Hi-Line Volleyball Roundup

With each passing week, the volleyball season becomes a little more heated.

And this past weekend saw area volleyball teams take some important steps in preparing for the stretch run.

This weekend's matches included the District 6C East Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbirds playing two doubleheaders in four days.

On Tuesday, the T-Birds dropped a pair of matches to Chester/J-I. The Hawks won the first match by scores of 25-4, 25-10 and 25-5, while they bested the T-Birds by scores of 25-9, 25-19 and 25-13 in a much more competitive second match.

HLP also dropped two more nonconference matches to Winifred on Friday night. The Red Raiders beat the T-Birds by scores 25-12, 25-12 and 25-8, and in the second match, they beat HLP by scores of 25-10, 25-12 and 25-20.

Friday night also saw a matchup of local Class B teams in Rocky Boy. And the host Rocky Boy Morning Stars swept the Harlem Wildcats by scores of 25-21, 25-15 and 25-15.

Caitlin Standing Rock had four kills and two aces for Rocky Boy. Tanise Pronto led Harlem with five assists and two service aces.

In Friday night's Class C action, the Chinook Sugarbeeters were swept by Valier, while Big Sandy also suffered the same fate in Geraldine.

The Pioneers, who have fallen to 4-7 overall this season, lost to the Tigers by scores of 25-19, 25-19 and 25-17. Brooke Leader had eight assists and three digs for Big Sandy while Hannah Williams added three blocks.

Saturday was a big day in Chester as the Chester/J-I Hawks played host to the C/J-I Showcase.

In pool play, the host Hawks went 1-3, then lost to Sunburst 2-0 in the consolation finals. Chinook went 2-2 in pool play and lost in the winner's bracket semifinals to Simms, 2-0. Belt beat Simms for the championship in two games.

Saturday night saw the Harlem Wildcats drop a tough four-set match to Poplar. The Indians defeated the Wildcats by scores of 20-25, 25-20, 25-23 and 25-21. Kianna Dumas paced Harlem with nine kills and 36 digs.

Rocky Boy also fell on Saturday night in Cut Bank. In a District 1B match, the Wolves defeated the Morning Stars by scores of 25-14, 25-14 and 25-8.

Amanda Belcourt had one kill for Rocky Boy, while Caitlin Standing Rock added and assist and two aces.

Friday

At Rocky Boy

Rocky Boy def. Harlem

25-21, 25-15, 25-15

Harlem – Kills 11 (Raelynn Rider 6), Assists 7 (Tanise Pronto 5), Aces 6 (Lacie Snider 2, Pronto 2), Digs 42 (Kianna Dumas 17), Blocks 1 (Sinder 1).

Rocky Boy — Kills 12 (Caitlin Standing Rock 4), Assists 5 (Sabrina LaForge 2), Aces 6 (Standing Rock 2), Digs 0 , Blocks 3 (three with one each).

At Geraldine

Geraldine def. Big Sandy

25-19, 25-19, 25-17

Big Sandy — Kills 12 (MacKenzie Jenkins 7), Assists 10 (Brooke Leader 8), Aces 2 (Mariah Gullickson 2), Digs 7 (Leader 3), Blocks 4 (Hannah Williams 3).

Geraldine — Kills 35 (Hallie Bronec 13), Assists 31 (Taylor Duvall 17), Aces 10 (Kayla Wishman 4), Digs 37 (Wishman 14), Blocks 2 (two with one each).

Saturday

Poplar def. Harlem

20-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-21

Harlem — Kills: 25 (KiAnna Dumas 9). Assists: 24 (Tanise Pronto 14). Aces: 15 (Pronto 8). Digs: 74 (Dumas 36). Blocks: 4 (Raelynn Rider 3).

Poplar — Kills: 25 (Shani Moran 9, LaVael Christian 9). Assists: 25 (Christian Smoker 16). Aces: 25 (Smoker 6, Christian 6). Digs: 92 (Darci Miller 40). Blocks: 6 (Moran 3, Christian 3).

At Cut Bank

Cut Bank def. Rocky Boy

25-14, 25-14, 25-8

Rocky Boy — Kills 2 (Amanda Belcourt 1), Assists 2 (Caitlin Standing Rock 1, Star Broncho 1), Aces 6 (Standing Rock 2, Leigha Onco 2), Digs 0, Blocks 5 (Sabrina LaForge 2).

Cut Bank — Kills 30 (Jordyn Baille 8), Assists 20 (R. Spencer 13), Aces 10 (Kayla Kraft 4), Digs 27 (Erika Karcher 7), Blocks 5 (Baille 3).

Chester/J-I Showcase

Pool Play

Belt def. Valier 2-0

Highwood def. Sunburst 2-0

Chinook def. Chester/J-I 2-0

Simms def. Denton 2-0

Simms def. Highwood 2-0

Chinook def. Valier Points

Sunburst def. Denton Points

Belt def. Chester/J-I Points

Chester/J-I def. Valier Points

Simms def. Sunburst Points

Belt def. Chinook 2-0

Highwood def. Denton 2-0

Consolation Finals

Sunburst def. Chester/J-I 2-0; Valier def. Denton 2-0.

Semifinals

Belt def. Highwood, 2-0.

Simms def. Chinook, 2-0.

Championship

Belt def. Simms, 25-23, 25-20