/Geraldine 47, Box Elder 40

Fort Benton-Geraldine 15 9 10 13 -- 47

Box Elder 8 3 14 15 -- 40

Fort Benton-Geraldine – K. Bird 6, H. Pimperton 1, C. Nack 13, M. Nack 6, C. McCarthy 21. Totals: 16 10-24.

Box Elder – Leilani Gardipee 3, Alicia Wolf Chief 16, Misty Baker 1, Tia Russell 4, Tyrah Gopher 11, Sayra Long Fox 3, Alyssa LaMere 2. Totals: 13 7-16.

Three pointers – Bird 2, McCarthy 3, Wolf Chief 2, Long Fox 1. Total fouls -- Fort Benton-Geraldine 17, Box Elder 20. Fouled out – C. Nack, M. Nack, Russell, Gopher.

Turner 48, Hays-Lodge Pole 39

Turner 5 20 14 9 -- 48

HLP 4 12 12 11 -- 39

Turner – Ella Billmayer 14, Melanie Watkins 4, Rennay Watkins 6, Raegan Conlan 5, Kristina Conlan 10, Rylee Conlan 9. Totals: Unavailable.

HLP – Shania Doney 6, Kenessa Shambo 4, Rayleigh Kirkaldie 9, LaTasha Kirkaldie 8, Tia Zander 10, Miquela Perez 2. Totals: Unavailable.

Three pointers – Billmayer 1, K. conlan 2, Rylee Conlan 1, Shambo 1, R. Kirkaldie 1. Total fouls – Turner 22, Hays-Lodgepole 22. Fouled out – Raegan Conlan, Rylee Conlan, Kiara Shambo, Doney.

Chester/J-I 71, Big Sandy 26

C/J-I 20 17 25 9 -- 71

Big Sandy 7 3 6 10 -- 26

C/J-I – Kendahl Knapton 5, Kylee Winson 4, Peyton Cole 13, Korrin Harmon 4, Madeline Woods 15, Allix Goldhahn 20, Kristina Dahendon 5, Katelyn Hansen 2. Totals: 29 8-20.

Big Sandy – A. Gregory 8, M. Reichelt 13, A. Rutledge 3, G. Finke 2. Totals: 11 3-16.

Three pointers – Knapton 1, Goldhahn 1, Reichelt 1. Total fouls – CJI 16, Big Sandy 14. Fouled out – None.

Saturday

North Star 41, Chester/J-I 34

C/J-I 6 7 8 13 -- 34

North Star 4 10 10 17 -- 41

C/J-I – Kylee Vinson 1, Peyton Cole 6, Korrin Harmon 5, Madeline Woods 9, Allix Goldhahn 9, Kristina Dahinden 2, Katelyn Hansen 2. Totals: 12 8-13.

North Star – Mackenzie Hansen 10, Tylynn Rettig 15, Alissa Borlaug 3, Sam Pester 2, Sheridan O'Neil 10, Sheridan Spicher 1. Totals: 16 8-16.

Three pointers – Harmon 1, Goldhahn 1, M. Hansen 1. Total fouls – CJI 12, North Star 13. Fouled out – None.

Fort Benton/Geraldine 57, Hays-Lodge Pole 13

FB-G 15 17 17 8 – 57

HLP 0 9 0 4 – 13

Fort Benton/Geraldine – Kaitlyn Bird 5, Bailey Wieson 4, Hannah Pimperton 4, Madison Thompson 2, Katie Witt 4, Makae Nack 7, 7, Alia Evans 6, Cassidy McCarthy 8, Madison Schumacher 1, Coya Nack 12.

HLP – Shania Doney 2, Rayleigh Kirkaldie 5, Tia Zander 2, Miauela Perez 4

Box Elder 58, Big Sandy 22

Big Sandy 4 10 6 -- 22

Box Elder 20 16 14 8 -- 58

Big Sandy – Abby Gregory 13, Cheyenne Johnson 4, Maddy Reichelt 2, G. Finke 3. Totals: 9 3-6.

Box Elder – Leilani Gardipee 18, Alicia Wolf Chief 7, Tia Russell 9, Tyrah Gopher 10, S. Longfox 2, S. Houle 2, W. Anderson 3, Jaynee Parisian 5. Totals: 25 2-6.

Three pointers – Finke 1, Gardipee 2, Anderson 1, Parisian 1. Total fouls – Big Sandy 8, Box Elder 11. Fouled out – None.

Chinook 52, Turner 26

Chinook 12 13 17 10 -- 52

Turner 7 2 3 14 -- 26

Chinook – Abigail Ellison 2, Brooke Nicholson 10, Hannah Weber 8, Kelsey Mathon 1, Hailey McMaster 3, Taylor Neibauer 2, Katelyn Neibauer 18, Brooke Elliot 4, Nicole McCraken 4. Totals: 19 11-16.

Turner – Ella Billmayer 12, Raegan Conlan 3, Rylee Conlan 11. Totals: 9 5-13.

Three pointers – Nicholson 1, Weber 1, K. Neibauer 1, Billmayer 2, Rylee Conlan 1. Total fouls – Chinook 17, Turner 15. Fouled out – None.

Rocky Boy 46, Choteau 40

Rocky Boy 10 10 7 16 – 46

Choteau 9 11 14 6 – 40

Rocky Boy – M. The Boy 3, J. Day Child 15, L. Four Colors 9, S. Henry 2, J. The Boy 8, A. Gopher 3, J. LaForge 4, J. Mitchell 2. Totals: 14 14-18.

Choteau – Payton Durocher 13, Hannah Bowers 9, Tristin Achenbach 4, Darby Yeager 2, Payge Durocher 3, Celie Salmond 9. Totals: 16 2-5.

3-pointers – J. DayChild, Four Colors, J. The Boy, Gopher, Pt. Durocher 3, Bowers 2, Pg. Durocher. Total fouls – RB 12, Choteau 17. Fouled out – Salmond.