Bears Are Back: Box Elder girls part of a loaded Class C field

The last time the Box Elder girls basketball team played in a state tournament on the hardwood of the Four Seasons Arena, they hoisted their second straight state championship trophy.

The year was 2019, and the Bears had just cut the nets down for the second straight season. Now, with Joel Rosette back at the helm, Box Elder is returning to state and, wouldn't you know, it's in Great Falls once again.

"We're excited," Rosette said after finishing second at the Northern C two weeks ago in Great Falls. "Never take for granted going to state. It's huge. That's always the goal, and this team has accomplished that goal."

Indeed. Box Elder won the District 9C regular season and tournament titles, checking off two big goals for the year. At the Northern C, the Bears couldn't get past a really good squad from Roy-Winifred in the championship game, but they had already punched their ticket to state, and now they're ready to chase their ultimate goal.

Rosette led the Bears to back-to-back state championships in 2018 and 2019, and now, he looks for a third title in the last six years when the Bears begin play at the Class C state tournament Thursday Southern C champion Melstone in the opening round at 1:30 p.m.

"Everybody that gets that far is tough," Rosette said.

No question. And the Broncs are tough. They possess perhaps the top player in Class C in Draya Wacker, who has scored nearly 2,000 points in her career and who is headed to the University of Montana.

Wacker and the Broncs will be a testy first game for the Bears, but they, too, are really good.

Led by seniors Kyla Momberg and Angela Gopher, Box Elder is so dangerous offensively. Add to that the scoring of Mariah Arkinson and Brittney Bacon, and a deep bench that includes point guard Annalise Johnson, Box Elder has a ton of firepower and depth.

But where the Bears are really good is on defense. Rosette has always hung his hat on that end of the floor, and the Bears will do so again this week in Great Falls.

"I think when we're playing well defensively, we're really tough to be beat," he said.

Box Elder will be tough to beat this week, but like Rosette said, so will everyone else.

The Bears' side of the bracket includes Western C champion Twin Bridges, who survived a battle in the championship game. The Falcons take on North Country, the Eastern C runner-up in the first round Thursday at noon. On the other side of the draw, Eastern C champion Plentywood, another heavyweight in the field, takes on Manhattan Christian in the opening round at 5 p.m. Thursday. That game will be a huge battle between two of the very best in the state, while that side of the draw also includes Northern C champion Roy-Winifred. The undefeated Outlaws boast the Heggem sisters, and after winning the 8C and Northern C tournaments in Great Falls, have to be a favorite this week. The Outlaws will face Ekalaka, the Southern C runner-up Thursday at 3:30 p.m.

The girls tournament will continue with loser-out games Friday and Saturday morning, and the consolation game at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The semifinals are set for 6 and 7:30 p.m. Friday night and the championship game will be played at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night.

The tournament runs in conjunction with the boys tourney, which starts Wednesday and runs through Saturday night's championship game.

Meanwhile, the girls field is absolutely loaded. When it comes to divisionals, the top teams made it through, setting up an action-packed state tourney, one that the Bears are excited to be a part of.

"This team has been through a lot this year," Rosette said. "They've faced a lot of challenges. So to be where we are right now, I'm just really proud of them."

Box Elder opens the Class C state tournament Thursday at 1:30 p.m. against Melstone. The Class C boys and girls state tournaments will run Wednesday through Saturday at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls.