The H.I.T. makes a successful return

The Hi-Line Invitational all-star high school basketball tournament finally made its return this weekend after being shut down in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The best players from all four classifications in Montana came to compete. In the end, the Class AA Boys team and Class C Girls team came away from the weekend with the tournament championships.

The Class AA Boys team defeated the Class A Boys team, 63-48, in the championship game Saturday night. Tony Frolich Fair of Missoula Sentinel led Class AA with 13 points. He finished the weekend as the tournament's scoring leader and Co-MVP. Royce Robinson of Lewistown led the Class A team with 14 points in the game. The Class AA team qualified for the championship game after going 3-0 in pool play. The Class A team qualified for the game after defeating the Class B and C teams in pool play.

The Class C Girls team defeated Class B, 61-49, to win the championship Saturday night. Fort Benton's Aspen Giese led the Class C team with 18 points and finished the weekend as the tournament MVP. Lindsey Hein of Forsyth led the Class B team with nine points in the game. In pool play, Class C defeated Class A and Class AA while Class B defeated Class C and Class A to qualify for the championship game.

In the boys consolation game Saturday night, the Class C Boys team defeated the Class B Boys team, 67-65. Fort Benton's Hayden Diekhans led the Class C team with 16 points to lead them to victory. In their losing effort, Noah Brouchard of Huntley Project scored 15 points for Class B. The teams had to play for the consolation after the Class C team went 1-2 and the Class B team went 0-3 in pool play.

In the girls consolation game Saturday, the Class AA girls defeated the Class A girls, 68-42. Bailee Sayler of Missoula Hellgate led the Class AA team with 16 points. Mya Hanson of Billings Central scored 11 points for Class A and she finished the weekend as the tournament's leading scorer. In pool play, the Class A girls went 0-3 to fall into the consolation game. The Class AA girls had to play in the consolation game even though they went 2-1 in pool play.

The tournament also had some skills competitions. Ty Huse from Bozeman won the boys 3-point competition and Sydney Dethman of Froid-Medicine Lake won the girls 3-point contest. Tournament Co-MVP Drew Wyman also won the slam dunk contest.

Eleven players were named to the boys all-star team at the end of the tournament. From the Class AA Boys team were Levi Torgerson from Great Falls, Payton Sanders of Billings Skyview and tournament Co-MVPs Fair and Wyman. From the Class A boys team were Malachi Stewart from Billings Central, Brandon Finley from Frenchtown and Robinson. Will Burns of Missoula Loyola and Brouchard came from the Class B team and Diekhans and Caden Handran from Scobey came from the Class C team.

The girls all-star team was made up of 10 players. Dani Bartsch from Helena Capital and Kylie Lantz from Helena High came from the Class AA Girls team. From the Class A team were Hanson and Billings Central's Isabella Erickson. Taya Trottier of Harlem, Hailee Brandon of Big Timber and Hein came from the Class B girls team. From the Class C team were Shyan Krass of Turner, Dethman and MVP Giese.

Class AA Girls 70, Class A Girls 65

Class A Girls 17 15 24 9 - 65

Class AA Girls 16 20 12 22 - 70

Class A Girls - Mya Hanson 15, Jilian Litwiler 13, Yelena Miller 11, Kamber Good Luck 10, Kylie Walker 9, Isabella Erickson 5, Layne Kearns 4.

Class AA Girls - Dani Bartsch 16, Addy Heaphy 15, Bailee Sayler 13, Breanna Williams 9, Kylie Lantz 8, Challis Westwater 4, Lauren Dick 2, Kodi Fraser 2.

Class B Girls 56, Class C Girls 48

Class C Girls 15 11 13 9 - 48

Class B Girls 13 14 20 9 - 56

Class C Girls - Aspen Giese 12, Kaitlyn McColly 8, Sidney Dethman 8, Kia Wasson 5, Gracee Lekvold 3, Jaycee Erickson 2, Liv Wangerin 2, Kiersten Van Kirk 2, Madeline Heggem 2, Shyan Krass 2.

Class B Girls - Lindsey Hein 17, Payton West 8, Rachel Van Blaricom 7, Taya Trottier 6, Bailey Finn 6, Megan Baxter 6, Emily Cooler 3.

Class C Boys 62, Class B Boys 59

Class B Boys 22 5 21 11 - 59

Class C Boys 13 12 19 18 - 62

Class B Boys - Joe Demontiney 10, Will Burns 9, Colby Martinez 9, Damon Gros Ventre 9, Caden Holgate 8, Noah Brouchard 7, Logan Leck 3, Caleb Cole 2, Kooper Oxarart 2.

Class C Boys - Aiden Fishell 10, Hayden Diekhans 9, Bryce Grebe 9, Ethan Bell 8, Charlie Kruer 8, Jayce Tande 6, Aiden McDaniel 6, Caden Handrim 4, Reese Elliot 2.

Class AA Boys 71, Class A Boys 49

Class A Boys 20 7 14 8 - 49

Class AA Boys 14 12 18 27 - 71

Class A Boys - Brandon Finley 11, Jon Kirkley 9, Dougie Peoples 6, Royce Robinson 5, Colter Bales 5, Josh Warp 3, Colton Graham 2, Malachi Stewart 2, Cole Truman 2, Kellen Detrick 2.

Class AA Boys - Tony Frolich Fair 16, Reid Harris 14, Drew Wyman 10, Ky Kouba 10, Levi Torgerson 9, Payton Sanders 7, Ty Huse 3, Eli Hunter 2, Cam Ketchum 2.

Class B Girls 72, Class A Girls 40

Class A Girls 13 12 5 10 - 40

Class B Girls 20 14 20 18 - 72

Class A Girls - Mya Hanson 17, Kamber Good Luck 9, Isabella Erickson 6, Kylie Walker 5, Loy Waid 5, Jillian Litwiller 3, Yelena Miller 3.

Class B Girls - Lindsey Hein 10, Bailey Finn 8, Allison Kunze 8, Megan Baxter 8, Payton West 7, Tia Stahl 7, Taya Trottier 6, Hailee Brandon 6, Rachel Van Blaricom 4, Emily Cooler 4, Brynna Wolfe 2.

Class C Girls 53, Class AA Girls 50

Class AA Girls 12 12 13 13 - 50

Class C Girls 16 18 11 8 - 53

Class AA Girls - Bailee Sayler 13, Addy Heaphy 11, Kodi Fraser 7, Breanna Williams 6, Dani Bartsch 6, Kylie Lantz 5, Lauren Dick 2.

Class C Girls - Gracee Lekvold 10, Aspen Giese 7, Kiersten Van Kirk 7, Madeline Heggem 7, Kaitlyn McColly 6, Jaycee Erickson 4, Sidney Dethman 4, Kia Wasson 3, Liv Wangerin 3, Shyan Krass 2.

Class A Boys 84, Class B Boys 73

Class B Boys 15 25 10 23 - 73

Class A Boys 13 30 23 18 - 84

Class B Boys - Kooper Oxarart 14, Joe Demontiney 12, Caleb Cole 10, Logan Leck 9, Colby Martinez 7, Kaelob Flores 7, Noah Brouchard 6, Rhett Reynolds 6, Will Burns 3.

Class A Boys - Brandon Finley 15, Malachi Stewart 13, Colton Graham 11, Royce Robinson 11, Jon Kirkley 10, Dougie Peoples 6, Cole Truman 6, Kellen detrick 5, Colter Bales 4, Josh Warp 3.

Class AA Boys 75, Class C Boys 61

Class C Boys 18 22 7 14 - 61

Class AA Boys 19 10 26 20 - 75

Class C Boys - Hayden Diekhans 13, Reese Elliot 9, Ethan Bell 7, Aiden McDaniel 6, Caden Handrum 6, Charlie Kruer 6, Bryce Grebe 5, Aiden Fishell 4, Jayce Tande 3, Caiden Hill 2.

Class AA Boys - Levi Torgerson 20, Tony Frolich Fair 20, Drew Wyman 13, Payton Sanders 10, Cam Ketchum 4, Eli Hunter 3, Reid Harris 3, Ky Kouba 2.

Class AA Girls 61, Class B Girls 51

Class B Girls 11 14 9 17 - 51

Class AA Girls 17 17 11 16 - 61

Class B Girls - Lindsey Hein 20, Tia Stahl 9, Rachel Van Blaricom 5, Allison Kunze 4, Megan Baxter 4, Payton West 3, Taya Trottier 2, Brynna Wolfe 2, Emily Cooler 2.

Class AA Girls - Kylie Lantz 16, Dani Bartsch 13, Breanna Williams 11, Bailee Sayler 5, Challis Westwater 5, Lauren Dick 4, Kodi Fraser 4, Addy Heaphy 3.

Class C Girls 81, Class A Girls 48

Class A Girls 9 15 7 17 - 48

Class C Girls 15 23 19 24 - 81

Class A Girls - Mya Hanson 12, Jillian Litwiler 8, Yelena Miller 8, Layne Kearns 7, Isabella Erickson 7, Loy Waid 3, Kamber Good Luck 3.

Class C Girls - Gracee Lekvold 17, Aspen Giese 12, Sidney Dethman 13, Liv Wangerin 8, Kiersten Van Kirk 8, Shyan Krass 8, Kia Wasson 5, Jaycee Erickson 2, Madeline Heggem 2.

Class AA Boys 98, Class B Boys 46

Class B Boys 8 20 7 11 - 46

Class AA Boys - 22 33 18 25 - 98

Class B Boys - Noah Brouchard 9, Will Burns 8, Rhett Reynolds 7, Caden Holgate 6, Joe Demontiney 5, Logan Leck 4, Damon Gros Ventre 3, Colby Martinez 2.

Class AA Boys - Tony Frolich Fair 21, Drew Wyman 19, Payton Sanders 15, Reid Harris 13, Cam Ketchum 9, Levi Torgerson 8, Eli Hunter 8, Ky Kouba 3, Ty Huse 2.

Class A Boys 85, Class C Boys 71

Class C Boys 19 16 20 16 - 71

Class A Boys 20 20 26 19 - 85

Class C Boys - Jayce Tande 17, Bryce Grebe 13, Aiden Fishell 8, Hayden Diekhans 8, Aiden McDaniel 7, Ethan Bell 6, Reese Elliot 6, Caiden Hill 4, Charlie Kruer 2.

Class A Boys - Brandon Finley 14, Malachi Stewart 11, Dougie Peoples 9, Royce Robinson 9, Jon Kirkley 8, Josh Warp 6, Colton Graham 4, Cole Truman 4, Kellen Detrick 4.

Girls Consolation

Class AA Girls 68, Class A Girls 42

Class A Girls 8 9 10 15 - 42

Class AA Girls 19 8 20 21 - 68

Class A Girls - Mya Hanson 11, Layne Kearns 10, Isabella Erickson 7, Kylie Walker 5, Jillian Litwiler 5, Loy Waid 3, Yelena Miller 3.

Class AA Girls - Bailee Sayler 16, Breanna Williams 12, Lauren Dick 11, Dani Bartsch 9, Challis Westwater 8, Kylie Lantz 5, Addy Heaphy 5, Kodi Fraser 2.

Boys Consolation

Class C Boys 67, Class B Boys 65

Class B Boys 18 11 12 24 - 65

Class C Boys 19 17 19 12 - 67

Class B Boys - Noah Brouchard 15, Rhett Reynolds 13, Caden Holgate 9, Logan Leck 8, Kaelob Flores 7, Joe Demontiney 6, Colby Martinez 5, Will Burns 2.

Class C Boys - Hayden Diekhans 16, Aiden Fishell 14, Jayce Tande 13, Bryce Grebe 8, Ethan Bell 7, Reese Elliot 4, Charlie Kruer 3, Aiden McDaniel 2.

Girls Championship

Class B Girls 13 13 13 10 - 49

Class C Girls 16 9 19 17 - 61

Class B Girls - Lindsey Hein 9, Brynna Wolfe 8, Emily Cooler 6, Megan Baxter 6, Taya Trottier 5, Allison Kunze 4, Bailey Finn 3, Hailee Brandon 2.

Class C Girls - Aspen Giese 18, Kaitlyn McColly 10, Sidney Dethman 9, Shyan Krass 6, Gracee Lekvold 5, Liv Wangerin 5, Kiersten Van Kirk 3, Madeline Heggem 3, Kia Wasson 2.

Boys Championship

Class AA Boys 63, Class A Boys 48

Class A Boys 10 3 14 21 - 48

Class AA Boys 16 16 16 15 - 63

Class A Boys - Royce Robinson 14, Josh Warp 7, Colter Bales 6, Colton Graham 5, Malachi Stewart 5, Cole Truman 4, Brandon Finley 4, Dougie Peoples 3.

Class AA Boys - Tony Frolich Fair 13, Ky Kouba 12, Payton Sanders 9, Reid Harris 9, Drew Wyman 9, Cam Ketchum 6, Levi Torgerson 5, Ty Huse 2.