Saturday's Prep Basketball: Ponies claim Eastern A crown

In what was a busy night for the Hi-Line high school basketball teams, the Havre Blue Ponies stood alone at the top. Saturday night in Billings, the Ponies topped Hardin 42-34 in the Eastern A girls championship game. It was Havre's first divisional title in four years, the Ponies' first in the three years of the Eastern/Central A super-divisional. The win also pushed the Ponies to 21-0, the longest winning streak in HHS girls history, as well as into the Class A state tournament March 8-10 in Great Falls.

Against Hardin, Havre led almost the entire way. Kyndall Keller finished with 15 points, 14 of them coming in the first half. Danielle Wallace added 14 points and 13 rebounds. Ten of her points came from the free throw line, where Havre scored 20 of its points overall. Havre will open the state tournament on March 8 against Hamilton, the No. 4 team from the Western A. That game will tip at 12:30 p.m. that day at the Four Seasons Arena. For full Blue pony Coverage, see Monday's HDN.

For two other Hi-Line teams, Saturday night was a little tougher. In Glasgow, the Rocky Boy Stars lost to the Shelby Coyotes 65-55 in the Northern B boys championship game. The loss was the second in as many weeks for Rocky Boy to Shelby of head coach Tom Reynolds. The Stars will now have to win a challenge game to advance to the Class B state tournament in two weeks. That game will be against Fairfield Monday night at a site yet to be determined.

At the Northern C in Great Falls, Box Elder lost its bid to win its first Northern C crown in over 20 years, as the Bears lost to Winnett-Grass Range in the championship game (see related story on http://www.havredailynews.com). Box Elder will still advance to the Class C state tournament, which will be March 8-10 in Butte. Saturday was also the end of the line for both Turner and Fort Benton. Turner lost to Tri-Cities in a loser-out game, while Fort Benton fell to Belt in the other consolation semifinal. For full boys and girls Northern C coverage, see Monday's HDN.

Saturday's Scores

The Associated Press

BOYS BASKETBALL=

Billings Senior 68, Great Falls Russell 58

Billings Skyview 60, Bozeman 40

Billings West 52, Great Falls 47

Helena 57, Missoula Big Sky 55

Kalispell Flathead 65, Missoula Sentinel 62

Missoula Hellgate 60, Helena Capital 51

Eastern A at MetraPark=

Loser Out=

Billings Central 64, Laurel 39

Lewistown (Fergus) 59, Sidney 34

Consolation Final=

Lewistown (Fergus) 55, Billings Central 46

Championship=

Hardin 48, Belgrade 39

Western A at Butte=

Loser Out=

Browning 64, Dillon 48

Butte Central 63, Ronan 56

Consolation Final=

Browning 66, Butte Central 62

Championship=

Hamilton 54, Frenchtown 37

Northern B at Glasgow=

Loser Out=

Choteau 72, Poplar 67

Fairfield 68, Glasgow 55

Consolation Final=

Fairfield 75, Choteau 70

Championship=

Shelby 65, Rocky Boy 55

Western B at Ronan=

Loser Out=

Anaconda 79, Thompson Falls 48

Florence 49, Deer Lodge 40

Consolation Final=

Anaconda 66, Florence 49

Championship=

Bigfork 79, Missoula Loyola 58

Eastern C at Wolf Point=

Challenge Game=

Fairview 61, Mon-Dak 49

Northern C at Great Falls (Four Seasons)=

Challenge Game=

Belt 44, Sunburst 34

Southern C at Laurel=

Loser Out=

Melstone 49, Terry 31

Plenty Coups 80, Reed Point-Rapelje 76

Consolation Final=

Melstone 71, Plenty Coups 41

Championship=

Park City 61, Bridger 39

Western C at Hamilton=

Loser Out=

Manhattan Christian 79, Gardiner 60

Twin Bridges 53, Drummond 48

Consolation Final=

Manhattan Christian 71, Twin Bridges 31

Championship=

Arlee 77, Plains 33

GIRLS BASKETBALL=

Billings West 55, Great Falls 30

Bozeman 73, Billings Skyview 29

Great Falls Russell 49, Billings Senior 32

Helena 76, Missoula Big Sky 31

Helena Capital 48, Missoula Hellgate 27

Eastern A at MetraPark=

Loser Out=

Belgrade 50, Laurel 45

Glendive 57, Billings Central 43

Consolation Final=

Belgrade 44, Glendive 32

Championship=

Havre 42, Hardin 34

Western A at Butte=

Loser Out=

Columbia Falls 60, Dillon 18

Hamilton 42, Frenchtown 39

Consolation Final=

Columbia Falls 43, Hamilton 42, OT

Championship=

Bigfork 41, Deer Lodge 36

Western B at Ronan=

Loser Out=

Florence 65, Anaconda 51

Missoula Loyola 48, Eureka 31

Consolation Final=

Florence 62, Missoula Loyola 52

Championship=

Bigfork 41, Deer Lodge 36

Eastern C at Wolf Point=

Loser Out=

Mon-Dak 76, Savage 69

Scobey 50, Saco-Whitewater-Hinsdale Coop 45

Consolation Final=

Scobey 48, Mon-Dak 38

Championship=

Froid/Medicine Lake Coop 47, Plentywood 29

Northern C at Great Falls (Four Seasons)=

Loser Out=

Belt 49, Fort Benton 35

Hobson-Moore-Judith Gap 60, Turner 52

Consolation Final=

Belt 43, Hobson-Moore-Judith Gap 27

Championship=

Winnett-Grass Range 56, Box Elder 47

Western C at Hamilton=

Loser Out=

Clark Fork 50, Charlo 48

Manhattan Christian 44, Arlee 42

Consolation Final=

Clark Fork 63, Manhattan Christian 39

Championship=

Twin Bridges 37, Ennis 35