Two Mineral County girls basketball teams place second in Class C district basketball
The St. Regis girls get fired up for their game against Lone Peak on Thursday in Butte. They lost 43-35. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Tiger fans cheer on the girls during their matchup against Lone Peak at the Maroon Activity Center in Butte on Thursday. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Emma Hill drives the ball to the basket during the Tigers game against Lone Peak during divisionals in Butte on Thursday. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Tiger, Justice Tate goes in for a lay-up against Lone Peak player during Thursdays matchup against Lone Peak in Butte. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
The Clark Fork Mountain Cats pep band traveled to Butte for divisionals last week. The band was led by Mike Wolfe. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Mountain Cat, Kenzie Mueller tries to get past Falcon player during Thursday’s game in Butte, Cats lost 44-22. The Twin Bridges Falcons won divisionals championship in a game against Arlee on Saturday. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Cat Montanna Baughman fights for the ball against the Falcons during Thursday’s matchup at divisionals. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
The St. Regis girls team celebrates after their 42-37 victory over Charlo in the Class-C District Challenge game Monday night at the Ronan Events Center. (Jason Blasco)
The St. Regis girls won against Charlo, 42-37 in a challenge game on Monday, Feb. 20 for second place at districts 14C in Ronan. (Photo courtesy St. Regis School).
The Mountain Cats won their challenge game against Victor on Feb. 20 for second place at districts 13C in Frenchtown. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Districts
On Monday, Feb. 20, both the Lady Clark Fork Mountain Cats, and the Lady St. Regis Tigers played district challenge games and won second place, each earning a spot in divisionals as a result.
The Cats (15-5) met up with Victor in Frenchtown at 4:30 p.m. and won 58-46, for District 13C, sending the team to divisionals in Butte, Feb. 23-25.
It’s the first time in 13 years that the Alberton girls have made it to divisionals. They are now cooped with Superior, who had a team that has not been to divisionals for five years. The Cats took an early lead in the game, and had the Pirates down 28-16 by the half. Hailey Kelly led the team with 17 points, Kenzie Mueller had 15, Samantha Clevenger 10, Madison Mask 8, Emma Dubois 4, Sophia Krutilla, 2, and both Montanna Baughman and Margaret Parkin, 1.
In Ronan, the St. Regis Lady Tigers (17-5) were challenged by Charlo (13-10), with a win, 42-37. Putting them in second place for District 14C, and sending the Lady Tigers to divisionals in Butte. The teams were close throughout the game, where the Tigers slightly out edged the Vikings with 21-19 at the half. But in the fourth quarter, they leapt ahead putting 13 points up to Charlo’s six, for the win. Madison Hill led the pack with 11 points, Emma Hill 9, Anna Sanford 7, Justice Tate 7, Courtney Cheesman 6, and Madison Kelly 2.
Frenchtown:
Clark Fork: 17;11;17;13 – 58
Victor: 7;9;8;22 – 46
Ronan
St. Regis: 8;13;8;13 – 42
Charlo: 7;12;12;6 – 37
Divisionals
Maroon Activity Center in Butte
On Thurday, bus loads of athletes, and fans piled into the Maroon Activity Center in Butte for three days of Class C basketball. Teams from all over the state went head-to-head for a chance to reach State which will be held in Belgrade Mar. 2-4 for the girls and in Bozeman, Mar. 9-11 for the boys.
Both the Clark Fork Mountain Cats and the St. Regis Tigers girl’s teams made it to Butte, after winning second place at districts in Class 13 and 14 earlier in the week. On Thursday, the Lady Tigers played Lone Peak at noon with a 43-35 loss. Moving them to the loser bracket at noon on Friday.
The Mountain Cats played Twin Bridges at 1:30 p.m. that afternoon, with a loss of 44-22. Moving them to the loser bracket at noon on Friday, where they once again faced their cross-county rivals, the St. Regis Tigers. Reminiscent of the Tiger-Cat game played during regular season, the Tigers won 46-22. The two teams had last faced each other on Jan. 19 where the Tigers edged out the Cats, 55-53.
This loss took the Cats out of the tournament and moved the Tigers to a Saturday morning game.
Cats head coach, Jeff Schultz indicated that the girls didn’t shoot well during their game against the Tigers. But said their season had been great, “these girls really improved and they want to hear what it will take to get better. They were willing to do what was hard (to get better). Not a lot of people want to hear those things, and even less want to do what is hard, but they did.”
He also said the team made this a great season and a lot of fun. The Lady Cats decided to stay for the rest of the tournament and spent a couple of nights in Butte, in order to cheer on the remaining teams. Meanwhile, the Tigers met up with Seeley-Swan on Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. Where they met defeat, 61-45. Taking them out of the tournament, as well.
“We are very grateful for the tremendous support given by our administration, school board, staff, student body, parents, grandparents, pep band, bus drivers, and the St. Regis community,” said head coach, Brooks Sanford in a statement released after the games.
The team ended their season 18-7, “they represented their school and community with class. They are an amazing groups of young ladies and we are very proud of them!” he said.
During championship games on Saturday night, both the Arlee boys and girls team played to a packed arena. The boys won their game against Manhattan Christian, 85-67 for the championship. The girls played Twin Bridges and met defeat by a thin margin of 43-39, for second place.
Scoreboard
Butte
Thursday
St Regis lost to Lone Peak at noon on Thursday, 43-35.
St. Regis: 6;1;9;8 – 35
Lone Peak: 7;13;10;13 – 43
Madison Hill 16, Justice Tate 7, Emma Hill 6, Madison Kelly 4, Courtney Cheesman 2.
Clark Fork lost to Twin Bridges 44-22 at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday
Clark Fork: 5;4;1;12 – 22
Twin Bridges: 10;8;10;6 – 44
Kenzie Mueller 8, Hailey Kelly 6, Madison Mask 5, Montanna Baughman 2, Sophia Kurtilla 1.
Friday
St Regis (17-6) won against Clark Fork (15-6), 46-22. Loser out and St. Regis moved to Saturday morning game at 10:30.
St. Regis: 11;12;11;12 – 46
Clark Fork: 2;6;1;13 – 22
St. Regis (18-6): Madison Hill 16; Justice Tate 11; Courtney Cheesman 5; Kylee Thompson 5; Emma Hill 4; Madison Kelly 3; Anna Sanford 2.
Clark Fork (15-7): Kenzie Mueller 11; Samantha Clevenger 4; Emmah Baughman 2; Montanna Baughman 2; Rebecca Pluth 2; Emma Duboise 1.
St. Regis moved to Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Saturday
St. Regis vs Seeley-Swan 10:30 a.m. Loser out, and winner played at 5 p.m. for third place
Seeley-Swan 61, St. Regis 45
St. Regis: 8;11;15;11 – 45
Seeley: 13;19;13;16 – 61
St. Regis (18-7): Madison Hill 16, Courtney Cheesman 8, Justice Tate 7, Madison Kelly 5, Emma Hill 4, Anna Sanford 3, Kylee Thompson 2.
Seeley Swan girls only team from District 13C or 14C to win Thursday, (20-1) bested Ennis 36-23.
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