Chinook, Hays/Lodge Pole, Harlem hoopsters get their season started this weekend

 

December 6, 2017



The Turner Tornadoes kicked off the 2017-18 basketball season last weekend at The Class C Showcase in Glasgow, now it’s time for the rest of the Blaine County teams to take the court for the first time.

The Chinook Sugarbeeters will be in Chester this weekend for a pair of games while the Harlem Wildcats will be at the Native American Classic at Salish Kootenai College to get the season started. The Hays Lodge Pole Thunderbirds will be in Billings taking part at the All American Indian shootout.

The season should again be very exciting for hoop fans all across the county and the Hi-Line and things are just getting started with a full slate of games on tap.

The District 9C is always fun to watch and this season promises more of the same. The District 2B should be entertaining as well with both Wildcat boys and girls teams ready to make some noise.

In the District 9C the Chinook Sugarbeeters boys are primed to take the next step and are considered by many to be amongst the favorites in all of the Northern C to advance to the State Tournament.


The Sugarbeeter girls look to rebound this season and get back to the Northern C Divisional in February.

The Hays/Lodge Pole boys graduated a ton of talent but still have a team that can produce wins and will strive to achieve another trip to the Northern C Divisional.

The Thunderbird girls have experience on their side this fall and head coach Corey Morgan is back on the sidelines to lead the team. The Thunderbirds have steadily improved the past few seasons and return the bulk of last seasons roster.


The Harlem Wildcats plan to turn some heads in the District 2B and have the experience returning to do so.

The Harlem girls are again led by head coach Laramie Schwenke and return a talented roster to take on the rest of the District 2B. The boys are under the direction of first-year head coach Cole McCabe. The name should be familiar to local basketball fans as McCabe was a star on the hardwood for the Thunderbirds not too long ago.

The Wildcat boys welcome the addition of some exceptional talent and experienced returners while the girls will have a team that has been playing together for several years now.

Chinook Sugarbeeters

The Sugarbeeter girls are under the direction of first year Head Coach Lesa MacLeod. This may be her first season as the head coach but MacLeod has been on the sidelines for years serving as an assistant.


This years squad has a great mix of athletes including six seniors, six juniors, one sophomore and eight freshman.

The ‘Beeters return plenty of experience to the roster including senior Sierra Swank, a District 9C All-Conference performer a season ago. Also back this winter are seniors Carrie Hofer, Jaye Anderson, Hailey McMaster, Erin Pula and Anne Reed.

Juniors include Megan Molyneaux, Kourtney Hanson, Ashley MacLeod, Lincy Johnson, Rachel Gunderson and Hannah Wendeln.

Sophomore Kendra McMaster is back along with freshman Jade Cecrle, Hailey Bell, Delaney Kellam, Ginger Hauer, Anna Gettan, Jayden Miller, Crystal Hofer and Lily Surber.

“I’m excited to see what this season will bring for the Chinook Sugarbeeter Girls’ Basketball team. We have 10 returning varsity players (5 seniors and 5 juniors) this season, so we’re looking forward to experience on the court,” stated MacLeod.

The team has been busy practicing for a couple weeks now and have been able to get a lot of things done, “With the addition of some talented freshmen and a sophomore at the junior varsity levels, our practices have been high energy and competitive. We are eager to get on the court this weekend to gauge our progress against non-conference opponents and to get better prepared for the highly competitive 9C,” concluded MacLeod.

The Sugarbeeters will begin the season Friday in Chester when they take on the Dutton/Brady Diamondbacks at 11:15 a.m. Saturday the girls will face Sunburst with tip off scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

The Chinook boys had plenty of success a season ago and with the roster returning All-State junior Cord Schneider and All-Conference junior Isaac Bell as well as experienced juniors Brendan Edwards, James Christensen, Trajan Hannum and Riley Kellam the team has its sights set high this winter.

Senior Tamer Jamieson is back this season and will be joined on the roster by sophomores Hunter Neibauer and Sam Dumas. Freshman out this season include Ethan Bell, Benton Elliot, Damon Hannum, Ethan MacLeod, Erik Pula and Reese Elliot.

The ‘Beeters put plenty of work in during the off season getting in gym and improving individually and as a team, “

The first few weeks of practices the team has been working hard, getting in shape with our legs, cardiovascularly, working on fundamentals and just getting in basketball shape mentally and physically,”

This weekend Seymour has things he wants to see, “We want to work on developing chemistry on the court, finding combinations that work well and just improve day to day, game to game.”

The Sugarbeeters will play the Dutton/Brady Diamondbacks Friday at 1:00 p.m. Saturday the boys will take on the Sunburst Refiners at 2:45 p.m.

Hays/Lodge Pole

Thunderbirds

The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbird girls have a familiar face at the helm this season as Corey Morgan returns to the bench to lead the team.

The Thunderbirds have struggled to string wins together the past few seasons but seamed to turn the corner a bit a year ago picking up some quality wins along the way.

This years team returns a lot of experience but unfortunately will be with out the services All-Conference junior Rayleigh Kirkaldie who is sidelined due to injury.

Senior Darrellyn Blackwolf is back to run the offense and is joined by senior Miquela Perez. Juniors include Latasha Kirkaldie, Aleena Walker and Tahlia Werk. Sophomores are Nature Andrew, Sheraya Boushie. Freshman include Alexis Blackcrow, Sierra Chandler, Ella Messerly, Kassie Perez and Chastity Shambo.

Morgan is ready to get the season started, “The girls have been working hard and are excited to see how things will turn out this coming weekend.” The Thunderbirds will look to utilize their strengths and Morgan knows what they are, “We have a little height that will help us out, as well as some younger guards that look to be filling some key roles. We’re very excited for this season and this coming weekend.”

The girls will get the season underway Thursday in Billings against the Lame Deer Morning Stars at 8:40 p.m.

The Thunderbird boys are again under the direction of Head Coach Derrick Shambo. The Thunderbirds had a spectacular season a year ago winning the District 9C Tournament and finishing fourth at the State C.

Hays/Lodge Pole graduated a ton of talent and lost some to transfer as well but Shambo still has a team very capable of stringing together some wins.

This years squad includes seniors, Michael Ball, Damien Bradley, Spencer Grandchamp, Chance Main, David Main and Isiah RunsAbove. Juniors are James Brockie, Tony Sears, Jeffery Stiffarm and Moke Cliff. The lone sophomore is Siris Grandchamp.

Chance and David Main both played major roles on last years squad and will be counted upon to lead the Thunderbirds this winter.

Hays/Lodge Pole will open play at the All-American Indian Shootout in Billings Thursday afternoon against the Lodge Grass Indians at 2:30 p.m.

Should the boys or girls teams win on Thursday they would play again on Saturday. A loss would have them playing on Friday.

Harlem Wildcats

Head Coach Laramie Schwenke enters her third season at the helm of the girls basketball team and quietly has developed a team that should contend in the District 2B.

The girls have been working hard and return an experienced team poised to take the next step.

Seniors include Payton Healy and Mystic Striker a transfer from Malta High School.

Also back for the Wildcats are standout juniors Autumn Eagleman and Skylee Dirden. Sophomores L’Tia Lawrence, Kailee Henry, Taeshon Scheaffer, Aira Owens all played valuable minutes as freshman and will look to help guide the team.

Sophomores Krystyn Kittson and Leila Skidmore will be looked to contribute as well. Freshman Gabi Bell rounds out the roster.

The Harlem boys will look to first year Head Coach Cole McCabe to lead a team with a lot of potential this season.

McCabe was a standout player for the Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds not to long ago and will look to bring his experience to the sidelines in guiding this years squad.

Senior Ryle Foote joins the program this season after transferring from Hays/Lodge Pole where he helped the Thunderbirds to a fourth place finish at the state tournament.

Senior Jeremy Tincher will also be looked to for leadership as will juniors Zane Fox, Samual Mail, Kyle Young Jr. and Lane Allen.

Returning sophomores to the varsity roster include Brad Cichosz, Taggert Devaney and Truth Brockie. Freshman Kayden Littlesun rounds out the varsity roster.

Making up the junior varsity team are juniors Lance LittlePlume and Hunter Gray. Sophomores include Sonny Gray and Logan Jones. Freshman out this season include Brenden Walker, Paul Blackbear, Damani Has Eagle, Julius Ball and Tony Chandler.

The Wildcat boys and girls teams will be Pablo, Montana this weekend for the Native American Classic being played on the campus of Salish Kootenai College.

The girls will get the season started Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. when they face the Browning JV. On Saturday they will take on the Box Elder Bears at 11:00 a.m.

The boys will begin play Friday against the Heart Butte Warriors with tip off set for 4:30 p.m. Saturday the team will face the Arlee Warriors in the Classic’s Finale.

 
 

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024

Rendered 03/04/2024 11:45