The first portion of the 2018-19 high school basketball season concluded this past weekend as teams head into the holiday break.

The Harlem Wildcats enter the break on a high note, picking up a 69-29 win over the Rocky Boy Morning Stars Friday night. The Turner Tornadoes closed out 2018 strong with a pair of wins over the Chester/Joplin-Inverness Hawks 63-34 on Thursday and then outran Dodson on Friday 79-55.

The Chinook Sugarbeeters and Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds each earned splits the final week of 2018. Chinook scored six points in the final 4.3 seconds to edge Chester/J-I on Friday 27-24 and then fell to the Box Elder Bears Saturday 76-33. The Thunderbirds suffered a 59-31 setback on Friday against the North Star Knights but bounced back on Saturday to earn a 56-49 win over the Big Sandy Pioneers on Saturday.

The Turner Tornadoes are again off to a solid start and kept their momentum going on Thursday night against conference foe Chester/J-I.

Turner jumped out to a 16-9 advantage early, getting six points from junior Sarah Billmayer and five more from senior Melanie Watkins. Sophomore Brooke Reed added eight in the second quarter and sophomore Shyan Krass chipped in six, helping the Tornadoes to a 34-22 advantage at the break.

Turner took their defense up a notch in the third quarter, limiting the Hawks to just four points while putting 15 more on the scoreboard to lead 49-26 heading into the fourth quarter.

Billmayer added seven more down the stretch, including a triple to propel turner to a 63-34 win over the Hawks.

Billmayer led the way offensively with 17 points in the contest while Krass added 13 and Reed 11 in the Tornado win.

Friday night the girls were in Dodson to take on the Coyotes in a non-conference clash. Both teams had their running shoes on early and the Tornadoes their offense rolling from the start.

Billmayer scored nine in the opening stanza and senior Rylee Conlan buried a pair from downtown to get Turner off to a fast start, taking a 21-9 lead after eight minutes.

Billmayer kept scoring in the second adding eight more for the Tornadoes. Sophomore Brandy Calvert added four and the Tornadoes put 22 more on the board in the second to take a 43 -21 lead into halftime.

Krass made her mark in the third quarter, scoring six. Billmayer continued to find her mark with nine more, but the coyotes got two back in the quarter as the teams entered the fourth quarter with Turner holding a 59-39 advantage.

Billmayer closed out the contest with seven more down the stretch. Watkins contributed five and Reed four to give Turner a 79-55 win to close out 2018.

Billmayer finished with 33 points on the night, including three from long range. Watkins and Krass each chipped in 10 and Reed added nine for the Tornadoes in the win.

The Harlem Wildcats close out a very tough stretch of the season having played two of the top teams in the state, regardless of class (Box Elder and Wolf Point). Harlem had a late lead against the Wolves and led the Bears for much of the contest before falling in the end.

Harlem also took down perennial power Malta and were looking to head into the break on a high note Friday night in Rocky Boy.

Senior Skylee Dirden had 14 first half points and junior L'Tia Lawrence added 12 in the first two quarters to lead the offensive charge.

While the offense was performing at a high level on one side their defense was stingy on the other leading Harlem to a 39-13 halftime lead.

Lawrence continued to have the hot hand in the second half as the junior scored 14 more, including 12 in the third.

The Wildcats kept their foot on the gas throughout and closed out 2018 with a 69-29 win over the Morning Stars.

Lawrence led the way with 26 points while Dirden finished with 18 for the Wildcats.

Head Coach Marlin Lawrence likes his teams start to the season, "'I'm happy with the teams progress and tonight's game against Rocky Boy is a good win going into the break. We opened up conference play against two tough teams in Malta and Wolf Point, winning a close one against the M-ettes and losing a close one against the Wolves but overall it's a nice start to the season and conference play."

The Chinook Sugarbeeters welcomed the Chester/Joplin-Inverness Hawks to town Friday night in a District 9C contest.

Chinook held a slim lead over the Hawks entering the second with a 6-5 advantage. The Hawks would take the lead in the second and took a 13-9 lead into the intermission.

Chester/J-I started the second on a bit of a run. The Hawks scored the first seven points of the half to take a 20-9 lead midway through the quarter. Senior Kourtney Hanson scored six in the quarter and senior Megan Molyneaux added four to help Chinook close the gap to 20-19 heading into the fourth quarter. Both offenses struggled down the stretch and the Hawks had a 24-21 lead with time running down when Molyneaux connected from long range with :04.3 left on the clock.

Following a timeout the 'Beeters forced an errant pass by the Hawks and inbounded the ball with :02.8 showing on the clock. Molyneaux took the pass and banked in a game winning three point bomb as time ran out in a 27-24 Chinook win.

Molyneaux finished with 13 to lead the way and Hanson added 11.

Saturday the 'Beeters fell on the road to the Box Elder Bears 76-33.

The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds dropped a 59-31 decision to the North Star Knights Thursday evening but responded strong Saturday afternoon in Big Sandy.

After taking a 26-25 lead into half time the Thunderbirds began to make things work in the third, extending their lead to three, 41-38 heading into the fourth.

Kassie Perez and Jayden Chandler each scored four down the stretch as the Thunderbirds pulled out a 56-49 win over the Pioneers. Muleeah Stiffarm led the offensive effort with 18 points in the win.

Girls Basketball

Turner 63 Chester/J-I 34

Turner 16 18 15 14 - 63

Chester/J-I 9 13 4 8 - 34

Chester/J-I: Averie Mattson 2 0-0 4, Tatum Hull 0 2-2 2, Kyla Mansfield 0 0-0 0, Molly Nelson 0 0-0 0, Haddie Woods 0 1-2 1, Abby Fraser 4 2-2 10, Rhiannon Cole 0 0-0 0, Peyton Hawks 6 0-0 15, Aaliyah Standiford 0 0-0 0, Emma Wickman 1 0-0 2. Team Fouls 12. Team Totals 13 5-6 34.

Turner: Raegan Conlan 3 0-0 6, Sarah Billmayer 8 0-0 17, Dakota Krass 1 0-0 2, Rylee Conlan 3 0-0 7, Melanie Watkins 2 1-4 5, Brandy Calvert 0 0-0 0 , Laci Maloney 1 0-0 2, Brooke Reed 4 3-4 11, Shyan Krass 6 1-2 13, Lacey Hickel 0 0-0 0. Team Fouls 12. Team Totals 28 5-10 63.

North Star 59 Hays/Lodge Pole 31

North Star 16 21 17 5 - 59

Hays/Lodge Pole 8 10 2 11 - 31

North Star: J. Wendeln 4 2-2 10, Kenidee Wolery 2 1-2 7, Paij Peterson 4 4-8 13, Tanicha Hudson 1 0-2 2, Olivia King 2 2-4 6, Shayla Bourlag 7 4-13 18, Saige Scheresky-O'Niel 1 1-2 3. Team Fouls 18. Fouled Out - Borlaug. Team Fouls 13; Team Totals 21 14-33 59.

Hays/Lodge Pole: Tahtianna Whitecow-Morgan 2 0-0 5, Kassi Perez 2 0-0 4, Sierra Chandler 0 1-2 1, Lakota Pretty Paint 1 0-0 3, Sheraya Boushie 1 2-2 4, Latasha Kirkaldie 1 1-2 3, Justice Werk 0 0-0 0, Jaedyn Chandler 1 0-0 2, Mulleeah Stiffarm 4 1-2 9, Tahlia Werk 0 0-0 0. Team Fouls 25. Team Totals 12 5-8 31.

Chinook 27 Chester/J-I 24

Chester/J-I 5 8 7 4 - 24

Chinook 6 3 10 8 - 27

Chester/J-I: Averie Mattson 0 1-2 1, Tatum Hull 1 2-4 5, Kyla Mansfield 0 0-0 0, Molly Nelson 0 0-0 0, Haddie Woods 0 0-0 0, Abby Fraser 1 4-4 6, Rhiannon Cole 0 0-0 0, Peyton Hawks 3 0-0 7, Aaliyah Standiford 0 0-0 0, Emma Wickman 2 1-2 5. Team Fouls 13. Team Totals 7 8-12 24.

Chinook: Megan Molyneaux 5 0-0 13, Ginger Hauer 0 0-0 0, Kourtney Hanson 3 5-8 11, Delaney Kellam 0 0-0 0, Ashley MacLeod 0 0-0 0, Lincy Johnson 0 0-0 07, Rachel Gunderson 0 1-4 1, Allison Powell 0 2-3 2. Team Fouls 11. Team Totals 8 8-15 27.

Harlem 69 Rocky Boy 29

Harlem 18 21 20 10 - 69

Rocky Boy 6 7 8 8 - 29

Harlem: Kristyn Kittson 2 0-0 5, MacKenzie Doney 0 0-0 0, Skylee Dirden 8 2-3 18, Melonie Fetter 1 0-0 2, L'Tia Lawrence 11 4-4 26, Taya Trottier 5 2-2 12, Taeshon Scheaffer 1 0-0 2, Gabi Bell 0 0-0 0, Alaynee Hawley 1 0-0 2, Tamica Cole 1 0-0 2, Aria Owens 0 0-0 0, Shontelle Talks Different 0 0-0 0. Team Fouls 10. Team Totals 29 8-9 69.

Rocky Boy: Jourdan Coffee 0 0-0 0, Colista Sutherland 0 0-0 0, Jayna Gopher 0 0-0 0, Mariah Arkinson 0 4-4 4, Kendra Gopher 1 0-0 2, Sasha Coffee 2 0-0 6, Kirsten LaMere 1 0-0 2, Kristie Parker 1 0-0 2, Jeralyn Parker 0 0-0 0, Rochelle Pease 6 1-2 13 Team Fouls 6. Team Totals 11 5-6 29.

Box Elder 76 Chinook 33

Chinook 9 6 14 4 - 33

Box Elder 25 25 22 4 - 76

Chinook: Megan Molyneaux 2 0-0 6, Ginger Hauer 0 0-0 0, Kourtney Hanson 4 3-4 11, Delaney Kellam 0 0-0 0, Ashley MacLeod 1 0-0 3, Anna Getten 0 0-0 0, Lincy Johnson 3 1-1 8, Rachel Gunderson 2 1-2 5, Allison Powell 0 0-3 0. Team Fouls 10. Team Totals 12 5-10 33.

Box Elder: Annalise Johnson 1 0-2 2, Sarah Parisian 4 2-2 12, Talyssa Oats 1 0-0 2, Eve The Boy 1 1-2 3, Maddie Wolf Chief 8 1-2 17, Lillian Gopher 8 1-2 18, Angela Guardipee 3 0-0 6, Kyla Momberg 2 1-2 5, Zayna Henderson 0 0-0 0, Britney LaFromboise 0 0-0 0, Joelnell Momberg 4 2-4 11. Team Fouls 12. Team Totals 32 6-12 76.

Turner 79 Dodson 55

Turner 21 22 16 20 - 79

Dodson 9 12 18 16 - 55

Turner: Raegan Conlan 0 2-2 2, Sarah Billmayer 15 0-2 33, Dakota Krass 0 0-0 0, Rylee Conlan 2 0-0 6, Melanie Watkins 4 2-5 10, Brandy Calvert 2 0-0 4, Laci Maloney 2 1-2 5, Brooke Reed 3 3-5 9, Shyan Krass 5 0-0 10, Lacey Hickel 0 0-0 0. Team Fouls 13. Team Totals 34 8-16 79.

Dodson: Kailee Henry 8 0-1 22, Ella Messerly 8 3-3 21, Lindsey Fetter 0 2-2 2, Emma Cole 0 0-0 0, Shanya Kill Eagle 0 0-0 0, Jean Jackson 0 0-0 0, Serena Chandler 0 0-0 0, Christina Jaynes 4 1-2 9, Ireland Best 0 1-2 1. Team Fouls 11. Team Totals 20 7-10 55.

Hays/Lodge Pole 56 Big Sandy 49

Hays/Lodge Pole 13 13 15 16 - 56

Big Sandy 13 12 13 11 - 49

Junior Sarah Billmayer scores an easy bucket for the Tornadoes in their 79-55 win over the Coyotes.

Hays/Lodge Pole: Tahtianna Whitecow-Morgan 2 2-2 6, Kassi Perez 3 2-4 10, Sierra Chandler 2 0-0 4, Lakota Pretty Paint 1 0-0 2, Sheraya Boushie 1 0-0 2, Latasha Kirkaldie 3 0-3 6, Justice Werk 0 0-0 0, Jaedyn Chandler 4 2-2 10, Mulleeah Stiffarm 6 3-6 18, Tahlia Werk 0 0-0 0. Team Fouls 19. Team Totals 21 7-17 56.

Big Sandy: Laynee Ophus 3 1-2 7, Stacey Allderdice 1 0-0 2, Amiya Griffith 0 3-4 3, Grace Finke 0 0-0 0, Madison Terry 0 0-0 0, Lainey Gregory 6 2-4 15, Jaylyn Cline 5 1-2 11, Amanda Cline 1 2-4 4, Seanna Demontiny 2 3-4 7. Total Fouls 17 Team Totals 18 12-20 49. Fouled Out Big Sandy ( J. Cline).