Vals secure spot at state

It was a weekend filled with highs and lows for the Bigfork Valkyries, but in the end they received the reward they've been working for all season — a berth at the Class B State Tournament — after a 40-31 win over Eureka in Monday night's challenge game at the Western B Divisional Tournament in Pablo.

"It wasn't a pretty win, but it was a win," said Caitlin Charlebois, a Bigfork guard who led the team in scoring throughout the tournament. "All that matters is that we won and we're going to state. The number of points doesn't matter."

Over the past two weeks, Bigfork has played in two tournaments, District 7B and Western B Divisionals, and played a total of six games. Eureka played two more than that due to their seeding and having to go through the consolation bracket.

"It was hard being there mentally and physically," Charlebois said. "It was a long weekend. The ultimate goal going in was to make it to state. We just worked our way there game by game. We knew that the Eureka game was make it or break it. We got it done though."

This was the fourth time these teams have met this season and Bigfork came out on top each game, including the District 7B championship game that Bigfork won 71-34.

The Vals (20-4) advance to the Class B State Tournament March 11-13 in Belgrade. Bigfork's first game of the tournament will be at 8:30 p.m. March 11. The Vals will play the second place team of the Northern B Divisional Tournament, which doesn't take place until this weekend.

This is the fourth straight year that the Bigfork girls have made an appearance in the state tournament, though the last three years it has been the Class A tournament.

"I'm pumped," said Mallery Knoll, another Bigfork guard. "I knew we could do it (beat Eureka), and would do it. It was kind of sketchy at times, but I knew we would."

The school is currently selling tickets to watch the Vals compete at the state tournament. Reserved seating for adults is $28 per ticket and student tickets are $17 each and are general admission only; however, students can purchase reserved seats if they prefer.

Tickets are available at the Bigfork High School main office 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. through March 10. Fans can also purchase both reserved and general admission tickets at the door.

Bigfork 40, Eureka 31

With both teams visibly dragging through the first two quarters, the Vals and the Lady Lions were tied at 14 points apiece at Monday's challenge game.

"We didn't shoot well," said Mark Hansen, Bigfork High School head girls basketball coach. "No one was confident in their shot. We didn't get any outside shots. We just couldn't get anything in. It was all the things you worry about as a coach all happening at once."

Bigfork made its move in the third quarter, scoring 14 points and Eureka chased with six.

"Luckily, we had our third-quarter spurt that we've had all year," Hansen said. "It seems to be our best quarter every game this season and it saved this game for us."

The Vals put in just two field goals in the fourth quarter, but made eight of their 12 free throws.

Eureka had its biggest quarter of the game in the fourth, scoring 11 points, all but one from the field, but it wasn't enough to take the Vals' spot at state.

"We just gutted it out," Hansen said. "I'm happy for the girls that we are going to state, especially for Lila (Cenis). She's a senior and she has worked so hard this year. I'm happy for Kailey (Fierro), too, being a senior and getting to go to state all four years. You just don't want it to end. They're just such a good group of girls."

Charlebois led the team with 11 points, seven of which were from her eight free-throw attempts, and she made five steals. Knoll added eight, all from the field, and had seven rebounds. Fierro contributed eight points as well, all in the second half, and she led Bigfork in rebounding with 13 boards. Quinci Paine grabbed seven rebounds and put in seven points.

"I thought we rebounded well all game," Hansen said. "We just didn't put the ball back in the hole."

Loyola 42, Bigfork 41

The Valkyries were nearly able to do what hasn't been done in five years — keep Loyola from winning the Western B Championship game — but Loyola took the lead for the first time with 8.9 seconds left and never gave it back with a 42-41 victory.

A last ditch effort to win the game was made on the Vals' final possession. Knoll took the ball down the court and passed it to Fierro who was waiting under the basket, but the ball went up and over the hoop. Players from both teams scrambled for the ball as the clock counted down to zero.

"It was the talk all year," Charlebois. "Loyola, Loyola, Loyola. It was a win we wanted all year. We all know we can play with them and even beat them now. We may get another chance at them at state and now we have the confidence."

Charlebois, with 12 points, helped Bigfork to a 23-17 lead at halftime. She went on to score six more in the third, half of the Vals' 12 points that period, but Loyola gained some ground as its girls scored 15.

Bigfork scored only one field goal in the final period and was 4-for-7 from the free-throw line. Loyola outscored the Vals by three in the final period for the win, though the Breakers made just three of their nine foul shots.

"We turned the ball over too many times in the fourth quarter," Hansen said. "We didn't take advantage of opportunities as well as we usually do. Loyola's transition defense was a little better than ours."

Charlebois had the game-high with 20 points.

"Caitlin shot very well," Hansen said. "She was very instrumental in keeping us in the game."

Knoll contributed nine points, seven of which she put in during the first half. Paine added five points and Fierro helped out defensively with five blocks.

"I thought we played so hard and ran so hard," Knoll said. "We did really well on defense. My game wasn't on and neither was a few others, so we made up for it with defense."

Bigfork played without starting point guard Taylor Peck, who tore her ACL the previous night. Melissa VanDerveer filled in for Peck and led the team in rebounding with seven. McKinze Shults grabbed five.

"I thought we matched up pretty well with them," Hansen said. "Not having Taylor hurt us a little bit. It threw our rotation off. It left us without a backup for Caitlin and it took McKinze out of her natural spot. The girls did a good job of bouncing back. They rallied behind her (Taylor) and wanted the win for her too."

Charlebois said that although it wasn't an ideal situation to lose Peck mid-tournament that the girls were able to press on due to their strong players on the bench.

"We've always had a lot of depth so it wasn't too bad adjusting," Charlebois said. "Our players that come off the bench do a really good job. Losing a starter we've had playing with us all season is difficult. It was good having her on the bench with us though."

Bigfork 56, Florence 40

The Valkyries didn't have their best game of the season, but they did enough to get the job done Friday night when they took out Florence 56-40 in the semifinal round.

"I don't think it was one of our cleanest games offensively with handling the ball and some other things," Hansen said. "Florence is good at applying pressure. We did enough good things, though, to get the job done."

It was a 22-point second quarter that contributed the most to Bigfork's victory. Charlebois scored eight points in the period and Paine and Peck each added five.

In the opening moments of the final period, with Bigfork holding a 44-29 lead, tragedy struck the Vals. Peck, a sophomore guard, jumped up to grab her own rebound off of a missed jumper and came down in excruciating pain with her arms wrapped around her left knee. It was later determined that she had torn her ACL and will have surgery this month.

"Taylor had a lot to do with us keeping our lead," Hansen said. "She shot with confidence and handled the ball with confidence too."

The Vals played on though, and Fierro, a senior post, led a late fourth-quarter attack, scoring six of the team's 12 points in the final period, while Florence put in 11.

"Emotionally, I thought the girls did a good job," Hansen said. "In the huddle you could tell that they were determined to finish it up at that point."

Charlebois had a game-high 17 points and Paine backed her up with 14. Paine led the Vals in rebounding with nine and Fierro had six boards. Though her game was cut short, Peck was still the third highest scorer for Bigfork with 10 points and an assist leader with three. Charlebois also had three assists and Knoll was a strong defensive contributor with six steals.

While the Vals were happy with the win, they were saddened by the loss of Peck.

"The celebration was a little tainted," Hansen said. "We preach togetherness and family. So, when one goes down it affects us all."

Bigfork 66, Valley Christian 30

The Valkyries defeated Valley Christian 66-30 in the first round of the tournament.

Charlebois had an explosive first quarter with nine points, helping the Vals to a 19-11 lead by the end of the period. A 29-19 lead at the close of the first half grew to a 46-25 advantage going into the final period with Paine making a six point contribution in the third.

Bigfork had seven girls score in the fourth quarter for a total of 20 points, and defensively, the Vals held Valley Christian to just five.

"I think we wore them out," Hansen said of Valley Christian. "We used the pressure to wear them down."

Charlebois had the game-high with 18 points. Knoll contributed 14 points, six assists and six steals. Peck added nine points and Paine, who also made four steals, had eight points.

Fierro and Cenis were Bigfork's leading rebounders with six apiece.