The Glacier Wolfpack boys basketball team jumped into the No. 3 spot in the latest Class AA rankings released Wednesday.
The Wolfpack (12-3 overall, 6-2 in Western AA) have won eight of the last nine games and are battling fourth-ranked Helena Capital (11-5, 7-1) and Helena for first place in the West with four games left in the regular season. Glacier plays Helena Friday night at home and Capital on Saturday on Senior Night.
The Glacier girls (9-6, 4-4) held their No. 5 ranking. The Wolfpack are in a three-way tie for third place with Helena Capital and Missoula Big Sky. The girls travel to Helena this weekend.
Columbia Falls (14-3, 7-0) remains the No. 4 boys team in Class A. The defending champion Wildcats are in first place in Northwestern A and host this year’s boys and girls Divisional Tournament beginning on Feb. 23.
The Bigfork girls (15-3, 7-1) are ranked third and the boys (15-3, 8-0) are fourth in Class B. Bigfork is hosting this week’s District 7B tournament. The Valkyries play at 5 p.m. on Thursday and the Vikings play at 7 p.m. The championship games are in Columbia Falls on Saturday, with the girls game at 5 p.m. and the boys at 7 p.m.
The Polson girls (13-3, 5-1) are ranked fourth in Class A. The Lady Pirates are in second place in NWA behind third-ranked Frenchtown (14-2, 6-0).
The Flathead boys (8-8, 4-4) are currently in fourth place in the West. The Bravettes (7-9, 2-6) are in sixth. Glacier hosts Flathead in the final games of the regular season on Feb. 24.
Montana Associated Press High School Basketball Polls
Boys
Class AA
1. Billings West (10) 16-1
2. Billings Skyview 13-3
3. Glacier 12-3
4. Helena Capital 11-5
5. Bozeman 10-6
Others receiving votes: Helena 19. Butte 6.
Class A
1. Browning (8) 16-1
2. Stevensville (1) 15-1
3. Dillon (1) 13-2
4. Columbia Falls 14-3
5. Livingston 15-2
Others receiving votes: Laurel 29.
Class B
1. Manhattan (6) 18-0
2. Shepherd 16-2
2. Fairfield 15-3
4. Bigfork 15-3
5. Malta 16-2
6. Forsyth 15-3
7. Choteau 16-2
8. Lodge Grass 14-4
T9. Wolf Point 14-4
T9. Florence-Carlton 15-3
Others receiving votes: Troy 5. Red Lodge 3. Three Forks 1.
Class C
1. Plenty Coups (4) 18-1
2. St. Labre (2) 17-1
3. Highwood 14-2
3. Twin Bridges 16-2
5. Fairview 16-2
6. Scobey-Opheim 16-2
6. Culbertson 15-3
6. Drummond 15-2
9. Lincoln 14-2
10. Melstone 14-3
Others receiving votes: Roy-Winifred 7. Stanford 4. Superior 3. Big Sandy 1.Girls
Class AA
1. Bozeman (10) 16-0
2. Helena 13-4
3. Great Falls Russell 13-3
4. Missoula Sentinel 13-4
5. Glacier 9-6
Others receiving votes: Billings West 18. Flathead 7. Great Falls 6.
Class A
1. Butte Central (7) 15-3
2. Stevensville (1) 13-3
3. Frenchtown (2) 15-2
4. Polson 14-5
5. Billings Central 14-4
Others receiving votes: Anaconda 6.
Class B
1. Fairfield (5) 18-0
2. Townsend (1) 18-0
3. Bigfork 15-3
4. Malta 17-1
5. Missoula Loyola 14-4
6. Shepherd 14-4
7. Broadus 13-5
8. Baker 14-4
9. Plentywood 14-4
10. Three Forks 12-6
Others receiving votes: Columbus 10. Choteau 4. Colstrip 2. Florence-Carlton 2.
Class C
1. Fairview (4) 18-0
2. Box Elder (1) 16-0
3. Harlowton-Ryegate (1) 17-1
4. Twin Bridges 17-1
5. Drummond 18-0
6. Superior 17-0
7. Winnett Grass Range 15-1
8. Belt 16-2
9. Chester-Joplin-Inverness 16-2
10. Culbertson 15-3
Others receiving votes: Hinsdale 7. Seeley-Swan 5. Scobey-Opheim 3. Ennis 1. Wibaux 1. Circle 1.