Page 64 - Flathead Beacon // 3.12.14

64 | MARCH 12, 2014
SPORTS
FLATHEADBEACON.COM

WOLFPACK

Continued from back page

Glacier (11-10) plays the top seed
from the East, Billings West (16-4), at 8
p.m. Thursday.
“We’ve got to play well. We’ve got
to play disciplined,” said Glacier head

coach Mark Harkins. “We get to play the
underdog (role) and that’s kind of fun
sometimes. There’s not a lot of pressure
and you get to go and see if you can make
some things happen.”
The opening-round game is almost
identical to the scenario in 2010 when

Glacier faced the top-ranked team in
the state from Billings West. The Wolf-
pack nearly pulled of the upset but West
scored a go-ahead layup with only sec-
onds remaining on the way to a 53-50
win.
Epperly leads the latest Pack attack,
averaging 17.8 points per game, eighth

most in Montana. Michaels is averaging
13.7 ppg.
Glacier has the seventh best ofense
in the state, averaging 61.1 ppg, and the
ninth best defense, holding opponents to
Wildcat players celebrate after winning the Northwestern A Divisional Championship in Kalispell on March 2. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
58.3 ppg.
Columbia Falls Conquers State
Missoula Hellgate defeated Helena

Capital 58-53 in overtime to win last
year’s state championship.
The Wolfpack girls are back at the
Class AA state tournament for the third
year in a row, reloaded and ready to take Wildcats defeat
on the best in the bracket.
Glacier has the fourth best defense Dillon to win Class A
in the state, holding opponents to 42.4
championship
points per game, and the sixth-best of-
fense, averaging 53.3 ppg. Hashley, an
all-state senior post, is averaging 15.5 By DILLON TABISH of the Beacon
ppg, fourth most in the state, and 10.3 re-
bounds, second most. Bennett, a sopho- That’s ive for Finny and the Wild-
more guard, is averaging 12.2 ppg, ninth cats.
most in Montana.
Columbia Falls’ status as title town
Missoula Sentinel defeated Helena was restored last weekend as the boys

Capital 49-40 to win last year’s title.
dropped Dillon 56-47 to win the Class
“We’re playing good basketball right A basketball championship in Great
now,” Salonen said. “Anything can hap- Falls.
pen (at state).”
Junior guard Ty Morgan scored 14
points, senior guard Alex Presnell had
STATE AA GIRLS
11 and Columbia Falls built an early
lead and held of a late attack by the
BILLINGS RIMROCK AUTO ARENA
Beavers to claim its ifth championship
THURSDAY
since 2003.
9 a.m. – Great Falls (18-3) vs. Glacier (15-6)
Head coach Cary Finberg, improv-
10:30 a.m. – Missoula Sentinel (19-1) vs. Bozeman (10-11) ing his team’s record to 16-5 at the
3:30 p.m. – Helena Capital (19-2) vs. Billings Senior (16-5) state tournament the past six years,
5 p.m. – Billings West (17-3) vs. Missoula Big Sky (11-10)
achieved another milestone against
his late brother Craig Finberg’s former
FRIDAY
team. Dillon and Columbia Falls have
3:30 p.m. – Great Falls-Glacier winner vs. Sentinel-Bozeman winner
5 p.m. – Capital-Senior winner vs. West-Big Sky winner
combined to win eight out of the last 12
SATURDAY
Class A titles.
6:30 p.m. – Championship
This was the fourth championship
meeting between the two dynastic Columbia Falls senior Jared Trinastich (35) goes up for a shot during the Northwestern A
STATE AA BOYS
programs in six years and the squads Divisional championship game against Whiteish.
are now 2-2 against each other in the GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
BILLINGS RIMROCK AUTO ARENA
big game. Dillon edged Columbia Falls Austin Kimmet added six as Columbia tives.
THURSDAY
Noon – Great Falls C.M. Russell (11-10) vs. Helena (8-13)
in the 2009 state championship. Two Falls outscored Dillon 25-21 in the sec- The Wildcats previously won titles
years later the Wildcats got the best of ond half. Junior forward Grant Stenger in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2011.
1:30 p.m. – Helena Capital (19-1) vs. Great Falls (12-9)
the Beavers, winning 55-43. The fol- led with six rebounds and added three Polson fought hard through the
6:30 p.m. – Missoula Hellgate (17-4) vs. Billings Skyview (13-8) lowing year, in 2012, they met again points. Junior guard Trevor Houston consolation bracket after losing to Bel-
8 p.m. – Billings West (16-4) vs. Glacier (11-10)
and Dillon beat Columbia Falls 54-39.
and senior guard Nakia Alexander both grade in the irst round, 40-35. The Pi-
FRIDAY
This time around it was the Wild- chipped in two points.
rates defeated Miles City 62-44 before
6:30 p.m. – CMR-Helena winner vs. Capital-Great Falls winner cats’ time to shine.
Columbia Falls defeated Laurel 57- losing to Laurel 58-27 just shy of the
8 p.m. – Hellgate-Skyview winner vs. West-Glacier winner
Junior guard Jayce Fagerland and 48 in the semiinal round. Trinastich consolation game.

SATURDAY
senior forward Jared Trinastich each had 18 points, Presnell scored 14 and Laurel defeated Belgrade 47-40 in
8:30 p.m. - Championship
had nine points and junior forward
Morgan had 12 against the Locomo-
the third-place game.