Local volleyball teams shine bright in openers

The 2013 high school volleyball season got started Friday night. But things really got cooking Saturday, mostly with preseason tournaments involving many area teams.

The Malta M-Ettes played host to the Malta Invitational Saturday where Chinook, Rocky Boy and Harlem were in attendance. In the bracket portion of the tournament, Harlem was ousted by Tri-Cities, while Rocky Boy was eliminated by Saco-Hinsdale. However, after a strong showing in pool play, the Sugarbeeters beat Circle 25-20 and 25-17 to advanced to the semifinals. There, the Beeters fell to Winnett-Grass Range by scores of 25-18 and 21-25, but it was a strong showing on opening weekend for Chinook.

The Chester/J-I Hawks were in Sunburst for a tournament Saturday, and it was a tough day for the Hawks, who went 0-2 in pool play and were eliminated by Valier by scores of 25-15 and 25-16. The Hawks did a get a win over Dutton-Brady, by scores of 21-25 and 25-15.

Meanwhile, in Belt, the North Star Knights and Big Sandy Pioneers, perhaps the top two teams in the 6C East, were in action in the Belt Showcase. In pool play, the Pioneers beat Belt, Harlowtown and Power, going 3-1 overall. North Star defeated Reedpoint-Rapelje and Centerville on its way to a 2-2 record in pool play.

In the tournament, the Knights defeated Harlowtown and the Pioneers beat Cascade.

Friday, North Star beat Dutton-Brady by scores of 25-22, 25-15, 26-28 and 25-19.

Malta Invitational

Highwood def. Poplar 25-18, 25-21

Saco/Hinsdale def. Rocky Boy 25-15, 25-16

Grass Range-Winnett def. Tri-Cities 25-21, 25-16

Chinook def. Circle 25-20, 25-17

Plentywood def. Highwood 25-13, 23-25

Saco/Hinsdale def. Malta 25-19, 25-23

Semi-Finals

Grass Range-Winnett def. Chinook 25-18, 21-25

Plentywood def. Saco/Hinsdale 25-23, 25-18

Championship

Grass Range-Winnett def. Hinsdale 25-17, 19-25

Sunburst Showcase

Red Pool standings — GFCC 2-0, Valier 1-1, Dutton/Brady 0-2

White Pool standings — Fort Benton 2-0, Sunburst 1-1, Chester/J-I 0-2

Power Seeding Play

Chester/J-I def. Dutton/Brady 21-25, 25-15

Sunburst def. Valier 25-14, 21-25

GFCC def. Fort Benton 25-21, 21-21

Seeded Play

Valier def. Chester/J-I 25-15, 25-16

Dutton/Brady def. Sunburst 25-10, 25-20

Valier def. Fort Benton 15-25, 27-25, 15-13

GFCC def. Dutton/Brady 25-15, 28-26

Championship

GFCC def. Valier 25-11, 25-16

Belt Preseason Showcase

Pool A

Belt def. Power 25-13, 25-12

Harlowton def. Winifred-Roy 25-16, 25-21

Big Sandy def. Belt 25-14, 25-24

Harlowton def. Power 25-24, 22-22

Winifred-Roy def. Big Sandy 25-23, 21-21

Belt def. Harlowton 25-11, 24-25

Winifred-Roy def. Power 24-12, 25-23

Big Sandy def. Harlowton 25-18, 24-25

Belt def. Winifred-Roy 25-19, 25-14

Big Sandy def Power 25-17, 25-7

Pool B

Cascade def. Centerville 25-22, 23-25

Denton–Stanford-Geyser def. North Star 25-19, 25-17

Cascade def. Reed Point-Rapelje 25-16, 25-19

Denton–Stanford-Geyser def. Centerville 25-10, 22-25

North Star def. Reed Point-Rapelje 25-9, 20-25

Denton–Stanford-Geyser def. Cascade 25-22, 25-19

North Star def. Centerville 25-24, 25-19

Cascade def. North Star 25-15, 15-25

Tournament Play

Power def. Reed Point-Rapelje 25-22, 25-14

Winifred-Roy def. Centerville 25-17, 25-23

North Star def. Harlowton 25-23, 25-17

Big Sandy def. Cascade 25-17, 25-19

Belt def. Denton–Stanford-Geyser 25-12, 25-19