Sugarbeeters finish third at Northern C

The Chinook Sugarbeeters hadn’t felt the sting of a loss in volleyball since last November’s 2015 Northern C Divisional tournament. Fast forward one year, and the Beeters had to endure an even more difficult feeling.

On Saturday, a spectacular Chinook season was brought to an end with a third-place finish at the Northern C Divisional in Conrad. Chinook’s final match was just its second loss of the season — a straight-set defeat at the hands of Great Falls Central. In that match, the Beeters got four kills, four assists and two aces from Kelsey Mathon.

Being eliminated by the Mustangs was set up by a loss to powerhouse and eventual champion Belt Friday night. The 25-13, 25-10 and 25-21 loss to the Huskies in the semifinals was Chinook’s first defeat all season. In that match, Brooke Elliot had three kills, while Kourtney Hanson had five blocks.

Chinook started the Northern C by having to outlast a heck of an effort from the Centerville Miners in the first round Thursday. The Beeters beat the Miners by scores of 25-20, 22-25, 16-25, 25-22 and 15-10, erasing a 2-1 deficit. Mathon had 15 kills, and Taylor Neibauer tallied seven blocks.

The win over Centerville pushed Chinook into the quarterfinals, where the Beeters again went five sets, beating GFCC by scores of 25-23, 26-24, 24-26, 24-26 and 15-10. Again, Chinook was on the ropes in the incredible marathon match, but, in the fifth set, the Beeters stood tall. Hanson had 10 kills and Sierra Swank added six aces for Chinook in the win.

Meanwhile, North Star also was in action at the Northern C. Thursday, the Knights played a five-set thriller of their own but fell by scores of 20-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-17 and 15-11 to Simms in the opening round. Sheridan Spicher had 11 kills and three blocks for the Knights, while Sheridan Pena had 24 digs.

In loser-out play Friday, North Star stayed alive with a 25-6, 25-16 and 25-16 win over Sunburst. The Knights were led by Spicher’s nine kills, while Paij Peterson had eight aces and Kate Hansen had nine assists.

Later Friday, North Star was eliminated by GFCC, falling by scores of 25-19, 25-23 and 25-16. The Knights got five kills from Lily Pedersen, while Paij Peterson and Peytan King combined for eight blocks.

Belt and GFCC will represent the Northern C at this week’s Class C state tournament in Bozeman.

Northern C

Thursday

Chinook def. Centerville

25-20, 22-25, 16-25, 25-22, 15-10

Chinook – Kills 39 (Kelsey Mathon 15), Assists 17 (Sierra Swank 12), Aces 9 (Swank 3), Digs 121 (Carrie Hofer 29), Blocks 19 (Taylor Neibauer 7),

Centerville – Kills 33 (Peyton Vining 15), Assists 28 (Kenadee Chartier 26), Aces 10 (Danielle Betts 4), Digs 69 (Ryelee Nehrgang 18), Blocks 12 (Cecilia Vielle 5).

Simms def. North Star

20-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-17, 15-11

North Star – Kills 40 (Sheridan Spicher 11), Assists 40 (Paij Peterson 21), Aces 17 (Peterson 5), Digs 70 (Sheridan Pena 24), Blocks 5 (Spicher 3).

Sunburst – Kills 32 (Sawyer 11), Assists 30 (Blook 30), Aces 14 (Blook 4), Digs 11 (Bloom 3, Jones 3), Blocks 5 (Sawyer 4).

Chinook def. Great Falls Central

25-23, 26-24, 24-26, 24-26, 15-10

Great Falls Central – Kills 43 (Kenadee Depner 16), Assists 42 (Erin Lincoln 22), Aces 19 (Sara Tarum 8), Digs 49 (Chelsey Schraner 12), Blocks 26 (Melissa Nickol 7).

Chinook – Kills 31 (Kourtney Hanson 10), Assists 15 (Kelsey Mathon 7), Aces 12 (Sierra Swank 6), Digs 165 (Mathon 29), Blocks 23 (Taylor Neibauer 8).

Friday

North Star def. Sunburst

25-6, 25-16, 25-16 (lo)

North Star leaders – Kills 26 (Sheridan Spicher 9); assists 20 (Katelyn Hansen 9); aces 21 (Paij Peterson 8); digs 46 (Sheridan Pena 14); blocks 2 (Peytan King 2).

Sunburst leaders – Kills 3 (Cierrah Farbo 2); assists 4 (Carly Zell 3); aces 3 (Cate Lerum 1, Cierrah Farbo 1, Kjatlyn Cullen 1); digs 10 (Jodi Hout 3); blocks 4 (Johna McEwen 3).

Great Falls Central def. North Star

25-19, 25-23, 25-16 (lo)

Great Falls Central leaders – Kills 25 (Bryn Anaderson 12); assists 24 (Chelsey Schraner 13); aces 5 (Kenadee Depner 3); digs 32 (Sara Tarum 9); blocks 4 (Bryn Anderson 2).

North Star leaders – Kills 16 (Lily Pedersen 5); assists 15 (Paij Peterson 8); aces 3 (Three girls with 1 each); digs 36 (Sheridan Spicher 11); blocks 12 (Paij Peterson 4, Peytan King 4)

Belt def. Chinook

25-13, 25-10, 25-21 (sf)

Chinook leaders – Kills 11 (Brooke Elliot 3); assists 8 (Kelsey Mathon 5); aces 5 (Carrie Hofer 2); digs 46 (Kelsey Mathon 14); blocks 15 (Kourtney Hansen 5).

Belt leaders – Kills 37 (Dani Urick 14): assists 36 (Kerstyn Pimperton 35); aces 12 (Kerstyn Pimperton 4); digs 40 (Alison Stoker 12); blocks 9 (Dani Urick 3, Kassie Hoyer 3).

Saturday

Great Falls Central def. Chinook

25-11, 25-10, 25-17, Chinook third

Great Falls Central: Kills 25 (Bryn Anderson 10). Assists 24 (Chelsey Schraner 15). Aces 11 (Marley Held 4). Digs 34 (Sara Tarum 15). Blocks 16 (Anderson 4).

Chinook: Kills 16 (Kelsey Mathon 4). Assists 6 (Mathon 4). Aces 3 (Mathon 2). Digs 58 (Sierra Swank 13). Blocks 9 (Kourtney Hansen 5).