Columbia Falls Top-Ranked Basketball Team in State

In the first Associated Press basketball poll for Montana, undefeated Columbia Falls is the top-ranked team in Class A boys basketball. The 9-0 Wildcats have played only one conference game, but are now entering their busy league schedule. Polson is ranked fifth in boys and sixth in girls.

Here are the polls, with first-place votes in parentheses, the team’s win-loss record and their total points from the voting:

Boys

Class AA:

1. Great Falls Russell (7) – 7-0; 94
2. Bozeman (2) – 7-0; 91
3. Billings Senior – 7-0; 71
4. Great Falls – 6-1; 67
5. Billings West – 6-1; 29

Others receiving votes: Missoula Sentinel 23, Billings Skyview 18, Helena Capital 7

Class A:

1. Columbia Falls (9) – 9-0; 99
2. Laurel (1) – 6-1; 88
3. Browning – 5-2; 81
4. Glendive – 9-2; 54
5. Polson – 5-2; 38

Others receiving votes: Corvallis 25, Billings Central 15

Class B:

1. Rocky Boy (10) – 8-0; 100
2. Conrad – 7-1; 61
3. Missoula Loyola – 7-1; 57
(tie) Plains – 6-0; 57
5. Whitehall – 7-2; 55
6. Florence– 6-1; 48
(tie) Shepherd – 9-1 ; 48
8. Boulder – 7-2; 43
9. Bigfork – 6-1; 42
10. Columbus – 6-3; 16

Others receiving votes: Wolf Point 6, Shelby 6, Broadus 4, Valley Christian 3, Huntley Project 3, Glasgow 1

Class C:

1. Culbertson (5) – 7-0; 88
2. Winifred (2) – 7-0 ; 76
3. Drummond – 7-0; 66
4. Joliet – 8-0; 60
5. Twin Bridges (3) – 6-2; 53
6. Arlee – 7-0; 46
7. Fairview – 7-1; 32
8. Wibaux – 6-1; 25
9. Big Sandy – 4-1; 21
10. Shields Valley – 7-0; 18
(tie) Belt – 7-1; 18

Others receiving votes: Circle 15, Dutton-Brady 12, Centerville 8, Lustre Christian 6, St. Labre 2, Power 2, Roy 1, Harlowton-Ryegate 1

Girls

Class AA:

1. Butte (4) – 6-0; 83
2. Bozeman (3) – 7-1; 81
3. Missoula Sentinel (2) – 8-0; 78
4. Billings Senior – 5-2; 60
5. Great Falls Russell – 4-2; 46

Others receiving votes: Helena 12

Class A:

1. Anaconda (4) – 5-1; 72
2. Livingston (1) – 5-1; 71
3. Billings Central (2) – 7-1; 66
4. Laurel (1) – 6-1; 58
5. Sidney (1) – 6-1; 46

Others receiving votes: Polson 19, Miles City 16, Butte Central 6, Frenchtown 6

Class B:

1. Malta (7) – 7-0; 86
2. Missoula Loyola (1) – 8-0; 76
3. Fairfield (1) – 7-1; 68
4. Manhattan Christian – 7-2; 55
5. Choteau – 7-1; 46
(tie) Whitehall – 6-2; 46
7. Broadus – 6-1; 32
8. Shepherd – 6-2; 25
9. Wolf Point – 5-2; 23
(tie) Columbus – 6-2; 23

Others receiving votes: Valley Christian 5, Florence 3, Bigfork 2, Glasgow 2, Harlem 2, Three Forks 1

Class C:

1. Harlowton-Ryegate (5) – 8-0; 67
2. Winifred – 7-0; 58
3. Fairview (1) – 7-0; 56
4. Twin Bridges (1) – 8-0; 53
5. Culbertson (1) – 7-1; 42
6. Hot Springs – 8-0; 41
7. Belt (1) – 6-1; 29
8. Saco – 5-0; 17
9. Seeley Swan – 7-1; 16
10. Roberts – 9-1; 15
(tie) Joliet– 6-2 ; 15

Others receiving votes: Terry 14, Circle 9, Drummond 9, Arlee 8, Chester-Joplin-Inverness 8, Wibaux 7, Big Sandy 7, Shields Valley 5, Melstone 5, Winnett/Grass Range 5, Charlo 4, Lustre Christian 2, Dutton-Brady 2, Power 1