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2017-2018
December 2017
WINTER SPORTS
2017-2018
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Rocky Boy will be a force once again Chris Peterson Havre Daily News sports writer gferguson@havredailynews.com For the Rocky Boy boys basketball team, the 2016-17 season was one that left the Stars feeling a little empty. After a solid regular season, Rocky Boy won the District 1B and looked poised to make it to the Class B state tournament for the second time in three years. But a blowout loss in the divisional semifinals to Shelby, followed by a two-point defeat at the hands of Choteau ended the Stars’ hopes. But with some key players returning, head coach Adam Demontiney has high hopes for 2017-18. “Things have been going good,” Demontiney said. “The boys are working really hard and they are really excited to get the season going.” One thing that certainly lends some excitement to the season for Rocky Boy is the return of junior Kendall Windy Boy, who was AllConference in each of the past two seasons. The big man has averaged a double-double in each of the past two seasons and with him in the middle, the Stars will be a force to be reckoned with in the Northern B Division. Making the Stars an even more viable contender is the return of Kordell Small and Ben Iron Eyes. “Ben has been doing really good in practice,” Demontiney said. “He’s one of our seniors and he has been doing a great job. He gets everybody going and working hard in practice.” Beyond the three returning starters from last season, the Stars have others coming
back with experience such as Frankie Bacon and Olin Arkinson. Others who should see time playing time this season are Kade Galbavy, Blake Cantrell, Jamison Standing Rock, Mackaveli Sutherland and Cedric Belcourt. Rocky Boy will certainly be among the most talented teams in the 1B, but with the depth of the Northern B as a whole, nothing is guaranteed. Last season, Malta finished third at the divisional tournament, before eventually going on to win state. Shelby also finished third and is loaded again this season, especially with the return of T.J. Reynolds. “Yeah, it’s always a dog fight night in and night out,” Demontiney said. “Anybody can knock off anybody on any given night. There is a lot of great coaches, we did have a couple coaching changes in Conrad and Fairfield, but I am sure they will have their boys ready to go. Shelby is going to be tough. Choteau will be ready to go, Malta too, even though they lost some guys. Like I said, it’s going to be a dog fight.” Rocky Boy will play many of the same teams it did a season ago, except for one glaring exception — Box Elder. The Stars and Bears will not play their annual season-opening game. Both teams opened the year at the Native American Classic hosted by Salish Kootenai College, but for the first time in years, they didn’t play each other. “It’s always a fun game,” Demontiney said. “So it’s too bad that we won’t get to play Box Elder this season. The kids really get up for that game, but we will have it back next year when the Native American Classic is up north again.”
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WINTER SPORTS
Morning Stars aim for state George Ferguson
Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com The Rocky Boy Morning Stars came ever so close to achieving an ultimate goal last season — making it to the Class B state tournament. Rocky Boy may have had a modest 14-12 overall record, but, they came within one win of making it to state, something the program has never done in its time in Class B. Now, the Morning Stars return to the hardwood to try to finish that goal, with Cameron McCormick again at the helm. “Our record last year disguised a team which nearly advanced to the State B Tournament for the first time in history,” McCormick said. Of course, the Morning Stars are always fighting an uphill battle, as they play in the toughest district in Class B, the 1B, which includes the Fairfield Eagles, a legendary program. They also play in the brutal Northern B, which includes the great Malta MEttes. And yet, Rocky Boy will be a team to be reckoned with
this season. Seniors Adrienne Gopher, Sean Henry (Second Team All-Conference), and Jaylynn Mitchell (First Team All-Conference) all return, and combined, bring with them more than 30 points per game last season. Juniors Rochelle Pease and Kristie Parker, sophomores Sasha Coffee, Tessa Big Knife and Jaynah Gopher are also all back from last year’s team, and all give Rocky Boy plenty of talent and firepower to work with. McCormick also expects freshmen Naomi Day Child and Kirsten LaMere to see varsity action this season. So, there’s no question Rocky Boy has the talent to make a serious run at the state tourney again this season. But, as always, the 1B and Northern B will be daunting. “This year's squad looks to quite simply make it to state,” McCormick said. “The District 1B could very well possibly be one of the most competitive conferences in high school girls basketball, with the likes of Dustin Gordon's Fairfield Lady Eagles, a feisty Shelby team, a tough Choteau squad, a fiery Cut Bank team,
Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Adrienne Gopher and the Rocky Boy girls were one win away from reaching the Class B state tournament a year ago. Rocky Boy hopes to get there this season. and not-to-be-counted out Conrad who happens to host the 2018 District 1B Tournament.” Rocky Boy began the season at the Native American Classic in Pablo.
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Big Sandy will keep fighting Pioneers hope to be a team on the rise Chris Peterson Havre Daily News sports writer gferguson@havredailynews.com
Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Jaylyn Cline, right, and the Big Sandy Pioneers have a lot of returning experience this season, as well as a new head coach.
Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Kordell Small and the Rocky Boy Stars won the District 1B title a year ago. But they fell short at the Northern B Divisional. Now, Rocky Boy is returning with the goal of getting back to the Class B state tournament this winter.
December 2017
Chris Peterson Havre Daily News sports writer gferguson@havredailynews.com The Big Sandy girls basketball team is a long way from the glory days that existed under long-time head coach Roy Lackner. At one time, the Pioneers were just about a yearly participant in the Northern C Divisional and the Class C state tournament. However, in recent years the Pioneers have struggled to find the win column. Yet, with a new coach and a new season on the horizon, Big Sandy once again has a reason to be optimistic about the girls basketball program. The 2016-17 season was a tough one for the Pioneers who failed to find the win column in the District 9C. They finished the district schedule with a mark of 0-12, but had an overall record of 1-19 at the end of the season. Sometimes, a change in leadership can be good for the program and with D.J. Camp taking over for Ronnie Simpson, the Pioneers have undergone a change at the helm. Camp will oversee a team that has 16 girls out to play basketball, including four seniors and three juniors. The seniors who will be on the floor for Big Sandy this season are Andrea Rutledge, Jenna Leader, Cally Demontiney and Sophie Reichelt. The juniors who should also see plenty of playing time are Jaylyn Cline and Grace Finkie. The rest of the Pioneers roster
includes five sophomores, Lainey Gregory, Cassidy Belcourt, Amanda Cline, Seanna Demontiney and Madison Terry, as well as four freshmen Abby Syverson, Kassidy Pursley and Alicia Bjornsted. “This is going to be a year of rebuilding and fundamentals,” Big Sandy assistant coach Cheryl Strutz said. After going winless in district play last season, getting a victory within the 9C will be one of the Pioneers’ top priorities. However, that is easier said than done. Box Elder comes back after winning a second consecutive district championship last season. The Bears have an All-State player in Lily Gopher and an AllConference sophomore in Joelnell Momberg. But in addition to the Bears, Fort Benton looks strong in the 9C and with All-State guard Leah Gannon back in the fold, the Longhorns will be dangerous. North Star is another team that should be strong next season, with Paij Peterson back in the mix and head coach Rob Spicher back on the sidelines for another season. After that, the Pioneers will find themselves fighting with other teams such as Turner, Chinook, Chester-Joplin-Inverness and Hays-Lodge Pole for position in the standings. The 9C tournament begins in Havre Feb. 14, followed by the Northern C Divisional, which will be in Great Falls, starting Feb. 21. The Class C state tournament will be in Butte March 8-10.
The Big Sandy boys basketball program used to be one of the strongest in all of Montana Class C basketball. As recently as 2010, Big Sandy was a state champion. The Pioneers also finished as the Class C runner-up back in 2008. However, since that great run, the Pioneers have fallen on hard times. It’s been years since they have advanced past the District 9C tournament, but under new head coach Thomas Dilworth, Big Sandy is hoping for a basketball revival. “I played basketball in high school and have some experience coaching,” Dilworth said. “I was coaching fifth- and sixth-grade basketball in Fort Benton and this came up, so I thought I would throw my hat in the ring. I really just enjoy the game of basketball and I enjoy working the kids and trying to help improve their lives.” Last season, the Pioneers finished ith just a 3-11 mark in the 9C, as well as an overall record of 3-15. Big Sandy was sixth in the final standings in the 9C, but lost twice in the district tournament to finish with a final record of 3-17. Yet, Dilworth likes the talent that he has on his squad, he said simply, it will take some time to develop. “I knew when I took the job, it was going to take a little time,” Dilworth said. “The kids have to get used to a new coach and a new program. So that will be an adjustment. But I think once we get through that, we have a chance to be a solid team at the end of the season. Our goal is to get out of the district tournament and get to divisionals. That’s what we are shooting for, and I think by the end of the season we will be right there in that mix. I think we can finish around the top four or five teams in the regular season and then have a chance to knock off some of the top teams at the end.” One positive for the Pioneers last season, was the play of now senior Bryant Jones, who led Big Sandy in scoring on his way to earning Second-Team All-Conference honors in
Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Bryant Jones, left, and the Big Sandy Pioneers are under the direction of a new head coach this season. the 9C. Jones will be the top offensive option for Big Sandy this season but will be joined by a bevy of young, talented players such as Parker and Blake Prouix, Ryan Roth, Kade Strutz and Clint Darlington. “We are going to be starting mostly freshmen and sophomores,” Dilworth said. “But I think that we have some guys that are going to exceptional players. We have a lot of the same athletes that did well in football, we just need to come together and grow as a team. But I think by the end of the season, we will be right there with a chance to be among those top three teams in the district.” Box Elder, as the five-time district champion, is going to be a team to watch out for, as will Chinook, which fell two games shy of qualifying for the state tournament last season. Hays-Lodge Pole, North Star and Fort Benton are other teams that should find their way into contention, although Turner and Chester-Joplin-Inverness can’t be counted out. Big Sandy opened its season at the CJI Tournament.