Glacier Boys, Girls Ranked in Latest Basketball Polls

Both Glacier High School basketball teams are ranked in the latest Associated Press polls released Wednesday.

The previously unranked Glacier boys (9-3 overall, 2-2 in Western AA) jumped into the No. 4 spot in Class AA after earning impressive wins over former No. 4 Helena Capital (8-5, 4-1) and Missoula Hellgate (7-5, 2-3) recently. The Wolfpack are currently tied with Flathead (6-6, 2-2) for third place in Western AA.

The Glacier girls, also previously unranked, moved into a tie for No. 5. The Wolfpack (7-4, 2-2) edged Helena Capital (6-7, 2-3) last Friday and lost narrowly in overtime to Helena High (8-4, 4-0) on Saturday. Glacier is currently in third place in Western AA while Flathead (6-6, 1-3) is in sixth.

The two Kalispell schools will play each other at Flathead on Thursday for the first cross-town matchup of the season.

Both Bigfork teams remain ranked high in Class B. The Valkyries (12-2, 5-1) climbed into the No. 4 spot. They have a slight lead in District 7B over Thompson Falls (7-7, 4-1). The Vikings (12-2, 6-0) also moved up one spot and are now No. 4. The boys lead District 7B by one game over Troy (10-3, 5-1).

Class A’s defending champ, Columbia Falls, remains ranked fifth. The Wildcats (10-3, 5-0) lead Northwestern A with Whitefish (7-6, 3-1) trailing in second and Polson (6-6, 2-2) in third.

The Polson girls are fifth in Class A. The Lady Pirates (9-3, 3-1) are second in Northwestern A behind top-ranked Frenchtown (11-1, 5-0).

Associated Press Montana High School Basketball Polls
Boys
Class AA
1. Billings West (10) 11-1
2. Billings Skyview 10-3
3. Bozeman 10-3
4. Glacier 9-3
5. Helena Capital 8-5
Others receiving votes: Billings Senior 14. Butte 7. Kalispell Flathead 6.

Class A
1. Browning (9) 13-1
2. Stevensville (1) 12-1
3. Dillon 11-2
4. Livingston 11-2
5. Columbia Falls 10-3
Others receiving votes: Sidney 24. Laurel 19.

Class B
1. Manhattan (9) 14-0
2. Malta (1) 13-1
3. Fairfield (1) 12-2
4. Bigfork 12-2
5. Shepherd 12-2
6. Lodge Grass 11-3
7. Wolf Point 11-3
8. Forsyth 11-3
9. Florence-Carlton 12-2
10. Choteau 12-2
Others receiving votes: Whitehall 4. Troy 2. Red Lodge 2.

Class C
1. Plenty Coups (7) 13-1
2. St. Labre (3) 13-1
3. Highwood 13-1
4. Twin Bridges (1) 12-2
5. Culbertson 12-2
6. Drummond 12-1
7. Fairview 12-2
8. Scobey-Opheim 12-2
9. Melstone 12-2
T10.Roy-Winifred 10-2
T10.Big Sandy 10-3
Others receiving votes: Stanford-Geyser 6. Stanford 4. Lincoln 3. Dutton-Brady 2. Broadview-Lavina 2. Manhattan Christian 1.

Girls
Class AA
1. Bozeman (11) 12-0
2. Missoula Sentinel 10-2
3. Helena 9-4
4. Great Falls Russell 10-3
T5. Glacier 8-4
T5. Billings West 7-5
Others receiving votes: Billings Skyview 6. Butte 6. Great Falls 6.

Class A
1. Frenchtown (11) 11-1
2. Butte Central 10-3
3. Stevensville 9-3
4. Billings Central 8-3
5. Polson 10-4
Others receiving votes: Anaconda 13. Laurel 8.

Class B
1. Fairfield (10) 14-0
2. Townsend 14-0
3. Malta (1) 13-1
4. Bigfork 12-2
5. Shepherd 11-3
6. Missoula Loyola 10-4
T7. Broadus 10-4
T7. Baker 11-3
9. Choteau 10-4
T10.Plentywood 11-3
T10.Three Forks 9-4
Others receiving votes: Columbus 10. Lodge Grass 9. Florence 7. Huntley Project 3.

Class C
1. Harlowton-Ryegate (7) 14-0
2. Fairview (2) 14-0
3. Box Elder (1) 14-0
4. Drummond 13-0
5. Twin Bridges (1) 13-1
6. Superior 13-0
T7. Chester-Joplin-Inverness 14-1
T7. WinnettTGrass Range 12-1
9. Belt 13-1
10. Culbertson 12-2
Others receiving votes: Scobey-Opheim 3. Ennis 2. Seeley-Swan 2. Wibaux 1.