Hi-Line Girls: Box Elder, North Star win big

There were plenty of big matchups in girls high school basketball on the Hi-Line last week. As a matter of fact, from here out, there's going to plenty of big games every week, as the season starts to hit the stretch run.

One of those big games last week took place in Box Elder as the Box Elder Bears proved yet again they are the team to beat in the District 9C. Last Thursday, the Bears throttled Turner 88-59 to stay perfect on the season. Leading by just six after the first quarter, Box Elder exploded for 50 points over the next 16 minutes to put the Tornadoes away.

Joelnell Momberg was unstoppable for the Bears, scoring a season-high 37 points. Lilly Gopher added 14 points and Eve The Boy scored 10. Sarah Billmayer led Turner with 17 points, while Shyan Krass scored 16 and Rylee Conlan added 10.

Fort Benton, another 9C powerhouse, also cruised Thursday night as the Longhorns thumped Chester-Joplin-Inverness 72-17. The Longhorns led 48-10 at halftime, and got 13 points each from Leah Gannon and Aspen Giese. Tatum Hull led CJI with 11 points.

Friday night saw Turner bounce back with a 68-34 win over Big Sandy at home. The Tornadoes opened the game on a 21-4 run. Shyan Krass scored 20 points for Turner, while Brooke Reed chipped in with 13. Jaylyn Cline paced Big Sandy with 17 points.

In Gildford Friday night, another 9C power had little trouble at home as North Star took care of Chinook 58-29. The Knights held the Sugarbeeters to just two points in the first eight minutes.

Paij Peterson and Jade Wendland each scored 14 points for North Star, while Ginger Hauer led Chinook in scoring with 13 points.

Hays-Lodge Pole stepped out of conference Friday night, but struggled with Roy-Winifred, another top Northern C squad. The Outlaws beat the Thunderbirds 59-23. Mulleah Stiffarm was the top scorer for HLP with 10 points.

In Class B action Friday night, Rocky Boy got a huge win, defeating Cut Bank in a District 1B showdown. The Morning Stars broke open a tight game in the third quarter with an 18-10 run. Jeralyn Parker scored 19 points for Rocky Boy, while Kirsten Lamere and Sasha Coffee each scored 12.

Things didn't go as well for Harlem Friday night, as the high-powered Wildcats were slowed by Shelby, 40-37. Harlem trailed for much of the game, and just couldn't get over the hump down the stretch. Taya Trottier led the Wildcats with 11 points.

Harlem did get back on track Saturday night, however. The Wildcats returned to 2B play, and throttled Poplar, 73-33. Harlem opened the game on a 26-4 run, and got 23 points from L'Tia Lawrence and 20 more from Skylee Dirden in the win. Rocky Boy wasn't as fortunate Saturday, though, as the Morning Stars lost to Choteau 46-39.

North Star moved up in play Saturday night but was still successful. The Knights beat Class B Conrad handily, 61-44. The Knights trailed 23-18 at halftime, but they outscored the Cowgirls 43-21 the rest of the way. Jade Wendland led four Knights in double figures with 13 points. Shayla Borlaug added 11.

Back in the 9C Saturday night, Box Elder had no trouble with HLP. The Bears routed the Thunderbirds 74-25 to remain unbeaten. Joelnell Momberg came up clutch again for Box Elder, with 23 points. Maddie Wolf Chief added 13, while Mulleah Stiffarm and Latasha Kirkaldie combined for 21 points for HLP.

Saturday night also saw Fort Benton handle Chinook, 64-15, while CJI won a thriller over Big Sandy in Chester, 34-32. The Hawks and Pioneers battled all night, with CJI holding off the Pioneers in the final seconds.

Abby Fraser scored a game-high 15 points for CJI, while Jaylyn Cline scored 12 and Amanda Cline chipped in 10 for the Pioneers.

THURSDAY

Box Elder 88, Turner 59

Turner 15 13 13 18 - 59

Box Elder 21 29 21 17 - 88

Box Elder: Sarah Parisian 5, Eve The Boy 10, Maddie Wolf Chief 9, Maia Henderson 5, Kyla Momberg 6, Joelnell Momberg 37, Britney Lafromboise 2, Lilly Gopher 14.

Turner: Raegan Conlan 1, Sarah Billmayer 17, Rylee Conlan 10, Brandy Calvert 4, Laci Maloney 3, Brooke Reed 4, Shyan Krass 16, Melanie Watkins 8.

Fort Benton 72, CJI 17

Chester-Joplin-Inverness 8 2 1 6 - 17

Fort Benton 28 20 12 12 - 72

Fort Benton: Cassi Nack 6, McKenzie Clark 9, Aspen Giese 13, Abby Clark 5, Maci Molinario 9, McKenna Hanford 2, Lean Gannon 13, Ashlee Wang 5, Cloe Kalanick 3, Hadley Cook 2, Megan Clark 5.

Chester-Joplin-Inverness: T. Hull 11, E. Wickum 2, P. Hawks 2, A. Fraser 2.

FRIDAY

Rocky Boy 60, Cut Bank 49

Rocky Boy 14 15 18 13 - 60

Cut Bank 10 12 10 17 - 49

Cut Bank - Jaz Spotted Bear 23, Jaycee Frydenlund 9, Jada Doore 6, Brynne Finstad 6, Falon Bigspring 4, Madi Seifert 1.

Rocky Boy - Jeralyn Parker 19, Kirsten Lamere 12, Sasha Coffee 12 ,. Rochelle Pease 8, Mariah Arkinson 5, Ella Moore 2, Neferti Standing Rock 2.

Shelby 40, Harlem 37

Shelby 5 11 13 11 - 40

Harlem 8 6 9 14 - 37

Harlem - Taya Trottier 11, L'Tia Lawrence 10, Skylee Dirden 8, Taeschon Schaeffer 5, Kirstyn Kittson 2, Melony Fetter 1.

Shelby - Maddison Underal 16, Bailey Johnson 13, Brogan McAllister 7, Skylar Martin 4.

Roy-Winifred 59, HLP 23

R-W 18 15 12 14 - 59

Hays-Lodge Pole 5 10 7 1 - 23

HLP - M. Siffarm 10, R. Kirkaldie 7, T. Morgan 3, S. Chandler 2, K. Perez 1.

R-W - D. Boyce 24, T. Edwards 13, O. Greer 12, M. Bergum 7, C. Smith 4.

North Star 58, Chinook 29

Chinook 2 10 5 12 - 29

North Star 14 19 12 13 - 58

Chinook - G. Hauer 13, K. Hanson 7, A. Powell 4, L. Surfer 2, D. Kellam 2, M. Molyneaux 1.

North Star - P. Peterson 14, J. Wendland 14, S. Borlaug 10, K. Santorin 7, K. Wohler 6, E. Harvey 4, K. Domire 2, R. Watson 1.

Turner 68, Big Sandy 34

Big Sandy 4 13 2 15 - 34

Turner 21 17 13 17 - 68

Big Sandy - Jaylyn Cline 17, Jaynee Ophus 6, Lainey Gregory 4, Madison Terry 2, Seanna Demontiney 2, Caydence Pleninger 2, Amanda Cline 1.

Turner - Shyan Krass 20, Sarah Billmayer 14, Brooke Reed 13, Raegan Conlan 9, Laci Maloney 4, Dakota Krass 2, Melanie Watkins 2, Lacey Hickel 2, Brandy Calvert 2.

SATURDAY

North Star 61, Conrad 44

North Star 14 4 22 21 - 61

Conrad 9 14 5 16 - 44

Conrad - Alison Harris 24, Lauren Phillips 9, Kate Murack 6, Kadie Baney 3, Jonna Myre 1, Riley Larson 1.

North Star - J. Wendland 13, S. Borlaug 11, L. Sattoriva 11, P. Peterson 10, K. Wolery 10, K. Domire 4, R. Watson 2.

Box Elder 74, HLP 25

Hays-Lodge Pole 9 11 3 2 - 25

Box Elder 24 26 16 8 - 74

Box Elder - Jolenell Momberg 23, Maddie Wold Chief 13, Lilly Gopher 10, Zayhna Henderson 6, Kyla Members 6, Maia Henderson 3, Angela Gopher 3, Talyssa Oats-Horn 2, Annalise Johnson 2, Sarah Parisian 2, Eve The Boy 2.

HLP - Mulleah Stiffarm 12, Latasha Kirkaldie 9, Sierra Chandler 2.

Harlem 73, Poplar 33

Poplar 6 11 12 4 - 33

Harlem 24 21 15 13 - 73

Harlem - L'Tia Lawrence 23, Skylee Hardin 20, Taya Trottier 12, Aria Owens 6, Melony Fetter 6, Kristyn Kittson 2, Tamica Cole 1.

Poplar - Riley Macdonald 12, Macy Dionne 5, Kendra Martell 4, Chloe Belton 4, Lily Taflan 4, Sarah Youngman 4.

Fort Benton 64, Chinook 15

Fort Benton 27 17 13 7 - 64

Chinook 2 6 5 2 - 15

Fort Benton - C. Nack 4, M. Clark 11, A. Wang 5, A. Giese 7, A. Clark 6, M. Molinaro 14, M. Clark 4, L. Gannon 10, M. Hanford 3.

Chinook - G. Hauer 4, K. Hanson 2, D. Kellam 7, A. Powell 2.

CJI 34, Big Sandy 32

CJI 2 5 12 15 - 34

Big Sandy - 4 2 11 15 - 32

CJI - T. Hull 7, H. Woods 2, A. Fraser 15, E. Wicks 4, P. Hawks 6.

Big Sandy - L. Ophus 4, L. Gregory 6, J. Cline 12, A. Cline 10.