Hi-Line Boys: Beeters, Longhorns keep winning in the 9C

With postseason tournaments around a month away, the stretch run of high school basketball is beginning and this past weekend, the action heated up through the District 9C as the schedule was filled with important matchups.

If there was one marquee game though, it was probably Friday night when Hays-Lodge Pole played host to Chinook. The Sugarbeeters, who are the last undefeated team in the 9C, remained that way with a 62-49 win over the Thunderbirds. Isaac and Ethan Bell each scored 11 points for Chinook in the win. Cord Schneider also added 10. On the other side, Jeremy Pretty Paint and Kyle Young Jr. each scored 12 in the loss for HLP.

In another district showdown Friday, Big Sandy paid a visit to Fort Benton in the first game for the Longhorns since their loss to Chinook, which was their first loss of the season. And Fort Benton responded just like you would expect, defeating the Pioneers 67-53. Hayden Diekhans scored 20 points in the win for Fort Benton, which also got 12 from Logan Giles. Ryan Roth led the way for the Pioneers with 19 points. Brock Proulx also had a solid night with 14.

Elsewhere in the 9C, North Star took on Turner Friday night and used a 20-7 first-quarter run on its home floor to defeat Turner 61-51. Bailey Spicher had a big game for the Knights with 18. North Star also got strong efforts from Hayden Massar, who finished with 16 points and Caden Retting, who wound up with 12.

The other 9C game Friday night was between Box Elder and Chester-Joplin-Inverness and in the first of two wins over the weekend, the Bears knocked off the Hawks 65-39. After knocking off CJI, the Bears traveled to North Star Saturday and earned their second straight win thanks to a 61-47 triumph over the Knights. Quentin Limeberhand led the way for Box Elder with 18 points. Kadyn Duran also had 11. Bailey Spicher managed 15 for the Knights, who also got 12 from Austin Hansen in the loss.

Following its loss to Chinook Friday, HLP made the trip to Chester to take on CJI and bounced back with a 59-48 victory over the Hawks. Kyle Young Jr. poured in a game-high 21 points for the T-Birds, who also got an 11-point effort from Gilbert Snow. The Hawks were led by Tyler Wanken's 19 points. The Hawks also got 13 in defeat from Noah Bender as well as 10 from Spencer Richer.

After notching a double-digit win over Big Sandy Friday night, Fort Benton made it back-to-back wins Saturday with a 62-47 defeat over Turner on the road thanks to a stellar 21 points from Garrett Diekhans. Jace Thompson also pitched in with nine points, while Shane Kimmel was the high scorer for the Tornadoes with 20 in a losing effort.

Two wins by Fort Benton kept the pressure on Chinook, which needed a win over Big Sandy to keep the Longhorns a game back in the 9C standings and on their home floor Saturday night, the Beeters dominated the Pioneers 70-39. Isaac Bell scored 11 points for the second straight night, while Hunter Neibauer scored 11 of his own. Roth had another big night in defeat for Big Sandy, finishing with 22.

That wrapped up the local action in Class C, however, Harlem and Rocky Boy also had some key games, starting with a trip to Fairfield last Thursday in a battle of District 1B foes. The Eagles and Stars battled it out in a shootout, yet Fairfield ended up with the 88-83 win after a 31-point four quarter.

After losing a close game to Fairfield, the top team in the 1B, the Stars hosted Shelby Saturday night and lost to the second place team in the district 75-67. Joydan Tyner scored 24 points in the loss for Rocky Boy, which also got 15 points from Frankie Bacon.

In the District 2B, Harlem was looking to improve its record, however, the Wildcats were unable to knock off Malta Friday as the Mustangs defeated the Wildcats 56-38. Harlem got nine points from Lane Allen and eight rom Tyler Cichosz. On Saturday, the Wildcats traveled to Wolf Point and were hoping to get back into the win column but fell against 53-42. Cichosz was the high scorer again for Harlem with 12 points. Truth Brockie and RJ Ramone both had 10.

Friday

North Star 61, Turner 51

Turner 7 16 12 16 - 51

North Star 20 12 17 12 - 61

North Star: Austin Hansen 2, Bailey Spicher 18, Caden Rettig 12, Garrett Spicher 6, Hayden Massar 16, Rhett Wolery 2, Payne Ditmar 5.

Turner: Jack Harmon 1, Austin Welsh 6, Shane Kimmel 8, Spencer See 2, Tracer Heilig 12, Cody Welsh 20, Shay Humphreys 2.

Malta 56, Harlem 38

Harlem 4 13 12 9 - 38

Malta 15 12 12 13

Malta: Rhett Simanton 4, Kevin Henry 19, Kooper Oxarart 12, Tanner Smith 11, Kaden Bergas 7, Ben Costin 3.

Harlem: RJ Ramone 7, Lane Allen 9, Truth Brockie 4, Jenton Long Fox 2, Daniel Lawrence 6, Tyler Cichosz 8, Trenton Main 2.

Fort Benton 67, Big Sandy 53

Big Sandy 10 14 13 16 - 53

Fort Benton 10 25 16 16 - 67

Fort Benton: Jace Thompson 7, Ethan Pfile 8, Hayden Diekhans 20, Billy Ullery 8, Logan Giles 12, Daven Cook 2, Garrett Diekhans 8, Max Lane 2.

Big Sandy: Brock Proulx 14, Ryan Roth 19, Jeremiah Genereaux 3, Brayden Cline 3, Kade Strutz 10, Kody Strutz 1, Crawford Terry 1, Parker Proulx 2.

Chinook 62, Hays-Lodge Pole 49

Chinook 12 16 16 18 - 62

Hays Lodge-Pole 11 20 11 7 - 49

Hays-Lodgepole: Gilbert Snow 4, Ken Black Crow Jr. 11, Kyle Young Jr. 12, Jeffrey Stiffarm 9, Jeremy Pretty Paint 12, Moke Cliff 3.

Chinook: Isaac Bell 11, Ethan Bell 11, Hunter Neibauer 4, James Christensen 3, Brendan Edwards 6, Cord Schneider 10, Reese Elliot 9, Riley Kellam 8.

Saturday

Hays-Lodge Pole 59, Chester-Joplin-Inverness 48

HLP 21 17 9 12 - 59

CJI 14 16 9 9 - 48

Chester-Joplin-Inverness: Andrew Woods 3, Kyle Harmon 1, Tyler Wanken 19, Spencer Richter 10, Evan Dahinden 2, Noah Bender 13.

Hays-Lodge Pole: Gilbert Snow 11, Jeffrey Pretty Paint 8, Ken Black Crow Jr. 5, W. Bringingwood 6, Tyshawn Shambo 2, Jeffrey Stiffarm 6, Kyle Young Jr. 21.

Box Elder 61, North Star 47

Box Elder 17 14 19 11 - 61

North Star 8 13 12 14 - 47

Box Elder - Jadyen J. 4, Zantee P. 6, Kadyn Duran 11, Chris Burns 8, Nacona Limberhand 8, Malique Rosette 6, Quentin Limberhand 18.

North Star - Austin Hansen 12, Bailey Spicher 15, Caden Rettig 8, Porter Ditmar 3, Payne Ditmar 5, Gavin Spicher 4.

Fort Benton 62, Turner 47

Fort Benton 15 20 17 10 - 62

Turner 8 13 8 18 - 47

Turner: Austin Welsh 7, Jack Harmon 2, Tracer Heilig 8, Shane Kimmel 20, Spencer See 2, Cody Welsh 8.

Fort Benton: Jace Thompson 9, Stephen Gannon 4, Ethan Pfile 4, Hayden Diekhans 8, Jace Pimperton 2, Logan Giles 8, Billy Ullery 2, Garrett Diekhans 21, Max Lane 4.

Wolf Point 63, Harlem 42

Harlem 9 9 10 14 - 42

Wolf Point 17 23 12 11 - 53

Wolf Point: Logan Heser 10, Tade Wallette 2, Nick Page 6, Lance St. Germaine 8, James Lien 9, Treyton Lilley 6, Wyatt Miller 5, Joseph Williamson 17.

Harlem: RJ Ramone 10, Lane Allen 7, Tyler Cichosz 12, Daniel Lawrence 3, Truth Brockie 10.

Shelby 75, Rocky Boy 67

Shelby 16 20 16 21 -75

Rocky Boy 23 9 25 10 - 67

Rocky Boy: Frankie Bacon 15, Wyatt Caplette 7, Joe Demontiney 7, Mac Sutherland 3, Sarinas Mithlo 2, Olin Arkinson 9, Sean Gibson 0, Jordan Tyner 24.

Shelby: Rhett Reynolds 12, Logan Leck 21, Ryan VanTine 18, Damon Irvin 1, Tanner Parsons 20, Tucker Tustain 3.

Chinook 70, Big Sandy 39

Big Sandy 6 12 10 11 - 39

Chinook 14 21 22 13 - 70

Chinook: I. Bell 11, J. Christensen 5, T. Hannum 5, B. Edwards 6, R. Kellam 6, E. Bell 6, H. Neibauer 11, R. Elliott 10, C. Schneider 10.

Big Sandy: Brock Proulx 5, Parker Proulx 2, Jeremiah Genereaux 10, Ryan Roth 22.