Hi-Line Volleyball: Beeters win regular season 6C East title

The final week of the regular season in Hi-Line school volleyball didn't disappoint. It was a race to the finish line for all area teams, and there was some exciting matches.

The biggest match of the week though, was Friday night when Chinook defeated North Star in a District 6C East, five-set marathon. The match decided first place in the district, and the Sugarbeeters won by scores of 17-25, 25-21, 25-19, 14-25 and 15-12. Ginger Hauer had a big match for the Beeters with 20 assists, 20 digs and four aces, while Delaney Kellam had 10 kills. North Star got 17 kills from Olivia King and four blocks by Saige O'Neil.

The final week of the regular season started last Tuesday when Chinook swept Hays-Lodge Pole by scores of 25-17, 25-1 and 25-7, while Rocky Boy beat Box Elder in a non-conference rivalry match, by scores of 25-16, 27-25 and 25-15.

On Thursday night, the Chester-Joplin-Inverness Hawks scored a big 6C East win when they swept the Big Sandy Pioneers by scores of 25-10, 25-16 and 25-21. Sam May paced the Hawks with 10 kills, while Molly Nelson had 28 digs.

North Star also won two 6C East matches against HLP Thursday night. The Knights defeated the Thunderbirds by scores of 25-5, 25-9 and 25-14 in match one, with Jade Wendland totaling eight aces and four digs. In the second match, the Knights won by scores of 25-6, 25-11 and 25-5, with Wendland tallying 10 kills and seven aces and Kenidee Wolery racking up 18 assists.

While Chinook won the big match Friday night, the Box Elder bears won a key showdown with Big Sandy that night as well. The Bears beat the Pioneers by scores of 14-25, 22-25, 25-16, 25-14 and 15-12 in what was an exciting comeback win for Box Elder.

Saturday night got a little tougher for Box Elder however, as the Bears were swept by Chinook by scores of 25-13, 25-17 and 25-12. Delaney Kellam had a huge match for Chinook with 12 kills, 11 digs and six blocks.

Saturday night also saw CJI wrap up a fourth-place finish with two wins over HLP. The Hawks won the first match by scores of 24-26, 25-13, 25-23 and 25-23, and the second sweep by scores of 25-17, 25-19 and 25-14.

The Harlem Wildcats also finished the regular season on a high note Saturday night, with a senior night sweep of the Poplar Indians. Harlem beat Poplar by scores of 25-16, 25-12 and 25-20. Sarah Billmayer had eight kills for the Wildcats, while Taeshon Schaeffer had 11 assists and five aces.

With the regular season over, area teams will now prepare for district tournaments. The 6C East tournament will be held Thursday and Friday in Chinook. Harlem will be at the 2B tourney Friday and Saturday in Glasgow, and Rocky Boy will play in the 1B tournament Friday and Saturday in Choteau.

THURSDAY

North Star def. Hays-Lodge Pole

25-5, 25-9, 25-14

HLP - N/A

North Star - Kills 19 (Olivia King 7), Assists 17 (Kenidee Wolery 10), Digs 16 (Jade Wendland 4), Blocks 3. Aces 17 (Wendland 8).

North Star def. Hays-Lodge Pole

25-6, 25-11, 25-5

HLP - N/A.

North Star - Kills 27 (Jade Wendland 10), Assists 18 (Kenidee Wolery 18), Digs 9 (Wendland 4), Blocks 0. Aces 20 (Wendland 7).

CJI def. Big Sandy

25-10, 25-16 25-21

CJI - Kills (Sam May 10), Aces (Tatum Hull 4, Emma Wickum 4), Digs (Molly Nelson 28), Blocks (Hull 3), Assists (Averie Mattson 20).

Big Sandy - N/A.

FRIDAY

Chinook def. North Star

17-25, 25-21, 25-19, 14-25, 15-12

North Star - Assists 37 (Wolery 35), Kill2 41 (King 17), Blocks 8 (Borlaug 5), Digs 47 (Borlaug 13), Aces 9 (O'Neil 4).

Chinook - Assists 24 (Hauer 21), Kills 28 (Kellam 10), Blocks 3 (Kellam 2), Digs 80 (Hauer 20), Aces 10 (Miller 4, Hauer 4).

SATURDAY

Chinook def. Box Elder

25-13, 25-17, 25-12

Chinook - Kills 28 (Kellam 12), Aces 10 (Miller 6), Digs 37 (Kellam 11), Blocks 9 (Kellam 6), Assists 25 (Hauer 19).

Box Elder - N/A

Harlem def. Poplar

25-16, 25-12, 25-20

Harlem - Kills 24 (Sarah Billmayer 8), Assists 20 (Taeshon Schaeffer 11), Digs 41 (Neveah Spotted Eagle 10), Blocks 0, Aces 24 (Jessica King 5, Schaeffer 5, Aspen Baker 5).

Poplar - N/A.