Class C girls make it a sweep

Chinook's Makhayla Farmer (left) battles for position during the HIT girls championship game Saturday night at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse in Havre. The Class C stars won the tournament over the AA team. For more photos, see http://www.havredailynews.com.

North Star's Shelby Lipp makes a pass during Saturday's HIT girls championship game at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse.

The 26th Annual Hi-Line Invitational basketball tournament got off without a hitch over the weekend, and local and visiting fans were treated to a very competitive championship game.

Thursday through Saturday, some of the states top prep basketball players were at the HIT, held at Montana State University-Northern's Armory Gymnasium. And in girls action, it was the Class C squad defeating the Class AA squad 85-82 to claim the championship. It was the third straight year winning the title for the Class C girls.

Entering Saturday night's championship game, both the Class C and Class AA girls proved they were seriously in the title hunt. The Class C team dropped just one game in the three days, losing to the Class B team 101-96 in overtime on Thursday. And the Class AA team lost just one game prior to the championship game as well, losing to the Class C girls in a Saturday afternoon tip off, 83-74.

Both teams housed strong rosters, and the championship game didn't disappoint.

It was a tight matchup all the way through, and the lead changed hands multiple times throughout the four quarters. And while Box Elder's Aricka Wolf Chief had a relatively quiet game, she was the hero three times late in the come from behind victory for the Class C squad.

Trailing by two at the end of regulation, Wolf Chief hit her first three of the game, giving the Class C squad the 76-74 lead, and setting up the 76-76 tie heading into overtime. And once in overtime, Wolf Chief hit two more treys, one early, tying the game at 79-79, and the other with less than a minute left to play, giving the Class C the lead once again at 83-82. The Class C girls went on to win 85-82.

Wolf Chief finished with 11 points, but the Class C was led by Martha Dembek of Winnet-Grass Range with 23 points and Brittany Curl of Absarokee with 21 points.

The Class AA was led by Lexi Pyette of CMR with 21 points and Markaela Francis of Great Falls High with 11.

In other games, the Class AA girls defeated the Class A 82-76 on Thursday. And on Friday, the Class C defeated the Class A 105-73, the Class AA girls defeated the Class B 94-92 and the Class B defeated the Class A 111-77. On Saturday in the consolation game, the Class A defeated the Class B 93-82.

Awards were also given out this weekend.

The MVP was awarded to Dembek, while the 3-point contest winner was Jacy Thompson of Townsend. Miss Hustle was given to Pyette, while the rebounds leader was Francis and the assist leader was Courtney Henry of Malta. And making up the All-Tournament team was Peyton Ferris (Twin Bridges High School), Alisha Breen (Choteau High School), Curl (Absarokee High School), Jill Barta (Fairfield High School), Brandy Kumm (C.M. Russell High School), Dembek (Winnet-Grass Range), Kacie McKeon (Butte Central High School), Brianna Robinson (Billings West High School), Jacy Thompson (Broadwater County High School) and McCalle Feller (Lewistown).

Class B - Alisha Breen 28, Courtney Henry 18, Jill Barta 17.

Class C - Peyton Ferris 40, Martha Dembek 12, Tiffany Kittleson 12.

FRIDAY

C Girls 105, A Girls 73

Class C - Peyton Ferris 30, Aricka Wolfchief 14, Martha Dembek 13.

Class A - McCalle Feller 22, Kacie McKeon 19, Peyton Filius 10.

AA Girls 94, B Girls 92

B Girls - Alisha Breen 36, Jill Barta 12, Jordan Powers 11, Kiernan Haggerty 11.

AA Girls - Brandy Kumm 27, Brianna Robinson 23, Kelsey Devlin 12.

B Girls 111, A Girls 77

A Girls - McCalle Feller 19, Lexi Prevost 17, Molly Henron 14.

B Girls - Alisha Breen 42, Jill Barta 19, Jill Powers 14.

SATURDAY

C Girls 83, AA Girls 74

C Girls – Brittany Curl 29, Aricka Wolf Chief 18, Makhayla Farmer 12, Martha Dembek 12, Kelsey Permann 11

AA Girls – Markela Francis 18, Brianna Robinson 16, Brandy Kumm 11

Consolation

A Girls 93, B Girls 82

A Girls – Kacie McKeon 24, McCalle Feller 18, Taylor McCoy 13

B Girls – Jordan Powers 24, Jacy Thompson 20, Julia 20, Taylor Peck 14

Championship

C Girls 85, AA Girls 82, OT

AA Girls - Lexi Pyette 21, Brittany Kumm 13, Markaela Francis 15.

C Girls - Aricka Wolf Chief 11, Martha Dembek 23, Brittany Curl 21, Makhayla Farmer 11.

Box Elder's Aricka Wolf Chief races down the floor during the HIT girls championship game Saturday in Havre.

The 26th Annual Hi-Line Invitational basketball tournament got off without a hitch over the weekend, and local and visiting fans were treated to a very competitive championship game.

Thursday through Saturday, some of the states top prep basketball players were at the HIT, held at Montana State University-Northern's Armory Gymnasium. And in girls action, it was the Class C squad defeating the Class AA squad 85-82 to claim the championship. It was the third straight year winning the title for the Class C girls.

Entering Saturday night's championship game, both the Class C and Class AA girls proved they were seriously in the title hunt. The Class C team dropped just one game in the three days, losing to the Class B team 101-96 in overtime on Thursday. And the Class AA team lost just one game prior to the championship game as well, losing to the Class C girls in a Saturday afternoon tip off, 83-74.

Both teams housed strong rosters, and the championship game didn't disappoint.

It was a tight matchup all the way through, and the lead changed hands multiple times throughout the four quarters. And while Box Elder's Aricka Wolf Chief had a relatively quiet game, she was the hero three times late in the come from behind victory for the Class C squad.

Trailing by two at the end of regulation, Wolf Chief hit her first three of the game, giving the Class C squad the 76-74 lead, and setting up the 76-76 tie heading into overtime. And once in overtime, Wolf Chief hit two more treys, one early, tying the game at 79-79, and the other with less than a minute left to play, giving the Class C the lead once again at 83-82. The Class C girls went on to win 85-82.

Wolf Chief finished with 11 points, but the Class C was led by Martha Dembek of Winnet-Grass Range with 23 points and Brittany Curl of Absarokee with 21 points.

The Class AA was led by Lexi Pyette of CMR with 21 points and Markaela Francis of Great Falls High with 11.

In other games, the Class AA girls defeated the Class A 82-76 on Thursday. And on Friday, the Class C defeated the Class A 105-73, the Class AA girls defeated the Class B 94-92 and the Class B defeated the Class A 111-77. On Saturday in the consolation game, the Class A defeated the Class B 93-82.

Awards were also given out this weekend.

The MVP was awarded to Dembek, while the 3-point contest winner was Jacy Thompson of Townsend. Miss Hustle was given to Pyette, while the rebounds leader was Francis and the assist leader was Courtney Henry of Malta. And making up the All-Tournament team was Peyton Ferris (Twin Bridges High School), Alisha Breen (Choteau High School), Curl (Absarokee High School), Jill Barta (Fairfield High School), Brandy Kumm (C.M. Russell High School), Dembek (Winnet-Grass Range), Kacie McKeon (Butte Central High School), Brianna Robinson (Billings West High School), Jacy Thompson (Broadwater County High School) and McCalle Feller (Lewistown).

THURSDAY

Class AA 82, Class A 76

B Girls 101, C Girls 96 OT