Hi-Line Volleyball: Northern C is the end of the line for area teams

Football, basketball and volleyball, the Northern C Division is as good as it gets. And it was on display on the volleyball court inside the Chinook High gymnasium this past weekend.

The Northern C Divisional was the end of the line for all four area teams that made it that far, as North Star, Chinook, Chester-Joplin-Inverness and Fort Benton all saw their season's come to a close at the tourney.

The action started Thursday when the District 6C East champion North Star Knights opened with a thrilling win over Fort Benton. The Knights beat the Longhorns by scores of 21-25, 25-23, 25-23, 18-25 and 15-13 in a back-and-forth affair. Peytan King totaled 10 kills, two aces and seven blocks for the Knights, while Leah Gannon had 17 kills for Fort Benton.

Chinook, which finished third in the 6C East also had an exciting win in the first round Thursday. The Sugarbeeters knocked off 6C West champion Simms in a five-setter. The Beeters won by scores of 20-25, 25-20, 16-25, 25-16 and 16-14, coming back from the brink of defeat on several occasions. Kourtney Hanson had nine kills and nine blocks and Sierra Swank had 29 digs and 13 assists for Chinook.

In another first-round match Thursday, CJI lost to Great Falls Central for the third time this season, as the Hawks fell by scores of 25-17, 25-17 and 25-19. Gabby Mangold finished with two aces, 13 digs and a block for the Hawks.

Later Thursday, both North Star and Chinook fell in the quarterfinals. The Beeters were swept by GFCC by scores of 25-16, 25-15 and 25-15, while the Belt Huskies took out the Knights by scores of 25-9, 25-14 and 25-18.

Friday, CJI saw its season come to a close with a loss to Simms in the loser-out bracket. The Tigers eliminated the Hawks by scores of 25-17, 25-11 and 25-22. Khloe Kamerzell had seven kills for CJI.

North Star and Chinook also lost out Friday. Simms eliminated the Knights with a 25-20, 25-22 and 25-21, while Fort Benton outlasted Chinook in a five-setter. The Longhorns beat the Beeters by scores of 18-25, 25-13, 21-25, 25-20 and 15-12. Kourtney Hanson finished with 16 kills and three blocks for the Beeters, while Alia Evans had 19 assists and four aces for the Longhorns, who were eliminated by Simms in the fourth-place match Saturday.

Belt would go on to defeat GFCC in the championship match Saturday night, and the Huskies and Mustangs now move on to the Class C state tournament, which runs Thursday through Saturday in Bozeman.

Harlem's season also drew to a close at last weekend's Northern B Divisional in Malta. The Wildcats were swept by Choteau in the first round Thursday, then eliminated by 2B rival Glasgow, 3-0 Friday.

Northern C

Thursday

North Star d. Fort Benton

21-25, 25-23, 25-23, 18-25, 15-13

Fort Benton – Kills 60 (Leah Gannon 17), Aces 10 (Madison Thompson 6), Digs 92 (Thompson 30), Blocks 2, Assists 54 (Alia Evans 30).

North Star – Kills 25 (Payton King 10), Aces 7 (King 2, Donaldson 2), Digs 81 (Jewel Wicks 33), Blocks 9 (King 7), Assists 19 (Paij Peterson 16).

Chinook d. Simms

20-25, 25-20, 16-25, 25-16, 16-14

Chinook – Kills 21 (Kourtney Hanson 9); Aces 13 (Carrie Hofer 4); Digs 107 (Sierra Swank 29); Blocks 20 (Hanson 9); Assists 17 (Swank 13).

Simms – Kills 39 (Lissy Willekes 13); Aces 14 (Janessa Willekes 5); Digs 18 (J. Willekes 5); Blocks 6 (L. Willekes 2); Assists 31 (Maddie Bloom 30).

Great Falls Central d. CJI

25-17, 25-17, 25-19

Central – Kills 34 (Bryn Anderson 11); Aces 13 (Grace Madill 13, Sara Tarum 13); Digs 49 (Anderson 16); Blocks 5 (Anderson 3); Assists 33 (Madill 32).

CJI – Kills 19 (Khloe Kammerzell 7); Aces 2 (G. Mangold, K. Fraser); Digs 34 (Gabby Mangold 13); Blocks 3 (Kammerzell, K. Ghekiere, Mangold); Assists 12 (Peyton Hawks 2).

Great Falls Central d. Chinook, QF

25-16, 25-15, 25-15, QF

Chinook – Kills 9 (Erin Pula 2); Aces 4 (Sierra Swank 3); Digs 46 (Swank 14); Blocks 4 (Kourtney Hanson 3); Assists 6 (Swank 3).

Central – Kills 27 (Bryn Anderson 10); Aces 10 (Anderson 4); Digs 40 (Sydney Hill 10); Blocks 10 (Grace Madill 5); Assists 28 (Madill 27).

Belt def. North Star, QF

25-9, 25-14, 25-18

No stats available.

Friday

Simms def. CJI (lo)

25-17, 25-11, 25-22

Simms – Kills 26 (Elyssa Willekes 11); Aces 14 (Willekes 5); Digs 8 (M. Cicon 3, T. Jones 3); Blocks 5 (Willekes 3); Assists 25 (Maddie Bloom 24).

CJI – Kills 22 (Khloe Kammerzell 7); Aces 3 (Kendahl Knapton 2); Digs 24 (Knapton 7); Blocks 3 (Kim Ghekiere 2); Assists 16 (Peyton Hawks 16).

Fort Benton def. Power, (lo)

21-25, 25-13, 25-22, 25-23

Power – Kills: 22 (Hope Smelser 12). Assists: 20 (Maggie Jensen 18). Aces: 20. Digs: 59 (Lexi Baker 15). Blocks: 0.

Fort Benton – Kills: 45 (Mackenzie Clark 12). Assists: 40 (Mckenna Hanford 25). Aces: 12 (Madison Thompson 5). Digs: 47 (Thompson 16). Blocks: 0

Simms def. North Star (lo)

25-20, 25-22, 25-21

Simms – Kills: 42 (Elyssa Willekes 22). Assists: 39 (Maddie Bloom 38). Aces: 8 (Willekes 4). Digs: 11 (Keley Wilcox 3). Blocks: 4 (Draylen Sawyer 2).

North Star – No stats available

Fort Benton def. Chinook (lo)

18-25, 25-13, 21-25, 25-20, 15-12

Chinook – Kills: 21 (Kourtney Hanson 16). Assists: 21 (Sierra Swank 16). Aces: 7 (Sierra Swank 3). Digs: 68 (Liney Johnson 18). Blocks: 3 (Hanson 3).

Fort Benton – Kills: 40 (Leah Gannon 14). Assists: 34 (Alia Evans 19). Aces: 12 (Evans 4). Digs: 59 (Maddy Thompson 19). Blocks: 2 (Nicole Axtman 2).