Frenchtown, Polson and Libby are the highly touted representatives of the Northwestern A conference competing in this week’s Class A softball state tournament in Anaconda.
Frenchtown, the two-time defending state champs, boast the best record at 20-2 overall. The Lady Broncs, behind hard-throwing Gatorade Player of the Year Morgan Ray, earned a first-round bye at the three-day tournament.
Butte Central (14-9) and Livingston (9-9) play in the opening round at 11 a.m., Thursday, and the winner takes on Frenchtown at 3 p.m., Thursday.
Polson (16-7) faces Anaconda (13-12) in the first round at 11 a.m., Thursday. The winner plays Billings Central (18-4) later that day at 3 p.m.
Libby (17-5) squares off against Laurel (11-7-1) at 1 p.m., Thursday. The winner matches up against Belgrade (14-6) at 5 p.m. later that day.
Havre (12-8) play Miles City (9-8-2) at 5 p.m., Thursday. The winner takes on Hamilton (15-7).
Frenchtown defeated Alberton 9-5 in eight innings to win last year’s state title. It was a rematch of the 2013 finale, when the Lady Broncs dropped Alberton 2-1 in eight innings.
One of the three Northwestern A teams at this week’s state tournament has won a softball championship in 10 of the last 11 years, and eight years in a row.