Local volleyball teams go for divisional titles

Four local volleyball teams are gunning for divisional titles this weekend as the winter sports season quickly winds down.

Chinook, which is hosting the North-East Divisional Volleyball Tournament, has the same goals this weekend as it did last weekend get a trophy and move on to the next tournament. The top three teams from this weekend's divisional tournament go to the state tournament next weekend in Missoula.

Chinook enters this weekend's divisional tournament as the No. 1 seed from District 2B. Chinook knocked off previously undefeated Malta twice in the district tournament.

The Sugarbeeters face the No. 4 seed from District 1B in Cut Bank today at 2 p.m. If the Sugarbeeters win, they will play the winner of the Glasgow/Conrad game tonight at 8. If they lose, they will play Friday at noon.

Other teams in the tournament include Choteau, Wolf Point, Simms and Malta.

Chinook coach Paula Molyneaux said her team is going to go after a trophy again in hopes of going to the state tournament, but "in order to do that, we need to play our best."

Three other area teams will meet on the court in Chester for the Northern C Divisional Volleyball Tournament, starting this afternoon at 1:30. No. 1 seed Belt faces No. 4 Big Sandy in the opening game, with No. 2 Sunburst and No. 3 Centerville following. The other No. 1 seed, Chester, opens the night session with No. 4 Dutton/Brady at 6:30. No. 2 Valier and No. 3 Blue Sky will follow.

Chester carries a near perfect record into the divisional tournament during coach Don VanDessell's tenure. VanDessell said his teams have never finished lower than third at a divisional tournament.