Hi-Line Girls Roundup: Harlem, Turner, HLP pull off big wins

If the first two weeks of girls high school basketball is any indication, the Hi-Line is loaded with high-level teams. And with just one week left before Christmas break, things have already gotten very exciting.

Last week's action started Thursday, in what turned out to be a big weekend for the Rocky Boy Morning Stars. In their first District 1B game Thursday night, Rocky Boy took care of Conrad 58-41 in Rocky Boy with Sasha Coffee leading the way with 15 points.

The Morning Stars continued their 1B winning streak with a 61-50 victory at Shelby Friday night. Rocky Boy needed only a 20-9 run in the first quarter to put the Coyotes away. Sean Henry scored a game-high 20 points for the Morning Stars, while Jaylynn Mitchell and Adrienne Gopher combined for 21.

Friday night was also a big night for the Class B Harlem Wildcats, as they opened 2B play with rival Malta. Harlem has had little success against the M-Ettes over the years, but former M-Ette Laramie Schwenke led her Wildcats to a huge win over the defending state champions, as the Wildcats blew Malta out, 64-34, in Malta. Harlem scored 31 points in the first quarter and never looked back in the historic win. Mystic Striker scored 19 points and L'Tia Lawrence added 18 in the win for Harlem.

District 9C play also began Friday night, and there were some historic wins there, too. Turner stunned North Star 37-36 in an epic win for the Tornadoes. Sarah Billmayer scored 16 points for Turner, while Peytan King had 12 for the Knights. Meanwhile, Hays-Lodge Pole shocked Chinook 37-32 in Hays. That game was tied at 20-20 at halftime, but the Thunderbirds outscored the Beeters 10-6 in the final minutes to secure the upset win.

Ella Messerly and Mulleah Stiffarm each scored 15 points for HLP in the victory, while Sierra Swank led Chinook with seven.

The two 9C favorites this season showed their dominance on Friday night.

In Box Elder, the host Bears crushed Chester-Joplin-Inverness 86-36, as the Bears scored 40 points in the first eight minutes, and got 21 points by Lilly Gopher and another 18 from Joelnell Momberg.

Meanwhile, in Fort Benton, the Fort Benton Longhorns demolished Big Sandy 63-7. The Horns held the Pioneers scoreless in both the first and fourth quarters, while McKenna Hanford led a balanced offense with 11 points. Cally Demontiney scored four points for Big Sandy.

Fort Benton then went to Turner Saturday night and handled the Tornadoes, 57-39. The Longhorns led just 22-21 in the first half, but a 20-7 third-quarter run put the game out of reach. Leah Gannon poured in 18 points for Fort Benton, while Aspen Geise added 13. Shyann Krass scored 16 points for the Tornadoes.

CJI also rebounded from its devastating loss to Box Elder with a 64-31 at home against HLP Saturday night. The Hawks used a 19-2 run in the third quarter to pull away. Kendahl Knapton scored 15 points, Peyton Hawks added 11 and Kayona Fraser scored 10 for CJI, while Raleigh Kirkaldie scored 11 points for the T-Birds.

Chinook also bounced back from its loss to HLP with a 51-30 win over Big Sandy Saturday night, while North Star's rough weekend continued, as the Knights were blown out by Box Elder, 84-52. The Bears scored 53 points in the first half, and went on a 27-3 run in the third quarter to blow the game wide open.

Maddie Wolf Chief and Lilly Gopher each scored 18 points for Box Elder, while Cecelia Vielle added 14 and Joelnell Momberg scored 13. North Star was led by Kate Hansen's 11 points.

In Class B action Saturday night, Harlem continued its winning ways with a thrilling 48-46 win over rival Wolf Point in Harlem. The Wildcats stormed back from a 15-6 deficit to win their second straight 2B game. Mystic Striker again came up big, scoring 17 points for Harlem, while L'Tia Lawrence added 15.

Rocky Boy however, was on the other end of a thrilling finish. At home playing 1B powerhouse Fairfield, the Morning Stars tried to pull off a furious fourth-quarter rally, but a game-winning shot fell short, and the Morning Stars lost to the Eagles, 68-67. Jaylynn Mitchell scored 15 points and Sasha Coffee added 13 for the Morning Stars in what was their first loss of the season.

Friday

Rocky Boy 61, Shelby 50

Rocky Boy 20 13 12 16 - 61

Shelby 9 11 21 9 - 50

Rocky Boy: Jaynah Gopher 2, Sean Henry 20, Sasha Coffee 11, Kirsten LaMere 4, Adrienne Gopher 10, J. Mitchelle 11. Rochelle Pease 3

Shelby: Brook Luly 3, Abbey Aklestad 29, Bailey Johnson 2, Skyler Martin 8, Brielle Aklestad 4, Maddison Underdal 4.

Box Elder 86, Chester-Joplin-Inverness 36

CJI 2 14 8 12 - 36

Box Elder 40 20 18 8 - 86

CJI: Kendahl Knapton 5, Korrin Harmon 7, Kayona Fraser 3, Sam May 4, Katey Kammerzell 1, Khloe Kammerzell 13, Jasmine Cole 3.

Box Elder: Sarah Parisian 5, Nikayla Anderson 9, Eve The Boy 7, Maia Henderson 5, Maddie Wolfchief 8, Lillian Gopher 21, Joelnell Momberg 18. Cecilia Viclle 13.

Fort Benton 63, Big Sandy 7

Big Sandy 0 4 3 0 - 7

Fort Benton 15 24 16 8 - 63

Big Sandy: Rutledge 3, Demontiney 4.

Fort Benton: Cassie Nack 2, McKenzie Clark 8, Madison Thompson 4, Aspen Giese 9, Abby Clark 6, Maci Molinario 6, Jaelyn Vielleux 1, Megan Clark 5, Leah Gannon 9, Dani McKelvy 2, McKenna Hanford 11.

Harlem 64, Malta 34

Harlem 31 16 9 8 - 64

Malta 9 11 1 13 - 34

Harlem: Kristyn Kittson 4, Mystic Striker 19, Skylee Dirden 12, L'Tia Lawrence 18, Autumn Eagleman 6, Taeshon Scheaffer 5.

Malta: Taylor Gilkerson 12, Kelbee Denham 1, Kloie Marks 2, Kyleigh Schipman 4, Wylee Young 4, Taylor Eggebrecht 5, Janessa Malmend 4, Carly Garfield 2.

Hays-Lodge Pole 37, Chinook 32

Chinook 11 9 6 6 - 32

Hays-Lodge Pole 5 15 7 10 - 37

Chinook: Sierra Swank 7, Megan Molyneaux 3, Carrie Hofer 5, Kourtney Hanson 4, Jaye Anderson 4, Hailey McMaster 6, Erin Pula 2, Lincy Johnson 1.

HLP: Nature Andrew 3, Ella Messerly 15, Latasha Kirkaldie 1, Kassi Perez 1, Mulleeah Stiffarm 15, Tahlia Werk 2.

Turner 37, North Star 36

Turner 11 8 12 6 – 37

North Star 3 9 17 7 – 36

Turner – Raegan Conlan 4, Sarah Billmayer 16, Rylee Conlan 6, Melanie Watkins 13, Brandy Calvert 3, Shyann Krass 5.

North Star Kate Hansen 2, Paij Peterson 7, Lily Pedersen 8, Chelsea Donaldson 7, Peytan King 12.

Saturday

Harlem 48, Wolf Point 46

Wolf Point 15 8 6 17 - 46

Harlem 6 14 15 13 - 48

Wolf Point: Semorah Wells 10, Aubrey Zilkoski 20, Mary Bighorn 4, Abby Juve 12.

Harlem: Kailee Henry 3, Mystic Striker 17, Payton Healy 5, Skylee Dirden 3, L'Tia Lawrence 15, Autumn Eagleman 3, Taeshon Scheaffer 2.

Fairfield 68, Rocky Boy 67

Fairfield 19 9 25 15 - 68

Rocky Boy 13 18 18 18 - 67

Fairfield: Wips 7, Clotfeller 10, Pitcher 35, Rosenbaum 5, Jones 3, Simmons 6, Harris 2

Rocky Boy: J. Gopher 5, S. Henry 2, S. Coffee 13, K. Parker 2, A. Gopher 12, N. Day Child 7, J. Mitchell 15, R. Pease 11.

Fort Benton 57, Turner 39

Fort Benton 14 8 20 15 - 57

Turner 12 9 7 11 - 39

Fort Benton: Cassie Nack 4, Mackenzie Clark 4, Madison Thompson 10, Aspen Giese 13, Abby Clark 1, Megan Clark 7, Leah Gannon 18.

Turner: Raegan Conlan 6, Sarah Billmayer 5, Rylee Conlan 3, Melanie Watkins 7, Brooke Reed 2, Shyan Krass 16.

Chester-Joplin-Inverness 64, Hays-Lodge Pole 31

HLP 8 7 2 14 - 31

CJI 12 12 19 21 - 64

HLP: Andrew 9, Messerly 6, Chandler 1, Kirkaldi 11, Stiffarm 2, Werk 2.

CJI: Kendahl Knapton 15, Korrin Harmon 8, Kayona Fraser 10, katey kammerzll 5, Khloe Kammerzell 8, Jasmine Cole 7, Peyton Hawks 11.

Box Elder 84, North Star 52

Box Elder 18 25 27 14 – 84

North Star 9 18 3 2 – 52

Box Elder – Sarah Parisian 9, Nikayla Anderson 5, Eve The Boy 2, Maia Henderson 2, Maddie Wolf Chief 18, Lilly Gopher 18, Joelnell Momberg 13, Brittan Lafromboise 3, Cecelia Vielle 14.

North Star – Kate Hansen 11, Kenidee Wolery 1, Katelin Harvey 7, Saige O[Neil 3, Chelsea Donaldson 6, Peytan King 4.