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Columbia Falls Boys, Girls Hold Top Basketball Rankings

Bigfork ranked second in Class B; Glacier girls hold No. 2 ranking in Class AA

By Dillon Tabish

Columbia Falls is home to the top-ranked boys and girls basketball teams, according to the latest Associated Press hoops polls released Wednesday.

The Wildcats (8-1) remained atop the Class A rankings after snapping Bigfork’s 31-game win streak last week in dominating fashion and then soundly defeating Northwestern A foe Polson, 73-57, on Saturday. The defending state champs edged out Dillon, which received two first-place votes in the latest survey of Montana sportswriters.

The Wildkats (9-0) also held their position atop the girls Class A ranks after cruising past Polson, 66-22, and Bigfork, 74-34, in the last week.

The Glacier girls (6-1) are ranked second in Class AA for the second week in a row. Helena Capital (6-1) was the unanimous No. 1 choice.

The Bigfork boys (6-1) fell to second in Class B despite receiving more first-place votes — five — than Glasgow (8-0), which received four.

The Top 10 teams in the Associated Press Montana high school basketball poll with first-place votes in parentheses and won-loss record, total points and position last week at right:

BOYS

Class AA
1. Missoula Hellgate (9)  6-0  90  1
2. Billings Skyview  6-2  79  5
3. Billings West  6-1  62  2
4. Bozeman  5-2  54  4
5. Helena  4-2  46  NR
Others receiving votes: Helena Capital 14. Billings Senior 9. Butte 6.

Class A
1. Columbia Falls (7)  8-1  88  1
2. Dillon (2)  7-1  81  2(tie)
3. Havre  7-1  66  2(tie)
4. Butte Central  5-2  60  4
5. Sidney  5-2  46  NR
Others receiving votes: Laurel 13. Miles City 6.

Class B
1. Glasgow (4)  8-0  83  2
2. Bigfork (5)  6-1  79  1
3. Choteau  7-0  73  3
4. Big Timber  6-1  54  7
5. Columbus  5-1  52  6
6. Missoula Loyola  7-1  48  8
7. Lodge Grass  6-1  24  4
8. Wolf Point  5-2  23  9
9. St. Labre  4-2  21  10(tie)
10. Jefferson (Boulder)  6-2  14  5
(tie)Shepherd  6-2  14  10(tie)
Others receiving votes: Huntley Project 6. Florence 3. Rocky Boy 1.

Class C
1. Box Elder (6)  7-1  66  1
2. Belt  7-0  54  10
3. Fairview (1)  6-1  51  4
(tie)Hays-Lodgepole  8-0  51  5
5. Manhattan Christian (1)  8-0  47  8
6. Arlee  8-0  43  7
7. Highwood  6-1  42  2
8. Westby-Grenora  8-1  28  6
9. Denton-Stanford-Geyser  6-1  25  3
10. Hinsdale  8-1  18  9
Others receiving votes: Broadview-Lavina 9. Great Falls Central 4. Park City 1. Sunburst 1.

GIRLS

Class AA
1. Helena Capital (6)  6-1  60  1
2. Glacier  6-1  52  2
3. Missoula Sentinel  7-1  45  4
4. Bozeman  5-1  40  5
5. Billings Senior  4-2  37  3
Others receiving votes: Great Falls Russell 6.

Class A
1. Columbia Falls (6)  9-0  60  1
2. Laurel  6-1  53  2
3. Dillon  6-2  46  5
4. Hamilton  7-2  45  3
5. Butte Central  5-2  24  4
Others receiving votes: Havre 12.

Class B
1. Fairfield (5)  8-0  59  1
2. Malta (1)  8-0  55  2
3. Manhattan  8-0  46  3
4. Forsyth  8-0  41  5
5. Bigfork  6-2  28  7
6. Choteau  7-1  18  4
(tie)Colstrip  6-2  18  8(tie)
8. Rocky Boy  4-2  17  8(tie)
9. Red Lodge  6-2  14  6
10. Shepherd  5-3  9  NR
Others receiving votes: Ronan 7. Wolf Point 5. Missoula Loyola 4. Plains 4. Florence 3. Plentywood 1. Cut Bank 1.

Class C
1. Roy-Winifred (3)  7-0  47  1
2. Belt (2)  5-2  37  2
3. Geraldine Ft. Benton  8-0  29  10
4. Saco-Whitewater  8-1  28  3(tie)
5. Darby  8-0  23  3(tie)
6. Seeley-Swan  8-0  21  6
7. Harrison-Willow Creek  8-0  19  NR
8. Cascade  7-0  18  8
9. Charlo  8-0  13  9
10. Chinook  7-1  10  NR
Others receiving votes: Park City 7. Fairview 6. Highwood 5. Chester-Joplin-Inverness 5. Grass Range/Winnett 4. Jordan 3.