Hi-Line Girls BB: Knights, T-Birds score big 9C wins

With January turning colder, things are only getting hotter inside gyms around the Hi-Line. And that's because the girls high school basketball season is in high gear.

The Fort Benton girls have been in high gear all season, though, and that continued last Thursday as they crushed Chester-Joplin-Inverness 63-4. Fort Benton held the young Hawks without a single point in both the second and fourth quarters, while McKenzie Clark led four Longhorns in double figures with 14 points. Averie Mattson scored three of CJI's four points in the outing.

In District 9C action Friday night, Turner throttled Big Sandy 68-30, as the Tornadoes scored 42 points in the first half, and never looked back. Sarah Billmayer poured in 30 points for Turner, while Shyan Krass added 17 and Laci Maloney scored nine.

North Star also got its week started on the right foot Friday night with a dominant 71-21 win over Chinook. The Knights led 22-5 at the start of the game, and a 17-1 run in the third quarter put the game away for good. Jade Wendland paced four Knights in double figures with 19 points. Shayla Borlaug added 18 as well. Allison Powell scored eight for the Sugarbeeters.

Things didn't go well in a non-conference game for the much-improved Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbirds Friday night. The T-Birds were crushed by Roy-Winifred 60-20 in Hays, as the Outlaws started the game on a 16-2 run. Mulleah Stiffarm led the T-Birds with eight points.

In another non-conference game, Class B Harlem had no trouble with 9C stalwart Box Elder Friday night. The Bears did lead 13-12 after one, but from there, Harlem was too much. Kailee Henry scored 18 points for the undefeated Wildcats, while Sarah Parisian had 13 for the Bears.

In a District 1B game Friday night, Rocky Boy lost a low-scoring affair at Conrad, 45-37. Kirsten LaMere paced the Morning Stars with 10 points.

As the action shifted to Saturday, there were some huge 9C games on the slate, including in Turner where North Star edged the Tornadoes 67-65 in a. thriller. Turner edged in front early in the fourth quarter, but the Knights rallied late and pulled off a big win to stay in second place. Kaytlyn Domire scored 18 points and Jade Wendland added 16, while Shyan Krass scored 18 points and Brooke Reed and Sarah Billmayer added 11 each for Turner.

HLP also scored a huge home win Saturday night, as the T-Birds knocked off the defending state champion Box Elder Bears 47-36. It was HLP's first win over Box Elder n more than a decade, as Mulleah Stiffarm and Ella Messerly each scored 14 points for the T-Birds.

In another 9C showdown Saturday, Fort Benton had no problem with struggling Chinook. The Longhorns cruised to a 56-10 win in Chinook, as they started the game on a 22-2 run. Maci Molinario scored 14 points for the Longhorns, while Allison Powell led the Sugarbeeters with 4 points.

Also Saturday night, CJI edged Big Sandy in an a exciting 9C game, as the Hawks won 41-39.

Harlem had no trouble returning to District 2B action Saturday night either. On the road, the Wildcats clobbered Poplar 74-25. Harlem scored 45 first-half points and got a big game from Tay Torttier as they stayed perfect no the season.

THURSDAY

Fort Benton 63, Chester-Joplin-Inverness 4

Chester-Joplin-Inverness 2;0;2;0;-;4

Fort Benton 25;16;10;12;-;63

CJI: Averie Mattson 3; Haddie Woods 1.

Fort Benton: McKenzie Clark 14; Ashlee Wang 12; Aspen Giese 11; Megan Clark 9; Maci Molinario 6; Cassie Nack 3; Hailee Wang 2; McKenna Hanford 2; Emerson Giese 2; Cloe Kalanick 2.

FRIDAY

Turner 68, Big Sandy 30

Turner 24 18 17 9 - 68

Big Sandy 8 3 12 7 - 30

Turner - Brooke Reed 5, Laci Maloney 9, Shyan Krass 17, Gracie Honey 2, Emma Billmayer 5, Sarah Billmayer 30.

Big Sandy - N/A.

Roy-Winifred 60, Hays-Lodge Pole 20

R-W 16 14 23 7 - 60

HLP 2 5 9 4 - 20

HLP - Mulleah Stiffarm 8, Justice Werk 1, Tahtianna Morgan 4, Kassi Perez 2, Judemia Gray 2, Nashone Shambo 2, Sierra Chandler 1, Jaedyn Chandler 1.

R-W - N/A.

North Star 71, Chinook 21

Chinook 5 10 1 5 - 21

North Star 22 16 17 16 - 71

North Star - Laynie Sattoriva 6, Jade Wendland 19, Kenidee Wolery 13, Shayla Borlaug 18, Kaytlyn Domire 15.

Chinook - Jade Cecerle 2, Jayden Miller 5, Lily Surber 1, Allison Powell 8.

Harlem 57, Box Elder 38

Harlem 12 13 11 21 - 57

Box Elder 13 6 11 8 - 38

Box Elder - Zayna Henderson 8, Annalise Johnson 7, Aysia Lamere 3, Mia Henderson 2, Sarah Parisian 13, Breanna Bacon 3.

Harlem - Aria Owens 4, Taeschon Schaeffer 3, Taya Trottier 12, L'Tia Lawrence 12, Gabi Bell 3, Kristyn Kittson 5, Kailee Henry 18.

Conrad 45, Rocky Boy 37

Rocky Boy 10 6 11 10 - 37

Conrad 13 11 12 9 - 45

Rocky Boy - Jeralyn Parker 8, Kristen LaMere 10, Angela Gopher 4, Sasha Coffee 2, Mariah Arkinson 5.

SATURDAY

North Star 67, Turner 65

North Star 18 19 16 14 - 67

Turner 15 14 23 13 - 65

Turner - Brooke Reed 11, Laci Maloney 12, Dakota Krass 3, Shyan Krass 18, Brandy Calvert 4, Sarah Billmayer 11.

North Star - Laynie Sattoriva 2, Jade Wendland 16, Rainee Watson 4, Kaytlyn Domire 18, Shayla Borlaug 8, Kenidee Wolery 19.

Hays-Lodge Pole 47, Box Elder 36

Box Elder 3 13 5 15 - 36

HLP 12 16 8 11 - 47

HLP - Nashone Shambo 11, Ella Messerly 14, Tahtianna Morgan 6, Justice Werk 2, Mulleah Stiffarm 14.

Box Elder - N/A.

Fort Benton 56, Chinook 10

Fort Benton 22 14 12 8 - 56

Chinook 2 4 1 3 - 10

Chinook - Lexi Pitkanen 1, Allison Powell 4, Lily Surber 2, Tori Cecerle 3.

Fort Benton - Emerson Giese 7, Maci Molinario 14, Abby Clark 10, Aspen Giese 10, Ashlee Wang 2, McKenzie Clark 9, Cassie Nack 4.

Harlem 74, Poplar 25

Harlem 25 20 10 19 - 74

Poplar 7 4 11 3 - 25

Harlem - N/A.

Poplar - N/A.