Hi-Line Volleyball Roundup: Box Elder, Chinook earn 6C East victories

Every match is important in October when it comes to high school volleyball on the Hi-Line. It just so happens, some matches are more important than others.

And while there were some exciting mid-season tournaments this past weekend, no matches were more important than the few District 6C East clashes that took place on the Hi-Line this past week.

Last Thursday saw the biggest of them all as the Chinook Sugarbeeters played host to the North Star Knights, in what is a hotly contested rivalry. But, on their home floor, the Beeters stayed unbeaten in district play with a sweep of the Knights. Chinook won by scores of 25-16, 26-24 and 25-18.

Brooke Nicholson had six kills and 12 digs to pace the Beeters, while Kelsey Mathon had nine assists and an ace, and Lauren Harshman added three blocks. North Star got a match-high 12 kills from Sheridan O’Neil, who also had a pair of blocks. Graysen Spicher tallied 20 assists and two aces in the tough loss as well.

Thursday night also saw Belt take care of Fort Benton by scores of 25-16, 25-12 and 25-19 as the Huskies continued to look strong in Northern C play.

There was another important match in the 6C East Friday night as Box Elder and Big Sandy went toe-to-toe. Both teams have been improving this season, but it was the Bears who prevailed Friday night, by scores of 25-23, 17-25, 25-23 and 25-19.

In the win, Box Elder got three kills each from Eve The Boy and Tallen Oats. Nikayala Anderson added eight assists as well. Madison Reichelt had five kills and four aces for the Pioneers, while Jasmine Genereaux had six assists.

On Saturday, area teams turned their attention to some mid-season tournament play, with squads traveling to both Chester and Fort Benton.

At the Chester/J-I Invitational, the host Hawks were impressive but ran into a tough Belt squad in the championship match. The Huskies defeated the Hawks by scores of 25-18, 23-25 and 15-10 in what could be a preview of a Northern C showdown down the road.

In Fort Benton, it was a good day for the Beeters, as they went undefeated at the Fort Benton Mid-Season Tourney. Chinook defeated the Fort Benton JV team, as well as Cascade and Great Falls Central in pool play, then the Beeters beat North Star and Geraldine-Highwood in the championship bracket.

The Knights beat Power and Fort Benton, but lost to Geraldine-Highwood in pool play, and were eliminated by the Beeters in the championship bracket. The host Longhorns lost to Geraldine-Highwood and the Knights in pool play, but did beat Power, before going on to win the consolation bracket.

Back in conference play Saturday night, the Harlem Wildcats suffered a District 2B setback at the hands of Poplar. The Indians took down the Wildcats by scores of 18-25, 25-20, 25-23 and 25-21 as Harlem remained winless in conference play.

Thursday

Belt def. Fort Benton

25-16, 25-12, 25-19

Belt: Kills 41 (Dani Urick 9), Blocks 3 (Three with one), Digs 48 (Alison Stoker 19), Aces 13 (Addy Martin 6), Assists: 36 (Addy Martin 25).

Fort Benton: Stats not reported.

Chinook def. North Star

25-16, 26-24, 25-18

North Star - Kills 26 (Sheridan O'Neil 12), Assists 20 (Graysen Spicher 20), Aces 4 (Spicher 2), Digs 43 (Jewel Wicks 13), Blocks 7 (O'Neil 2).

Chinook - Kills 20 (Brooke Nicholson 6), Assists 14 (Kelsey Mathon 9), Aces 3 (Mathon, Sierra Swank, Cortney Gunderson), Digs 34 (Nicholson 12), Blocks 8 (Lauren Harshman 3).

Friday

Box Elder def. Big Sandy

25-23, 17-25, 25-23, 25-19

Box Elder: Kills: 11 (Eve The Boy 3, Tallen Oats 3). Blocks: 4 (Maddison Wolfchief 2). Aces: 15 (Tesla Belcourt 5). Digs: 5 (Tai Russell 3). Assists: 10 (Nikayla Anderson 8).

Big Sandy: Kills: 12 (Madison Reichelt 5). Blocks: 3 (Molly Kain, Reichelt, Jessica Rath). Aces: 18 (Kain 4, Reichelt 4). Digs: 1. Assists: 9 (Jasmine Genereux 6).

Saturday

Poplar def. Harlem

18-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-21

Harlem: Stats not available

Poplar: Kills 25 (Samantha Youngman 7, Emily Hagadon 7), Assists 23 (Kylee Stump 11), Digs 53 (Avalyn Larsen 9), Aces 20 (Kylee Stump 5, Youngman 5), Blocks 2 (Stump 2).

Chester/J-I Invitational

Championship

Belt def. C/J-I 25-18, 23-25, 15-10

Third Place

Valier def. Sunburst 29-27, 25-27, 15-13

Fort Benton Mid-Season Tourney

Pool Play

Great Falls Central def. Cascade 25-19, 25-13

Highwood-Geraldine def. Fort Benton 25-17, 26-24

Chinook def. Fort Benton JV 25-10, 25-10

Highwood-Geraldine def. North Star 25-22, 25-18

Chinook def. Cascade 25-12, 25-9

Fort Benton def. Power 25-14, 25-9

Great Falls Central def. Fort Benton JV 25-21, 21-11

North Star def. Power 25-20, 25-6

Chinook def. Great Falls Central 25-16, 25-16

North Star def. Fort Benton 25-20, 25-24

Cascade def. Fort Benton JV 23-25, 25-18

Highwood-Geraldine def. Power 25-5, 25-15

Tournament Play

Consolation Bracket

Fort Benton def. Fort Benton JV 25-18, 25-16

Cascade def. Power 25-17, 25-24

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

Championship Bracket

Highwood-Geraldine def. Great Falls Central 28-26, 25-18

Chinook def. North Star 25-20, 25-20

Chinook def. Highwood-Geraldine 22-25, 25-16, 15-10

Monday

North Star def. Havre JV

25-10, 25-9, 25-20

North Star: Assists 28 (Graysen Spicher 26), Kills 34 (Sheridan O'Neil 16), Blocks 7 (O'Neil 4), Digs 60 (Spicher 12), Aces 7 (Kiera Miller 2).

Havre: Statistics not provided.