Hi-Line Volleyball: Knights, Beeters, Hawks all win key matches

The calendar has turned to October, and for area high school volleyball teams, that means the most important stretch of the season has arrived.

Last week's action started on Thursday night when Chinook swept Big Sandy in a key District 6C East contest. The Sugarbeeters beat the Pioneers by scores of 23-19, 28-26 and 25-21.

Kourtney Hanson had eight kills for the Sugarbeeters, while Sierra Swank finished with one ace, one block and 10 assists. Jaylyn Cline had seven kills for the Pioneers, while Lainey Gregory tallied 12 assists.

Also Thursday night, Fairfield defeated Rocky Boy in a Class B showdown.

Meanwhile, the Pioneers tried to get back on the winning track Friday night, but Chester-Joplin-Inverness got in the way of that happening. The Hawks swept the Pioneers by scores of 25-14, 25-12 and 25-11. Kim Ghekiere had 10 kills and a block for CJI, while Peyton Hawks totaled seven aces and 24 assists.

Also Friday night, North Star kept its firm grasp on its lead in the 6C East with two easy wins over Hays-Lodge Pole in Gildford. In the first match, North Star won by scores of 25-3, 25-8 and 25-10. Peytan King had a big match with seven kills, nine digs and a block, while Paij Peterson served eight aces.

On the second match, the Knights won by scores of 25-8, 25-8 and 25-6. Shayla Borlaug had two stuff blocks in the win for the Knights, while Peterson and Lily Pedersen each had six aces.

Saturday's action saw Chinook fall to Fort Benton for the second time this season. In a Northern C matchup, the longhorns won by scores of 25-18, 25-22 and 25-21 in Fort Benton. Kourtney Hanson had seven kills and five blocks for the Beeters, while Alia Evans and Leah Gannon combined for 17 kills for the Longhorns.

Saturday also saw the North Star Knights end the Box Elder Bears' 6C East hot streak. In Gildford, the Knights beat the Bears by scores of 25-13, 25-20 and 25-15. Peytan King had 11 kills, while Chelsea Donaldson added 14 digs for the Knights. Lilly Gopher had a big night for Box Elder, with eight kills, five digs and two aces.

Big Sandy's rough week continued Saturday night, with a four-set loss to Centerville. The Miners downed the Pioneers by scores of 25-18, 25-12, 17-25 and 25-22. Lainey Gregory had 40 assists and five digs for the Pioneers, while Stacey Allderdice had two blocks.

In Class B action, Rocky Boy showed how improved it is this season, but still fell just short in a 1B match with Cut Bank. The Wolves edged the Morning Stars in a five-setter, by scores of 25-15, 23-25, 25-23, 23-25 and 15-7. The Morning Stars played a great match and got a combined 16 kills from Sean Henry and Jaylyn Mitchell. Henry also served five aces, while Jaynah Gopher had 17 assists.

Thursday

Chinook def. Big Sandy

23-19, 28-26, 25-21

Chinook – Kills 18 (Kourtney Hanson 8), Aces 1 (Sierra Swank), Digs 54 (Carrie Hofer 13), Blocks 2 (Swank 1, Erin Pula 1), Assists 16 (Swank 10).

Big Sandy – Kills 18 (Jaylyn Cline 7), Aces 10 (Georgia Wortman 2), Digs 17 (Dakota Terry 7), Blocks 4 (Terry 2), Assists 16 (Lainey Gregory 12).

Friday

CJI def. Big Sandy

25-14, 25-12, 25-11

Chester-Joplin-Inverness: Kills: 34 (Kim Ghekiere 10). Assists: N/A. Aces: 19 (Peyton Hawks 7). Digs: 28 (Hawks 24). Blocks: 1 (Ghekiere 1).

Big Sandy: (Team totals only) Kills: 13. Assists: 11. Aces: 2. Digs: 10. Blocks: 5.

North Star defeats Hays-Lodge Pole

25-3, 25-8, 25-10

North Star: Assists 20 (Paij Peterson 16), Kills 25 (Peytan King 7), Blocks 2 (Peytan King & Lily Pedersen 1), Digs 34 (Peytan King 9), Aces 25 (Paij Peterson 8)

Hays-Lodge Pole: na

North Star defeats Hays-Lodge Pole

25-8, 25-8, 25-6

North Star: Assists 14 (Paij Peterson 10), Kills 18 (Peytan King 5), Blocks 4 (Shayla Borlaug 2), Digs 25 (Katelyn Hansen, Saige O'Neil, Chelsea Donaldson 6 each), Aces 23 (Paij Peterson & Lily Pedersen 6 each).

Hays-Lodge Pole: na

Saturday

Fort Benton def. Chinook

25-18, 25-22, 25-21

Fort Benton - Kills 31 (Alia Evans 9, Leah Gannon 8); Aces 6 (Gannon 2); Digs 48 (Gannon 13, Evans 9); Blocks 6 (Evans 3); Assists 21 (McKenna Hanford 11, Evans 10).

Chinook - Kills 16 (Kourtney Hanson 7); Aces 2 (Sierra Swank 2); Digs 52 (Swank 12); Blocks 9 (Hanson 5); Assists 14 (Swank 13).

Cut Bank def. Rocky Boy

25-15, 23-25, 25-23, 23-25, 15-7

Cut Bank – Kills 38 (M. Seifert 8); Blocks 9 (M. Francom 5); Digs 42 (J. Spotted Bear 10); Assists 28 (J. Spotted Bear 10); Aces 24 (M. Barrett 6).

Rocky Boy – Kills 22 (Sean Henry 8, Jaylyn Mitchell 8); Blocks 6 (Mitchell 2); Digs 2 (two w/ 1); Assists 17 (Jaynah Gopher 17); Aces 21 (Henry 5).

North Star def. Box Elder

25-13, 25-20, 25-15

Box Elder – Assists 13 (Eve The Boy 7), Kills 18 (Lillian Gopher 8), Blocks 2 (Maia Henderson 2), Digs 15 (Gopher 5), Aces 4 (Gopher 2).

North Star – Assists 23 (Paij Peterson 15), Kills 28 (Peytan King 11), Blocks 1 (Peterson 1), Digs 57 (Chelsea Donaldson 14), Aces 7 (Lily Pedersen 3).

Centerville def. Big Sandy

25-18, 25-12, 17-25, 25-22

Big Sandy – Aces 4 (Georgia Wortman 2), Assists 50 (Lainey Gregory 40), Kills 30 (Jaylyn Cline 12), Digs 14 (Gregory 5), Blocks 2 (Stacey Allderdice 2).

Centerville – Aces 14 (Abby Jaynes 5), Kills 25 (Anna Marshall 8), Assists 21 (Hailey Christian 17), Blocks 2 (Maddie Urick 1), Digs 58 (Urick 14).