Chinook wins first-ever Northern C boys title

GREAT FALLS - After losing in the Northern C consolation game a year ago, the Chinook Sugarbeeters had some unfinished business Saturday night in Great Falls. And they finished the job against a fellow 9C rival.

In the 20-19 Northern C bioys championship game, Chinook won its first-ever divisional title with a 66-45 victory over 9C rival Hays-Lodge POle inside the Four Seasons Arena. Chinook improved to 24-0 as well, and while the Beeters had already clinched a berth in the state tournament, their first since dropping to Class C, they wanted to make sure they left Great Falls with the Northern C trophy.

"It feels great," senior Cord Schneider said. "I believe this is the first divisional championship we've ever won in Class C, and even the last team to go to state, they didn't win divisionals, so this is a big first for us.

"We wanted to win this tournament," added senior Isaac Bell. "After last year, we came here with a chip on our shoulder."

Chinook looked led a team on a mission against HLP too. The T-Birds started fast, but Chinook led 17-9 after one, then ripped off a 17-2 run in the second quarter to take a commanding 37-20 lead into the break. And, HLP could do little to bounce back. Chinook ballooned its lead to 22 points at the end of the third, and rolled to the win by shooting 48 percent, out-rebounding the T-Birds 41-27 and forcing HLP into 20 turnovers.

"I'm really proud of our defensive effort this entire tournament," Mike Seymour said. "That was a big focus for us, and our guys really brought that defensive intensity all week."

Chinook was just as good offensively. Schneider finished with 20 points and eight boards, while Bell added 17 and Brendan Edwards scored 10. Chinook will now get two weeks to prepare for the state tournament, but for now, Seymour said his team will enjoy their first Northern C championship.

"I'm super excited, we're stoked about this," Seymour said. "I'm really proud of these kids, they've worked hard and they've earned this. It's an indescribable feeling right now."

HLP on the other hand, isn't done yet. The T-Birds, which got 13 points from Jeremy pretty Paint in Saturday night's championship, will try and fight their way to state via a challenge game with Winnett-Grass-Range on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Four Seasons Arena.

"We're going to come back and play our game," HLP head coach Derrick Shambo said. "This team has come a long way, and we'll come back Sunday and try to play our best game and get to state."