Sports

sports MAC softball heads to state tourney

By Rob Zolman Valley Journal

PLAINS — The Mission-Arlee-Charlo (MAC) Lady Bulldogs softball picked up a second-place divisional finish on Saturday to advance to the State B/C tournament in Lewistown starting on Thursday. It’s the second consecutive state tourney trip for the Lady Bulldogs.

The Lady Bulldogs went 3-2 on the week, with a 14-2 win over the Anaconda Lady Copperheads and a 15-1 win over Manhattan Lady Tigers.

On Thursday, MAC opened tourney action with the win over the Lady Copperheads.

Pitcher Izzy Evans picked up the win for the MAC, holding Anaconda to just two runs on five hits, while MAC collected 14 runs on 11 hits.

In Friday’s bracket action, MAC advanced into the semifinals with a 12-11 nail biter win over the Ennis Lady Mustangs.

Ennis jumped out to early 7-0, before MAC bats came alive in the bottom of the second inning to pull within one run 7-6.

The two teams swapped lead changes until MAC tied the game 11-11 in the bottom of the fifth.

In the bottom of the seventh, with a MAC runner on third base and the game still tied at 11, Rheid Crawford gave MAC the win with a walk off single that pushed the game winning run across the plate.

In the circle for MAC, winning pitcher Evans surrendered four runs on seven hits over five and two-thirds innings, striking out two and walking one.

Bennan Andersen led MAC at the plate with a homerun and three RBIs.

In the Friday afternoon quarterfinal match up with Florence Lady Falcons, the game was postponed until Saturday morning due to rain.

On Saturday morning, MAC fell 12-0 to the Lady Falcons.

Playing in the loser-out game on Saturday afternoon, MAC routed the Manhattan Lady Tigers 15-1.

Crawford’s bat led MAC driving in three runs on a home run and a double.

Evans picked up the win in four innings, surrendering one run on three hits, walking none, and striking out one. Payton Smith threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen.

In the championship game against the Lady Falcons, MAC claimed runner-up hardware in a close 15-11 loss.

Smith homered twice, followed by Jerny Crawford and Kate Young, who each had a home run apiece as the MAC batters racked up 15 hits on the day.

MAC pitcher Evans allowed 15 runs on 15 hits, striking out three and walking four.

Western B/C Divisional runner ups

COURTSEY PHOTO MAC SOFTBALL ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

Rheid Crawford

ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

Izzy Evans

Lady Pirates plunder Maidens

By Rob Zolman Valley Journal

RONAN — On Tuesday, May 17, the Polson Lady Pirates opened the final week of the regular season with a 15-0 shut out road win over cross county and Northwestern A rivals Ronan Maidens.

In five innings of work, Katelyne Druyvestein picked up the win for the Lady Pirates, holding the Maiden offense to just a single hit while walking one and striking out 11. Battling in the circle for Ronan, Kiara Sherman allowed 15 runs on 17 hits, walked three, and struck out two.

Turquoise Pierre led the Lady Pirates at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two singles, an out of the park home run, and four RBIs.

Lady Pirate Carli Maley booked two doubles and three RBIs, followed by Mckenna Hanson with two doubles and two RBIs.

Also for the Lady Pirates, Avery Starr posted two singles, a double, and two RBIs.

Ashlee Welker was the lone Maiden with a hit on the day.

The Lady Pirates closed out the week with a 10-7 home win over the Libby Lady Loggers on Friday, and a 5-4 road loss to the Columbia Falls Wildkats on Saturday.

Against the Lady Loggers, Lady Pirate batters collected 10 runs on six hits and stole eight bases.

Druyveistein went the distance for the win, striking out four and allowing seven runs on 11 hits.

Columbia Falls on Saturday, for a second time this season, defeated Polson.

The Wildkat pitching staff stifled the Lady Pirate batters, allowing only six hits on the day. From the circle for the Lady Pirates, Druyvestein walked five, struck out six, and allowed five runs on four hits.

The Lady Pirates finished the season with a 6-2 conference record and a 16-6 overall season record, while the Maidens wrapped up conference play with a 3-5 record and an overall mark of 11-11.

Both teams have qualified for the State A Softball Tournament, which begins Thursday in Hamilton.

ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

Nona Tenas

ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

Mckenna Hanson

ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

Katelyne Druyvestein

ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

Kylee Kelch

Valley track and filed teams race off to state

By Rob Zolman Valley Journal

FRENCHTOWN — On Friday and Saturday, prep tracksters from across the Mission Valley battled in their respective class divisional track and field meets for coveted open spots in this weekend’s State Class A meet hosted in Butte and State Class B-C meet hosted in Great Falls.

Competing in the Western B-C hosted in Frenchtown, the Mission Bulldogs posted eight top-five finishes.

With a time of 11.66 seconds, Bulldog Charles Adams snatched the top spot in the 100 meters from Joseph Farrier of Bigfork who finished with a time of 11.70 seconds. Adams also finished third in the 200 meters, and fifth in the pole vault.

Andrew Rush also booked multiple topfive finishes for the Bulldogs, placing second in both the 800 and 1600, along with a third place in the 3200.

Canyon Sargent nabbed fourth place in the shot put, and in the triple jump Bryce Umphrey finished fourth.

Also in Class B action, Arlee Warriors Rj Knoll placed fourth in the pole vault, and Charley Crawford finished fifth in the javelin.

For the Charlo Vikings and Lady Vikings in the Western C, Hayden Smith finished third in both the 1600 and 3200, while teammate Tucker Love placed third in the javelin.

Lady Viking Kyla Tomlin, with a vault of seven feet and six inches, tied for fifth place in the pole vault.

In Western A Divis

see page 15

ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

Mission Bulldog Charles Adams

Polson tennis places second

By Rob Zolman / Valley Journal

KALLISPEL — The Polson Pirates and Lady Pirates both placed second in the teams’ standings during the Northwest A tennis divisional held at the Summit and FVCC courts in Kalispell on Thursday and Friday.

Lady Pirate Clara Todd defeated Anyah Cripe of Whitefish 0-6, 6-1, 6-3 to claim the girl’s Northwest A divisional singles title and qualify for the State A tennis tournament in Bozeman starting on Thursday.

Also headed to state for Polson, boys’ singles runner-up Torrin Ellis, second place Pirates’ doubles pairs Trent Wilson and Owen McElwee, and Lady Pirates’ doubles pairs Camilla Foresti and Katie Smith who placed third.

For Ronan, Maidens Aaliyah Decker and Alyssa Pretty On Top punched their ticket to the state tourney with a second place doubles team finish, followed by the boys singles third place finisher Beau Decker.

During last weekend’s Class B-C state tourney held in Bozeman, Western B-C divisional girls doubles champions Madyson Currie and Ahni Umphrey took fourth place.

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from page 14

sional track and field action hosted in Hamilton, Ronan Chief Payton Cates won the boys high jump divisional title with a jump of six feet and seven inches, followed by teammate Ted Coffman who tied for fifth place.

Also for Ronan, Rueben Couture placed fifth in the 300-meter hurdles, and Connor Durglo finished fifth in the triple jump.

On the Maidens side of the track, Leina Ulutoa placed third in the triple jump, while Olivia Heiner finished fourth in the 800 meters.

For Polson, Lady Pirate Ashtyn Wagner finished third in the 800 meters, and Halle Heninger placed third in the 3200.

Drifter Skillicorn was the lone top-five finisher for the Pirates with a fifth place showing in the long jump.

vj

ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

Andrew Rush

ROB ZOLMAN / VALLEY JOURNAL

Kyla Tomlin

Buffalo Run 2022

Sponsored by St. Luke Community Healthcare

Registration and information at:

www.stlukehealthcare.org

Proceeds benefit the St. Ignatius Chamber of Commerce Saturday, July 16th