The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

The 2017-18 high school Basketball season is in full swing now with the Chinook Sugarbeeters, Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds and the Harlem Wildcats getting into the mix of things this past weekend. The Turner Tornadoes began their season last weekend at the Class C Showcase in Glasgow and did not play this weekend.

The Sugarbeeters were in Chester as part of the Chester-Joplin-Inverness preseason basketball tournament and returned home with a 2-0 record following a 34-23 victory over the Dutton/Brady Diamondbacks and a 65-11 shellacking of the Sunburst Rrefiners.

The Harlem Wildcats earned a split over the weekend defeating the Browning JV 55-25 before following to the District 9C's Box Elder Bears 80-41 Friday at the Native American Classic being played in Pablo on the campus of Salish Kootenai College.

The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds were in Billings this weekend playing in the All-American Indian Shootout. The girls went 0-2 over the weekend falling to the Wolf Point Wolves Thursday 62-26 and the Lame Deer Morning Stars Friday 69-35.

The Sugarbeeters started slow in the opener with the Diamondbacks trailing 10-3 after eight minutes of action.

Senior Carrie Hofer helped the 'Beeters get on the comeback trail with a basket off a nice drive in the paint to trim the deficit to 10-7.

Moments later it was senior Sierra Swank draining a triple from the left corner to bring Chinook within two at 16-14.

Following a defensive stop the Sugarbeeters attacked the Diamondbacks. Swank corralled an offensive rebound and score to even the contest at 16-16.

The 'Beeters stood tall again defensively leading to a basket by junior Megan Molyneaux to give Chinook its first lead of the game 18-16.

The Diamondbacks reclaimed the lead with a three point bomb 19-18 but with time running down and the Refiners coming up with a defensive board it was junior Ashley MacLeod stepping in front of a Diamondback pass as they attempted to clear the back-court. MacLeod scored at the buzzer giving Chinook a 20-19 halftime lead, one they would not relinquish.

The defense of both teams kept scoring to a minimum as the Sugarbeeters limited the Diamondbacks to just four second half points in a 34-23 win.

Senior Erin Pula led the offensive attack with 8 points, Hofer scored six and Swank added five.

Saturday the Sugarbeeters led 17-4 after eight minutes and 40-9 by intermission as they coasted to a 65-11 win over the Sunburst Refiners.

Molyneaux led the way with 14 points, including two from downtown. Swank chipped in 13 more and Hofer and junior Rachel Gunderson each contributed 10.

Chinook will head to Hays Friday to face the Thunderbirds. Saturday the team will play in front of their home town fans for the first time as they will welcome Big Sandy to town.

The Harlem Wildcats doubled up the Browning JV at the Native American Classic 55-25 to begin the season with a win.

Harlem raced out to a 26-10 lead after one quarter and never looked back.

Junior Skylee Dirden scored eight in the opening quarter and senior Mystic Striker added 6 to get the Wildcats off to the fast start.

Sophomore L'Tia Lawrence and junior Autumn Eagleman each knocked down a triple in the second as the Wildcats led comfortably at the break 36-14.

Harlem gave a point back in the third quarter but a 10-3 fourth quarter put the finishing touches on a thirty point win 55-25.

Dirden led the way with 13 points in the contest. Eagleman dropped in four bombs from beyond the arc for 12 points. Sophomore Kristyn Kittleson scored nine and Striker finished with 7.

Saturday the Wildcats faced the Box Elder Bears and were defeated 80-41 to finish the weekend 1-1.

Harlem will be home this weekend as they will host the Malta Mustangs on Friday night and the Wolf Point Wolves Saturday as the begin District 2B play.

The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds fell twice in Billings to Wolf Point and Lame Deer and will play their home opener this Friday against Chinook. Saturday they will host C-J-I.

Girls Basketball Box Scores

Chinook 34 Dutton/Brady 23

Chinook 3 17 6 8 - 34

Dutton/Brady 10 9 2 2 - 23

Chinook: Sierra Swank 1 2-2 5, Megan Molyneaux 1 0-0 2, Carrie Hofer 3 0-0 6, Hailey McMaster 1 0-2 2, Jaye Anderson 0 0-0 0, Ashley MacLead 1 0-0 2, Erin Pula 4 0-0 8, Lincy Johnson 2 0-0 4, Rachel Gunderson 2 1-2 5. Team Totals 15 3-6 34.

Dutt/Brady: Tasha Reeve 3 0-0 7, Faith Weber 0 0-0 0, Shay Sterh 1 0-0 2, Grace Weber 5 1-6 14 Grace Feldman 0 0-0 0, Jazmyn Coffman 0 0-0 0, Makaela Pulver 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 10 1-6 23.

Three Point - Chinook 1 (Sierra Swank 1), Dutt/Brady 1 (Tasha Reeve 1); Total Fouls - Chinook 8, Dutt/Brady 10; Fouled Out - None.

Harlem 55 Browning JV 25

Harlem 26 10 7 10 - 55

Browning JV 10 4 8 3 - 25

Harlem: Kristyn Kittson 4 0-0 9, Payton Healy 3 0-2 6, Mystic Striker 3 1-4 7, Skylee Dirden 4 6-11 13, L'Tia Lawrence 1 0-0 3, Autumn Eagleman 4 0-0 12, Taeshon Scheaffer 1 0-0 2, MacKenzie Doney 0 0-0 0, Aria Owens 1 0-2 2. Team Totals 21 7-19 55.

Browning JV: Shaw 3, Crossguns 2, Bullshoe 3, Racing 3, Guardipie 14.

Three Point - Harlem 8 (Autumn Eagleman 4, Krystyn Kittson 1, L'Tia Lawrence 1, Skylee Dirden 1).

Chinook 65 Sunburst 11

Sunburst 4 5 2 0 - 11

Chinook 17 23 19 6 - 65

Chinook: Sierra Swank 1 8-8 13, Megan Molyneaux 6 0-0 14, Carrie Hofer 4 1-2 10, Hailey McMaster 2 0-0 4, Jaye Anderson 2 0-2 4, Ashley MacLeod 1 0-0 2, Erin Pula 4 0-0 8, Lincy Johnson 0 0-0 0, Rachel Gunderson 5 0-1 10. Team Totals 26 9-13 65.

Sunburst: MacKenzie Wilson 1 0-0 3, Brooke Holland 0 0-2 0, Devaney Lamb 1 0-0 2, Laura Meyer 1 0-0 3, Jenna Alborano 1 1-2 4, Grace McClellan 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 4 1-4 11.

Three Point - Chinook 4 (Megan Molyneaux 2, Carrie Hofer 1, Sierra Swank 1), Sunburst 2 (MacKenzie Wilson 1, Laura Meyer 1); Total Fouls - Chinook 10, Sunburst 10; Fouled Out - None

Box Elder 80

Harlem 41

Wolf Point 62 Hays/Lodge Pole 26

Wolf Point 19 18 10 15 - 62

Hays/L.P. 11 3 10 7 - 26

Hays/LP: Nature Andrew 2 1-2 3, Darellyn Blackwolf 0 0-0 0, Sheraya Boushie 0 0-0 0, Ella Messerly 1 1-2 4, Sierra Chandler 0 0-0 0, Mulleah Stiffarm 7 3-6 18, Tahlia Werk 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 9 5-9 26.

Chinook senior Sierra Swank draws a foul on her way to the basket Friday during the sugarbeeters season opening win over the Dutton/Brady Diamondbacks. Above right: Sugarbeeter senior Erin Pula gets position on the low block Friday afternoon. Pula scored eight points in each of Chinooks first two games.

Wolf Point: Brenna 5 1-7 11, Semarah 2 0-0 6, Hailey 2 0-2 6, Alyssa 2 0-0 4, Aubrey 5 1-3 11, Tori 2 1-2 5, Lindsay 1 0-0 2, Mary 1 0-0 2, 5 3-4 13. Team Totals 26 6-18 62.

Three Point - HLP 4 (Muleeah Stiffarm 3, Ella Messerly 1), Wolf Point 4 (Semarah 2, Hailey 2); Total Fouls - HLP 15, Wolf Point 8; Fouled Out - None

Lame Deer 69 Hays/Lodge Pole 35

Lame Deer 23 30 10 6 - 69

Hays/L.P. 5 13 8 9 - 35

Hays/LP: Nature Andrew 2 1-2 3, Darellyn Blackwolf 0 0-0 0, Sheraya Boushie 0 0-0 0, Ella Messerly 1 1-2 4, Sierra Chandler 0 0-0 0, Mulleah Stiffarm 7 3-6 18, Tahlia Werk 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 9 5-9 26.

Wolf Point: Mariah Fraser 0 0-2 0, Kaylee Littlecoyote 0 1-2 1, Shaina Killsatnight 1 0-0 2; Maraiah Tenderell 0 0-0 0, Jasmyne Twomany 13 2-4 34, Reyna Littlewolf 3 0-0 6, Jana Strangecub 1 0-0 2, Jessica Bahr 0 0-0 0, Cheyanna One Bear 1 0-0 2, Mishayna Bearchon 8 3-5 21. Team Totals 26 6-18 62.

Three Point - HLP 4 (Muleeah Stiffarm 2, Nature Andrew 2), Lame Deer 7 (Jasmyne Twomant 6, Mishayna Bearchon 1); Total Fouls - HLP 10, Lame Deer13; Fouled Out - None