Hi-Line Girls BB: Thunderbirds rising higher and higher

By this time next week, January will be gone and the final days and nights of the 2019 girls basketball regular season will be upon the Hi-Line.

But, January isn't quite over yet and area teams are showing that they're ready for the stretch run.

Last week started with Big Sandy and Box Elder earning key District 9C wins Thursday night. The Pioneers turned away Chinook 36-30, via a 12-5 run in the final eight minutes. Amanda Cline scored 13 points and Sienna Demontiney added 10 for the Pioneers, who won their first 9C game of the season. Jade Cecerle scored eight points for the Sugarbeeters.

Meanwhile, at home Thursday night, Box Elder got back on track with a 58-52 win over Chester-Joplin-Inverness. The Bears scored 35 points in the second half and were led by Sarah Parisian in the win. Averie Mattson led three Hawks in double digits with 13 points.

Also Thursday night, Rocky Boy got a much-needed District 1B win. The Morning Stars thumped 1B newcomer Great Falls Central 60-42, with Jeralyn Parker turning in a game-high 20 points.

Back in the 9C Friday night, the Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbirds continue to have a historic season. In Hays, the T-Birds pulled off a thrilling win over North Star, 55-53 in a game that was within two points from start to finish. Mulleah Stiffarm scored 24 points and Tahtianna Morgan added 10 for the T-Birds, while Jade Wendland scored 25 points for the Knights in the upset loss.

Another huge upset almost happened in the 9C Friday night, but, the Fort Benton Longhorns escaped with a 3-point win in Turner. Leading 22-16 at halftime, Turner pushed the Longhorns to the bring, but a 6-0 run late in the contest helped Fort Benton stay unbeaten. Aspen Giese scored 23 points and McKenzie Clark added 19 for Fort Benton, while Shyan Krass scored 22 points and pulled down 17 rebounds for the Tornadoes.

Friday night turned out to be a night of upsets, too. In Malta, the Harlem Wildcats dropped their first game of the season, in a stunning 49-40 loss to the M-Ettes. Malta led wire-to-wire as Harlem's offense, which was led by Tay Trottier's 15 points, never got into gear.

The Wildcats did bounce right back to beat rival Wolf Point 62-50 Friday night, with Kailee Henry scoring 24 points, while Rocky Boy lost to Shelby 60-33 in a 1B showdown. Angela Gopher led the Morning Stars with nine points.

Returning to 9C action Saturday night, HLP's winning ways continued as the Thunderbirds blew out Big Sandy 63-28. The T-Birds, who improved to 8-4 on the season, got 18 points from Mulleah Stiffarm, 16 from Sarah Hawley and 14 by Nashone Shambo. The Pioneers were led by Amanda Cline's 12 points.

Fort Benton also kept winning Saturday. In a matchup of the top two teams in the 9C, Fort Benton cruised past North Star 69-45. A 17-4 run to start the game was all the Longhorns needed, as they got 16 points each from Aspen Giese and Megan Clark. The Knights were led by Jade Wendland's 14 points and Kenidee Wolery added 13.

Box Elder made it a 9C sweep this weekend, as well. Saturday night in Chinook, the Bears rolled past the Beeters, 47-25. Sarah Parisian scored 16 points to lead the Bears, while Allison Powell led the Beeters with 14 points.

Saturday night also saw Turner rebound from its heartbreaking loss to Fort Benton with a narrow 32-26 victory over CJI.

THURSDAY

Big Sandy 36, Chinook 30

Chinook 4 8 13 5 - 30

Big Sandy 10 8 6 12 - 36

Chinook - J. Cecerle 8, T. Cecerle 5, Lexi P. 2, J. Miller 6, L. Surber 2, A. Powell 7.

Big Sandy - J. Worral 2, L. Gregory 5, A. Cline 13, S. Demontiney 10, M. Terry 2.

Box Elder 68, Chester-Joplin-Inverness 52

CJI 13 13 12 14 - 52

Box Elder 17 16 20 15 - 68

CJI - Averie Mattson 13, Hade Woods 11, Tatum Hull 11, Molly Nelson 8, Shawna Osborn 6, Aaliyah Standiford 3.

Box Elder - N/A

Rocky Boy 60, GFCC 42

Rocky Boy 9 20 17 14 - 60

GFCC 10 15 8 9 42

Rocky Boy - Meiyah Sutherland 3, Jeralyn Parker 20, Kirsten LaMere 9, Angela Gopher 10, Jaynah Gopher 6, Jourdail Coffee 2, Sasha Coffee 7, Mariah Arkinson 3.

GFCC - N/A.

FRIDAY

Fort Benton 57, Turner 54

Fort Benton 7 9 22 19 - 57

Turner 9 13 16 16 - 54

Turner - Shyan Krass 22, Brooke Reed 9, Laci Maloney 13, Brandy Calvert 2, Emma Billmayer 4, Sarah Billmayer 4.

Fort Benton - Aspen Giese 23, McKenzie Clark 19, Cassi Nack 2, MCkenna Hanford 9, Megan Clark 4.

Hays-Lodge Pole 55, North Star 53

North Star 14 13 12 14 - 53

HLP 13 14 14 14 - 55

North Star - Laynie Sattoriva 6, Kira King 2, Jade Wendland 25, Kenidee Wolery 5, Shayla Borlaug 4, Kaitlyn Domire 9.

HLP - Nashone Shambo 4, Judemia Gray 9, Jaedyn Chandler 2, Tahtianna Morgan 10, Mulleah Stiffarm 24.

Malta 49, Harlem 40

Harlem 8 1 13 18 - 49

Malta 12 8 13 16 - 40

Malta - Carly Garfield 2, Maddie Williamson 1, Allie Kunze 9, Addy Anderson 2, Kylie Hunter 3, Justine Lamb 6, Selbe Denham 2, Erica Smith 12, Kylee Nelson 12.

Harlem - Aria Owens 4, Taya Trottier 15, L'Tia Lawrence 11, Kristyn Kittson 2, Kailee Henry 8.

SATURDAY

Fort Benton 69, North Star 45

North Star 4 15 11 15 - 45

Fort Benton 17 21 13 8 - 60

Fort Benton - Cassie Nack 6, McKenzie Clark 12, Aspen Giese 16, Abby Clark 2, Samantha Vielleux 3, Maci Molinario 9, Megan Clark 16, McKenna Hanford 5.

North Star - Laynie Sattoriva 2, Jade Wendland 14, Kenidee Wolery 13, Shayla Borlaug 10, Kaytlyn Diomire 2, Rainee Watson 4.

Box Elder 47, Chinook 25

Box Elder 16 8 12 11 - 47

Chinook 6 2 8 9 - 25

Chinook - Allison Powell 14, Anna Terry 3, Lexi Pitkanen 4, Torin Cecerle 1, Jade Cecerle 3.

Box Elder - Sarah Parisian 16, Aysia LaMere 9, Breanna Bacon 9.

Shelby 60, Rocky Boy 33

Shelby 16 9 14 21 - 60

Rocky Boy 7 11 12 3 - 33

Shelby - Maddison Underal 23, Brielle Akelstad 2, Rachel Hould 2, Bailey Johnson 15, Brooke Lully 12, Kendall Anderson 6.

Rocky Boy - Jayla Small 2, Jourdal Coffee 2, Jeralyn Parker 2, Angela Gopher 9, Kirsten LaMere 2, Sasha Coffee 6, Meiyah Sutherland 5, Ella Moore 3, Jaynah Gopher 2.

Harlem 62, Wolf Point 50

Harlem 18 17 15 12 - 62

Wolf Point 13 12 10 15 - 50

Wolf Point - Jaylee Azure 7, Tori Nyguard 10, Mya Fourstar 18, Hamaynie Campbell 2, J'Elle Garfield 10, Josie Kolstad 3.

Harlem - Aria Owens 7, Taya Trottier 16, L'Tia Lawrence 2, Alaynee Hawley 4, Kailee Henry 24, Kristyn Kittson 9.

Hays-Lodge Pole 63, Big Sandy 28

HLP 15 18 12 18 - 63

Big Sandy 9 4 7 8 - 28

Big Sandy - A. Sternberg 2, L. Gregory 4, A Gasvoda 2, A. Cline 12.

HLP - N. Shambo 14, J. Gray 4, K. Perez 3, S. Chandler 3, A. Chandler 3, T. Morgan 1, M. Stiffarm 18, S. Hawley 16.