Hi-Line Volleyball: North Star taking command of 6C East

Over the weekend, many Hi-Line volleyball teams took a quick break from conference play as tournaments in Fort Benton and Chester were held.

But, earlier in the week, the district action was as fierce as ever.

On Tuesday, in a local rivalry match, the Box Elder Bears continued their climb up to being a volleyball power by besting rival Rocky Boy in a five-set thriller in Rocky Boy. The Bears beat the Morning Stars by scores of 19-25, 25-17, 23-25, 31-29 and 15-12 in a marathon match.

Lillian Gopher had 11 kills and two blocks for the Bears, while Eve The Boy served six aced and had six assists. Jaynah Gopher finished with 28 assists and 11 aces for Rocky Boy. Sean Henry had eight kills.

In another local rivalry match, Harlem took down Hays-Lodge Pole Tuesday night by scores of 25-16, 25-16 and 25-20. Emily Ramone had seven kills for Harlem, while Raegan Conlan tallied six digs.

Thursday night, Box Elder won its fifth straight match, returning to District 6C East play to down Big Sandy in a sweep. The Bears won by scores of 25-14, 25-22 and 25-18, with Lillian Gopher totaling 15 kills, while Maddie Wolf Chief had 11 digs and two blocks. Georgia Wortman had a big match for the Pioneers, totaling five kills, two aces and two blocks.

Harlem won its second straight Thursday night, as the Wildcats beat the Poplar Indians. In a 2B match, Harlem won by scores of 25-14, 25-22, 22-25 and 25-23. Eleesha Bell, Emily Ramone and Skylee Dirden each had five kills for the Wildcats.

Rocky Boy picked up a huge District 1B win Thursday night, as the Morning Stars took down Conrad in a five-setter. Rocky Boy beat the Cowgirls by scores of 25-13, 24-26, 22-25, 25-15 and 15-10 in a great match. Jaylynn Mitchell had a big outing for the Morning Stars with 16 kills and three blocks. Sean Henry added five aces.

In a pivotal 6C East match Thursday night, North Star beat Chinook, with Kate Hansen and Peyton King combing for 18 kills for the first-place Knights. King added five blocks, while Hansen had four aces and Paij Peterson added 20 assists. Kourtney Hanson had 15 kills, five aces and three blocks for the Sugarbeeters.

Thursday night also saw Chester-Joplin-Inverness step out of conference play to take on former district rival Valier. But in a five-set thriller, the Panthers beat the Hawks by scores of 13-25, 16-25, 27-25, 26-24 and 15-12, coming from 2-0 down in a wild match. Kim Ghekiere had 14 kills and Gabby Mangold had 10 for the Hawks. Peyton Hawks also had 31 assists.

Friday, North Star continued its hold on the 6C East standings with a four-set win in Big Sandy. The Knights defeated the Pioneers by scores of 25-15, 18-25, 25-22 and 25-11 behind eight kills from Lily Pedersen. Saige O'Neil also had seven digs for the Knights. Jaylyn Cline had eight kills and Dakota Terry tallied five blocks for the Pioneers.

Saturday was a day for mid-season tournaments for many Hi-Line teams, several of which competed in the CJI Tournament in Chester. In that tournament, Box Elder made it to the third-place match, where the Bears beat Sunburst by scores of 25-14 and 25-16. Two area teams battled it out for the championship, and it was the host Hawks who took the title by beating Big Sandy by scores of 25-22 and 25-16.

Tuesday

Box Elder def. Rocky Boy

19-25, 25-17, 23-25, 31-29, 15-12

Box Elder: Aces 23 (Eve The Boy 6), Kills 32 (Lillian Gopher 11), Assists 17 (Gopher 6, The Boy 6), Digs 19 (Maddie Wolf Chief 5), Blocks 4 (two with 2)

Rocky Boy: Aces 22 (Jaynah Gopher 11), Blocks 8 (Jaylynn Mitchell 3), Kills 36 (Sean Henry 8), Assists 34 (Gopher 28), Digs 3 (Sasha Coffee 2)

Harlem def. Hays-Lodge Pole

25-16, 25-15, 25-20

Harlem: Aces 20 (Taylor Stiffarm 6, Taeshon Scheaffer 6), Assists 13 (Taeshon Scheaffer 8), Kills 19 (Emily Ramone 7), Digs 22 (Raegan Conlan 6)

Hays: na

Thursday

Box Elder d. Big Sandy

25-14, 25-22, 25-18

Box Elder – Kills 34 (Lilly Gopher 15), Assists 25 (Eve The Boy 10), Aces 15 (The Boy 5), Digs 33 (Maddie Wolfchief 11), Blocks 4 (Wolfchief 2).

Big Sandy – Kills 15 (Georgia Wortman 5), Assists 12 (Lainey Gregory 8), Aces 7 (Wortman 2, Gregory 2, Jaylyn Cline 2), Digs 6 (Dakota Terry 3), Blocks 3 (Wortman 2).

Rocky Boy d. Conrad

25-13, 24-26, 22-25, 25-15, 15-10

Conrad: Aces 11 (Brooke Mycke 7), Kills 7 (Kate Murick 4), Assists 6 (Dania na) 4, Blocks 3 (Mycke 3), Digs 4 (na)

Rocky Boy: Aces 21 (Sean Henry 5), Blocks 3 (Jaylyn Mitchell 2), Kills 38 (Mitchell 16), Assists 36 (Jaynah Gopher 32), Digs 6 (Sasha Coffee 4)

Harlem d. Poplar

25-14, 25-22, 22-25, 25-23

Harlem – Kills 24 (Eleesha Bell 5, Emily Ramone 5, Skylee Dirden 5), Assists 18 (Taeshon Scheaffer 10), Aces 18 (Scheaffer 8), Digs 55 (Scheaffer 13, Taylor Stiffarm 13), Blocks 4 (Bell 3).

Poplar – Kills 19 (Mia Frederick 8), Assists 19 (Hailey Brunelle 10), Aces 17 (Lily Taflan 5, Aniston Sampson 5), Digs 1 (Frederick), Blocks 1 (Taflan).

Valier def. Chester-Joplin-Inverness

13-25, 16-25, 27-25, 26-24, 15-12

Valier: Kills: 34 (Abby Bock 10, Skylar Connelly 9). Assists: 29 (KwinLee Briggs 26). Aces: 17 (CoraLee Bock 5, Dalli Peterson 4). Digs: 47 (C. Bock 11, Dalli Peterson 9). Blocks: 1 (Abby Bock 1).

CJI: Kills: 44 (Kim Ghekiere 14, Gabby Mangold 10). Assists: 38 (Peyton Hawks 31). Aces: 13 (Khloe Kammerzell 4, Hawks 4). Digs: 54 (Mangold 10, Kammerzell 10).

North Star def. Chinook

North Star: Kills: 30 (Katelyn Hansen 9, Peyton King 9). Assists: 25 (Paij Peterson 20). Aces: 8 (Katelyn Hansen 4). Digs: 58 (Olivia King 12, Saige O'Neil 12). Blocks: 12 (King 5).

Chinook: Kills: 23 (Kourtney Hanson 15). Assists: 18 (Sierra Swank 15). Aces: 8 (Hanson 5). Digs: 65 (Carrie Hofer 16). Blocks: 7 (Hanson 3).

Friday

North Star d. Big Sandy

25-15, 18-25, 25-22, 25-11

North Star – Kills 26 (Lily Pedersen 8), Assists 19 (Paij Peterson 16), Aces 10 (Katelyn Hansen 3), Digs 42 (Saige O'Neil 7), Blocks 8 (Grace Farinas 3, Peytan King 3).

Big Sandy – Kills 21 (Jaylyn Cline 8), Assists 18 (Lainey Gregory 15), Aces 10 (Jessica Roth 3, Gregory 3), Digs 7 (Roth 3), Blocks 9 (Dakota Terry 5).