The Valley Journal

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Aaric Bryan/Valley Journal

Bulldog forward Josh Durglo patiently waits for the Bluehawk defender to sail past him before going up for a layup in the first half of Mission's victory.

Bulldogs avenge a 37-point loss to Thompson Falls with their first home victory in nearly two years
By Aaric Bryan
Valley Journal
The Mission Bulldogs withstood a late 3-point barrage from the Thompson Falls Bluehawks to snare their first home win in nearly two years.
After building a 20-point lead, the Bulldogs watched as Bluehawk Brandon Wakefield almost single-handedly erased three quarters of their good work, connecting on six 3-pointers in the final six minutes, but the Bulldogs survived Wakefield’s red-hot shooting and held on for the 52-50 victory, which was their first win at home since beating the Bluehawks 51-45 in February of 2008.
Against a team he loves playing, Bulldog senior Jorren Gies went off for a game-high 23 points, 14 rebounds, and seven steals. After Wakefield connected on his sixth 3-pointer of the fourth quarter to cut what once seemed an insurmountable Bulldog lead to 51-50 with 22 seconds to play, Gies pushed the Bulldogs' lead to 52-50 with a free throw and then made a block and secured the rebound on the defensive end to seal the victory.
“It’s the best feeling ever. The last time was two years ago and it was the same ... You got to love it, to pay them back a little bit,” said Gies, who was on the Doghouse court last year, when Thompson Falls kept a full-court press on for most of the game in a 77-40 blowout. “After the last couple of free throws, I couldn’t stop smiling,” he added.........
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Jim Blow/Valley Journal

Charlo's Dawn Blevins collides with Philipsburg's Laura Barsotti chasing a caroming pass during the second half of the Lady Vikings' 55-36 victory on the road Thursday night.

By Jim Blow
Valley Journal
PHILIPSBURG — They started out a bit close, but both of the Charlo Lady Vikings' games last week ended up cruisers for the girls in purple.
Charlo struggled to find its defensive groove early in Philipsburg Thursday, but got it figured out and pulled away in the second half for a 55-36 win. Charlo led by four (10-6) after the first eight minutes Friday night in St. Regis before turning on the jets — and a smothering man defense — to go on a 33-3 run over the final 24 minutes for a 43-9 win.
On Thursday, the Lady Vikings scored 26 against the Lady Prospectors' man-to-man defense, but Charlo also let Philipsburg find shots.
"The first half was back and forth. I was disappointed in our defense," Charlo coach Bret Thompson said. "I didn't think we did a good job ... we didn't make it hard for them, anyway. We gave up some easy baskets throughout the game."
Thompson got his team to pick up its defense in .....

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By Aaric Bryan
Valley Journal
CHOTEAU — With most the Class B-C teams competing at the Choteau Classic, the two-day tournament is a preview of what’s to come at the state tournament – if that’s the case, expect big things from Warrior 140-pounder Cole Rice in Billings this year.
The Arlee junior cruised through his opponents of the 32-team field at the 31st annual Choteau Classic Friday and Saturday, pinning all of his opponents to capture the crown in Choteau for the second year in a row.
Rice started the tournament with a second-period pin of Leonard Pugsley of Joplin and followed it by pinning Warden Dan Krautter in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Rice faced another opponent from the Western B-C and pinned Darby’s Christian Hammersmith in the third period. Under the lights in the championship match, Rice dominated Huntley Project’s Loren Walker, pinning him at 1:15.
“Cole dominated the weight class. He is the top 140 pound wrestler in the B-C rankings in the state,” Arlee coach Ken Hill said, adding that Walker is a solid wrestler, “it’s just that Cole ........
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Jim Blow/Valley Journal

Cole McArthur of Ronan puts Spencer Folsom of Clarkston on his back during their 160-pound match at the Rocky Mountain Classic in Missoula Friday. McArthur went on to win the match and eventually place seventh at the weight.

By Jim Blow
Valley Journal
RONAN — The Chiefs wrestling team won a pair of conference duals last week, then tested themselves at one of the biggest wrestling tournaments in the state.
Ronan earned a 43-31 dual win over Columbia Falls Tuesday night at home. The Chiefs won six matches by pin and one by major decision to rack up the points. The Chiefs also edged Libby 42-41 on Thursday in Ronan, with five pins. Cameron Neiss secured the win for the Chiefs by pinning Cody Hader in the 135-pound match to end the dual.
Ronan then headed south to Missoula for two days of tough, tough wrestling at the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Class, held at Sentinel High's gym. Teams from all over the northwest, including Washington and Idaho, competed with Montana Class AA, A and B-C squads.
Ronan finished eighth overall out of 29 teams and second among Class A teams — Havre was an impressive second in the team competition.
"They all wrestled really well this weekend," Ronan head coach Dustyn Azure said of his wrestlers. "They went out and competed ... they didn't just flop over and give up. We've had a couple problems with ......
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Aaric Bryan/Valley Journal

Bison Guard Terrance Lafromboise slams into a Braveheart defender as he drives to the basket in the first half of the Bison victory Saturday.

By Aaric Bryan
Valley Journal
PABLO — The Salish Kootenai College Bison got back to .500 with a 125-82 rout over the Oglala Lakota College Bravehearts at the Joe McDonald Health and Fitness Complex Saturday.
The win pushed the Bison to 6-6 and was their second win in a row over a team they will face at the American Indian Higher Education Consortium Championship this March in Santa Fe, N.M. – they beat Little Bighorn College 141-77 the week before.
The Bison shot 38 percent from behind the 3-point arc, connecting on 15 of 40 3-point attempts. The Bison were led by local Gus McDonald. The St. Ignatius player, who started his career at University of Montana-Western, sank six 3-pointers and finished with 29 points.
“He came out there and was knocking shots down,” SKC coach Zach Conko-Camel said.
James Bible, a guard from Red Rock, Okla., finished with 28 points on 11 of 15 shooting from the field.
“His touch is definitely coming around...He’s putting in a lot of work and hitting his stride,” Conko-Camel said.
Sonny Eppinette, one of only a few players returning from
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