Hi-Line Boys Roundup: Stars cruise to District 1B championship

With district tournaments already here and gone, area teams were fighting for an extended season over the weekend. But outside of the District 9C, only one Hi-Line team will still fight for a state tournament berth.

Rocky Boy had a great regular season, but added an exclamation point on Saturday night. The Stars went 2-0 at the 1B tournament in Shelby and claimed the District 1B championship.

After a first-round bye, the Stars defeated the Conrad Cowboys 67-48 on Friday in the semifinals. The Stars only led 17-12 early on, but found a way to run away from the Cowboys down the stretch. After holding the Cowboys to just 15 combined points in the second and third quarters, Rocky Boy used a 27 point fourth quarter to ensure the dominating win. Desmond Parker paced the Stars in their post season debut with 17 points, while Darian Lafromboise added 14 and Junior Day Child added 13. Elijah Gopher also finished with 10.

Once in the championship game, the Stars earned an even more dominating win on Saturday. The Stars defeated the Choteau Bulldogs 76-53 for the 1B title. The title game also started out tight, as the Stars held a 22-18 lead after the first quarter. Rocky Boy's lead was narrowed to just one point, 38-37 at the break, but the Stars found a way to pull away late yet again.

Choteau scored just 16 points in the second half. The Stars totaled 38 points in the same 16 minutes and ran away with championship. Day Child rallied for a team-high 25 points, while Parker totaled 19. Gopher also scored 10 for the Stars, as they now move onto the Northern B where they will face Glasgow in the first round Thursday in Glasgow.

In 2B action, the Wildcats went 0-2 and ended their season.

On Thursday, Glasgow defeated the Wildcats 52-38 in the first round. Both teams got off to a slow start, while the Wildcats just couldn't hang around in the second half. In the final two frames the Wildcats were outscored 35-22, suffering the tough loss in their post season debut.

Migah Shawl led Harlem with a game high 23 points. Anthony Gray added six, Stanley Irvine added four, and Tyler Doney added three.

On Saturday, things didn't get any easier for Harlem, as Plentywood defeated the Wildcats 60-41 in the loser out bracket. This time around the Wildcats got off to a hot start, but couldn't keep rolling after a solid first quarter. Harlem trailed 18-17 after the first eight minutes, but scored just 13 points during the second and third frames. They added 11 in the fourth, but trailed too much make a move on Plentywood. Shawl led the Wildcats again, this time with 18 points, while Doney added 11, and Irvine added 8.

In the District 10C tournament in Conrad, the Chester/J-I Hawks also ended their season. The Hawks went 1-2, but finished in fourth place, just missing out on a challenge game for a spot at the Northern C. The Hawks needed a win Saturday to finish in third place, and a chance to challenge, but they came up short.

On Thursday, Power defeated the Hawks 42-40 in a very tight opening matchup. The Hawks trailed by two points at the half and just one point heading into the fourth quarter. But being outscored 17-16 in the fourth, the Hawks were narrowly defeated. Tim Stokes had a nice game with 13 points, while Mike Henke added eight. Jordan Oraw also finished with seven and Dell Harmon finished with six.

On Friday, the Hawks stayed alive in the loser-out bracket. The Hawks defeated Heart Butte 56-45. But the Hawks had to come back from a small deficit, trailing 11-9 after the first quarter. A 20 point second quarter gave the Hawks an edge at the Break, and a 27-22 run through the second half kept the Hawks out in front. Stokes led the Hawks with 24 points, while Dell Harmon kicked in 16 points. Oraw also finished with nine for the Hawks.

In the consolation game Saturday, the Hawks couldn't keep pace with the Valier Panthers. The Panthers defeated the Hawks 55-48, ending Chester/J-I's season.

The Hawks trailed 27-22 at intermission, and played from behind the remainder of the contest. After scoring just seven points in the third frame, the Hawks did outscore the Panthers 19-14 in the fourth quarter, but came up just short of the comeback win.

In the final game of the Hawks' season, Harmon led the way with 12 points, while Oraw followed with 10.

District 1B

Rocky Boy 67, Conrad 48 (sf)

Rocky Boy 17 13 10 27 – 67

Conrad 12 6 9 21 – 48

Rocky Boy – J Belcourt 3, J Bird 1, J Child 13, B Gropher 10, C Lafromboise 5, D Lafromboise 14, D Parker 17, M Zarco 4

Conrad – C Janzen 7, S Larson 8, A Zomer 23, D Vandenbos 8, K Murack 2

Rocky Boy 76, Choteau 53 (1st)

Choteau 18 19 8 8 – 53

Rocky Boy 22 16 17 21 - 76

Choteau – Pannabecker 25, Breen4, Gollehon 11, Achenbach 2, Durocher 2, Pannabecker 9.

Rocky Boy – Elijah Gopher 10, Isiah Murie 2, Junior Day Child 25, Justin Raining Bird 4, Desmond Parker 19, Darian Lafromboise 1, Cecil Lafromboise 2.

District 2B

Glasgow 52, Harlem 38

Harlem 4 12 12 10 – 38

Glasgow 9 8 18 17 – 52

Harlem — Anthony Gray 6, Stanley Irvine 4, Micah Shawl 23, Tyler Doney 3.

Glasgow — Bryan Larson 16, Jason Thibault 12, Chase Fossum 8, Jake Page 8, Keil Krumweide 8.

Plentywood 60, Harlem 41 (lo)

Harlem 17 5 8 11 – 41

Plentywood 18 15 12 15 – 60

Harlem — Anthony Gray 2, Stanley Irvine 8, Micah Shawl 18, Tristen Gone 2, Clay Doney 11.

Plentywood — Brady Osksa 25, Nathan Woodman 6, Jerod McCrory 8, Trey Howard 11, Tanner Sedgwick 6, Payden Anderson 4.

District 10C

Power 42, Chester/J-I 40

C/J-I 8 4 12 16 – 40

Power 2 12 11 17 – 42

Chester/J-I — Jordan Oraw 7, Dell Harmon 6, Tim Stokes 13, Mike Henke 8, Justin May 6.

Power — Tarren Lee 7, Kyle Schmidt 5, Levi Willekes 13, Cody Ulsh 2, Isaiah Dunk 6, Ryan Gunderson 1, Seth Kitchin 8.

Chester/J-I 56, Heart Butte 45 (lo)

Chester/J-I 9 20 12 13 – 56

Heart Butte 11 12 9 13 – 45

Chester/J-I — Jordan Oraw 9, Dell Harmon 16, Tim Stokes 24, Mike Henke 3, Justin May 4.

Heart Butte — Tyler Still Smoking 6, Eric Denney 2, Elijay Young Running Crane 8, Wyatt Skunkcap 7, Jared Bullshoe 10, Jacey Aimsback 11, Wyitt Williamson 1.

Valier 55, Chester/J-I 48 (3rd)

Valier 16 11 14 14 – 55

Chester/J-I 11 11 7 19 – 48

Valier - Tanner Purdy 8, Cole Wagner 7, Carter Miller 4, Justin Sullivan 11, Clint Christiaens 20, Joerel Tatsey 5.

Chester/J-I - Jordan Draw 10, Dell Harmon 12, Mike Henke 5, Steven May 3, Dustin Romain 7, Casey Kingon 5, Justin May 6.