Hi-Line Volleyball Roundup: Sugarbeeters, Knights win thrilling matches

The high school volleyball season is hitting the stretch run. And though most area teams will take a break this week, with the Montana Teacher’s Convention taking place this weekend, the race to the postseason is in high gear.

Last week’s action on the Hi-Line got started Tuesday when the Chinook Sugarbeeters stepped out of district play, and beat the Malta M-Ettes in a five-set thriller. Chinook and Malta were once District 1B rivals, and though the Beeters have dropped to Class C, the rivalry lives on.

And on Malta’s home floor, the Beeters were victorious, by scores of 18-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22 and 15-9. Twice, Chinook staved off elimination in a match that went back and forth, but in the end, the Beeters remained unbeaten. Kelcey Mathon totaled 12 kills for Chinook, while Brooke Nicholson had 30 digs and Lauren Harshman had two stuff blocks. Chinook also clobbered Hays-Lodge Pole Friday night to remain perfect in the 6C East standings.

Tuesday night wasn’t as kind to the Chester/J-I Hawks, who lost to Dutton-Brady by scores of 25-23, 25-18 and 25-21. C/J-I got 11 kills, three aces, 12 digs and 1.5 blocks from sophomore Allix Goldhahn, but it wasn’t enough for the Hawks to get by the Diamondbacks.

But as rough as Tuesday night was on the Hawks, they turned around and played one of their best matches of the season Thursday night, though it was in a loss.

In Gildford Thursday night, C/J-I and North Star waged an epic battle in the 6C East. In what was one of the best matches of the season, the Knights escaped with a thrilling five-set win. North Star beat the rival Hawks by scores of 19-25, 25-16, 25-19, 24-26 and 16-14. The final two sets were touch-and-go the whole way, but the Knights made the key plays to come out on top.

North Star racked up 30 kills, with Sheridan O’Neil totaling 20. She also had three blocks, while Mackenzie Hansen had 37 digs and Graysen Spicher set 47 assists. The Hawks got 11 kills by Goldhahn, while Erin Wolfe totaled 16 digs. Madeline Woods also had four aces and eight assists in the exciting match.

Thursday night also saw two Class B rivals go toe-to-toe as Rocky Boy edged Harlem in a five-set marathon in Rocky Boy. The Morning Stars got just their second win of the season by beating the Wildcats by scores of 25-19, 13-25, 25-22, 18-25 and 15-11.

Jurnee LaForge had 10 kills and Rainey Singer totaled 14 digs for the Morning Stars. Harlem got 11 kills, 13 assists, nine aces and two blocks in a fine all-around performance by Erin LaMere.

The difficult times for Harlem continued Friday and Saturday as well.

Friday night, Malta trounced the Wildcats by scores of 25-14, 25-21 and 25-18. Brooke Levaldo had three kills for the Wildcats, while Chandra Sears tallied 14 digs and five service aces. Saturday night, Harlem dropped another 2B match when the Wildcats were beaten by Wolf Point by scores of 27-25, 25-21, 18-25 and 25-10. In the first three sets, the Wildcats played tough, but the Wolves were too good in the fourth. LaMere had 10 kills and five aces to pace Harlem, while Ticia Cliff had 18 digs on defense.

Saturday night also saw Big Sandy struggle. The Pioneers stepped out of conference play, and were beaten by Northern C power Highwood. The Mountaineers beat the Pioneers by scores of 25-3, 25-7 and 25-10. Maddy Reichelt had two kills and Jessica Roth tallied three digs in the loss for Big Sandy.

The District 6C East will take this weekend off, before returning to action the following week. The 6C District Tournament is slated for Oct. 30-31 in Chinook.

Tuesday

Chinook def. Malta

18-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22, 15-9

Chinook: Kills 37 (Kelcey Mathon 12), Aces 12 (Hannah Weber 4), Digs 116 (Brooke Nicholson 30), Blocks 5 (Lauren Harshman 2), Assists 34 (Mariah Swank 19)

Malta: Kills 37 (Laramie Scheffelmear 10), Aces 8 (Kaittlyn Smith 3, Markelle Lette 3), Digs 101 (Markelle Lette 26), Blocks 3 (Darby Schye 1, Lette 1), Assists 29 (Lette 14)

Dutton-Brady def. Chester/J-I

25-23, 25-18, 25-21

Dutton-Brady: Aces 11 (Taylor Reeve 7, Sierra Johnson 2), Kills 28 (Reeve 10, Johnson 10), Blocks 3 (Johnson 1.5), Digs 75 (Sarah Haman 18, Johnson 16), Assists 17 (Kaily Miller 9, Reeve 5).

C/J-I: Aces 7 (Allix Goldhahn 3), Assists 15 (Emma Earl 8), Kills 20 (Goldhahn 11), Blocks 6.5 (Erin Wolfe 2.5, Goldhahn 1.5), Digs 52 (Wolfe 13, Goldhahn 12, Madeline Woods 11)

Thursday

North Star def. Chester/J-I

19-25, 25-16, 25-19, 24-26, 16-14

Rocky Boy def. Harlem

25-19, 13-25, 25-22, 18-25, 15-11

Harlem leaders – Kills 35 (Erin LaMere 11); assists 30 (Erin LaMere 13); aces 14 (Erin LaMere 9); digs 63 (Chanda Sears 22); blocks 4 (Erin LaMere 2).

Rocky Boy leaders – Kills 30 (Jurnee LaForge 10); assists 18 (Sean Henry 11); aces 17 (Jailyn Day Child 6); digs 26 (Rainey Singer 14); blocks 2 (Sean Henry 2).

FRIDAY

Malta def. Harlem

25-14, 25-21, 25-18

Harlem leaders – Kills 7 (Brooke Levaldo 3); assists 6 (Erin LaMere 2, Alexa Longknife 2); aces 14 (Erin LaMere 5, Chanda Sears 5); digs 35 (Chanda Sears 14); blocks 1 (Ticia Cliff 1).

Malta leaders – Kills 29 (Darby Schye 9); assists 26 (Kelsey Kuehn 12, Markelle Lett 12); aces 11 (Kelsey Kuehn 4); digs 31 (Markelle Lett 12); blocks 3 (Larimie Scheffelmear 3).

Saturday

Wolf Point def. Harlem

27-25, 25-21, 18-25, 25-10

Harlem - Kills: 20 (Erin LaMere 10). Blocks: 4 (Emma Humphreys 2). Aces: 9 (LaMere 5). Digs: 49 (Ticia Cliff 18). Assists: 22 (Alexa LongKnife 11).

WP - Kills: 43 (Mariah Weeks 12, Ashley Page 12). Blocks: 5 (Kylee Driftwood 2). Aces: 13 (Christean Holen 3, Mattia Blackeagle 3). Digs: 76 (Page 18, Holen 18). Assists: 35 (Sierra Hanks 22).

Highwood def. Big Sandy

25-3, 25-7, 25-10

Big Sandy leaders – Kills 2 (Maddy Reichelt); assists 2 (Jasmine Genereux); aces 1 (Andrea Rutledge 1); digs 3 (Jessica Roth); blocks 0.

Highwood leaders – Kills 18 (Adrian Malek 7); assists 11 (Katy Long 3, Rosie O’Leary 3); aces 14 (Denise LaFontaine 4); digs 30 (Denise LaFontaine 10); blocks 0.