Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Tournament Time--Page 1
Tournament Time!
by Scott Sacry
Basketball season bookends winter in Montana - it starts with the last echoes of fall and ends with spring in sight. Starting this weekend, Montana high school girls and boys basketball teams start the final leg of that journey in post-season tournaments. From Plevna to Plenty Coups to Power and from Roundup to Roberts to Reed Point-Rapelje, Montana players, coaches, and communities will be vying for eight state basketball titles. Along the way the majority of teams will not win the ultimate prize, but they will be better for the journey as they learn the lessons that come from winning and losing. But at the start, it doesn’t matter if you’ve won every game or lost every game, once the tournaments begin, everyone has a chance. The six high school boys and girls
basketball teams from the Bitterroot Valley will be in the thick of the action. The Victor and Darby schools play in the 13C District Tournament in Hamilton on February 16th-18th. The Darby girls are the #4 seed and play #5 Valley Christian on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. The Darby boys are the #1 seed and get a 1st round bye. They play the Valley Christian/Granite Co. winner on Friday at 2 p.m. The Victor girls are the #6 seed and play #3 Granite Co. on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. The Victor boys are the #6 seed and play #3 Seeley on Thursday at 3 p.m. in Hamilton. Two girls and boys teams will advance from Districts into Divisionals, which will be held in Butte the following week. The Class C State Tournament will be at the Metra in Billings on March 8th-11th. Corvallis, Hamilton and Stevensville play in the Southwestern A Con-
ference. This year the top three teams get automatic byes to Divisionals. The #4 through the #7 seeded teams play in a Divisional play-in tournament on February 16th and 18th. For the boys, Hamilton is the #2 seed and gets a bye into Divisionals. On Thursday, #4 Frenchtown hosts #7 Stevensville and #5 East Helena hosts #6 Corvallis. For the girls, Hamilton is the #3 seed and gets a bye into Divisionals. On Thursday, #4 Stevensville hosts #7 Corvallis and #5 East Helena hosts #6 Butte Central. The winners of the boys and girls games play Saturday with the higher seed hosting, and the winner of that game earns the #4 seed in Divisionals. The Western A Divisionals are the following weekend in Ronan on February 23rd-25th. The Class A State tournament will be March 9th-11th at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in
Bozeman. The Florence-Carlton girls and boys play in the District 6B tournament on Feb. 13th-18th. The Florence girls are the #3 seed and play at #2 seeded Missoula Loyola on Thursday, Feb. 16th at 6 p.m. The Florence boys are the #2 seed and host #3 Anaconda on Friday. The consolation and championship games for both the boys and girls take place in Anaconda on Saturday, February 18th starting at 11 a.m. The top four teams advance to the Western B Divisionals in Anaconda on February 23th-25th. The Class B State Tournament will be held at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls on March 9th-11th. Regardless of the eventual outcome, dedicated players, coaches, referees, and supporters have put in a great deal of time and hard work and effort, so make sure to get out there and give them your support!
Corvallis Blue Devils
Class A
Corvallis Boys The Corvallis boys finished 6th in Southwest A conference and play at #5 East Helena on Thursday, Feb. 16th. The winner of that game plays on Saturday with a chance to make it to Divisionals. The Blue Dev-
ils are a young athletic team who have had their ups and downs this season. They have the firepower to beat any team and head coach Cameron Criddle hopes they can make a run into divisionals. Corvallis gets strong play from seniors Aaron Powell, Leif Jessop, and Tyler Weis, while juniors Dillen
Corvallis Boys Basketball Team: Back row, l to r: Coach Ryan Potter, Coach Jason Wirt, Tyler Weis, Drew Lewis, Aydan Mayn, Aaron Powell, Coach Carson Schmidt, Head Coach Cameron Criddle Middle row, l to r: Cameron Whiteley, Lucas Powell, Ryan Hutchison, Lief Jessop, Taylor Brothers, Dillen Potter, Derek Criddle, Logan Avery Front row, l to r: Cody Humphrey, Sebastian Cardullo, Reese Tucker, Josh Stensether, Jack Davidson, Ledge Your local self-service dog Conner, Tate Jessop, wash is now open in Corvallis Domenic Piccolo, next to Willow Mountain Veterinary Clinic! Bennett Boelman
Good luck at the tournaments!
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GOOD LUCK DURING TOURNAMENTS! Go Falcons!
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Potter, Ryan Hutchinson, Derek Criddle, and Cameron Whiteley are all capable of big games.
Corvallis Girls The Corvallis girls finished 6th in the Southwest A conference and will play at #4 Stevensville on Thursday, Feb. 16th. The winner of that game plays on Saturday with a chance to make it to Divi-
sionals. Head coach Andy Knapp has a young team this year and they have had a tough go of it in the record books. But they always play tough and have the potential to beat anyone. Tylin Sorensen is the only senior and is a force under the basket. Freshman Ava Loran and Ella Varner have had to step up, and expect major contributions from Megan Jessop, Olivia Lewis, Brecklyn Jessop, Farah Wyche, and Ericka Jessop.
Corvallis Girls Basketball Team: Back row, l to r: Head Coach Andy Knapp, McKenzie Weis, Emilia Schairer, Coach Jeff Gilder, Coach Dave Bradshaw Middle row, l to r: Olivia Lewis, Ericka Jessop, Caitlin Nelson, Tylin Sorensen, Farah Wyche, Autumn Benson Front row, l to r: Ella Varner, Ava Loren, Shaylee Weidow, Megan Jessop, Hasalyn Schairer, Brecklyn Jessop, Jayde VeneNO ONE HAS MORE ma
Good Luck To All Our Valley Teams!
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THAN SUPER 1 FOODS! Good luck at tournaments! Play hard and have fun!
Go Blue Devils!
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