Bigfork basketball topples Mission and Troy

It was a big week for Bigfork High School’s basketball teams as the Vikings and Valkyries combined to go 4-0 with wins over Mission and Troy. The swimming team took sixth at the Butte Invitational and the wrestling team was on the road Saturday to face off against Class A Libby.

VIKINGS BASKETBALL

The Vikings had three scorers in double figures Thursday night as Bigfork held off a late Mission charge to earn a 61-59 victory in St. Ignatius.

Bryce Gillard scored 10 of his team-high 20 points in the fourth quarter and added seven rebounds as the Vikings held on to win a game they had led by double digits for most of the evening. Cormac Benn added 15 points in the win, Walker Fisher scored 11 and Isak Epperly finished with a team high in assists with five as the Vikings shot better than 60 percent from the field in the win, including 6-12 from beyond the three-point arc.

It was all Vikings Friday as the Bigfork squad cruised past the Trojans in Troy, 76-34.

All 10 Vikings players scored at least three points in the win as Fisher led the way with 13 points and Benn chipped in 10.

Bigfork again shot better than 60 percent from the field in the win, including 37 points off Trojan turnovers and 38 points in the paint. The Vikings also won the rebounding battle with 36 boards to Troy’s 19.

The Vikings were in action at Columbia Falls Tuesday evening after press time as they looked to add to their five-game winning streak. Bigfork will be at home against Eureka Thursday before traveling to Thompson Falls Saturday to face the Blue Hawks.

Bigfork 19 14 10 18 - 61

Mission 13 9 16 20 - 59

BIGFORK - Bryce Gilliard 20, Cormac Benn 15, Walker Fisher 11, Levi Taylor 6, Colin Wade 4, Isak Epperly 3, Dane Hansen 2.

Bigfork 23 16 27 11 - 76

Troy 8 8 7 11 - 34

BIGFORK - Fisher 13, Benn 10, Gilliard 9, Taylor 8, Wade 8, Epperly 7, Hansen 7, Nick Walker 6, Caden Riedesel 5, Ian McMann 3.

VALKYRIES BASKETBALL

Emma Berreth put in a game-high 17 points and Madison Chappuis came close to a triple-double Thursday as the Valkyries picked up a 52-41 home win over Mission.

Berreth had six rebounds to go with her 17 points while Chappuis finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

The Valkyries also got eight points and five rebounds from Scout Nadeau, Seven points and five rebounds from Audrey Buenz and four points and seven rebounds from Callie Martinz.

The Valkyries had four players score in double figures Friday and Martinz finished with a double-double as Bigfork cruised past Troy, 67-9.

Nadeau finished with a game-high 15 points and added five rebounds for the Valkyries while Berreth had 13 points and five boards. Alexis Saari contributed 11 points and Martinz finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds in the lopsided win.

The Valkyries were in action against Columbia Falls Tuesday evening after press time and will be at Eureka Thursday before traveling to Thompson Falls Saturday to face the Lady Blue Hawks.

VALKYRIES SWIMMING

Sophi Logue had a pair of top-five finishes and Soraya Brevik was fifth in the 500 freestyle as the Valkyries took sixth place in the Butte Invitational last week.

Competing in the meet virtually from the Mission Valley Aquatic Center in Polson, the Valkyries had eight top-10 finishes.

Logue’s time of 2:10.99 in the 200 freestyle earned her a second place finish while she was also fourth in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:06.72.

Brevik was fifth in the 500 freestyle with a time of 7:15.76 and also earned 15th in the 50 freestyle.

Sydney Slawter was 7th in the 200 individual medley and 14th in the 100 breaststroke while Allie Reichner earned eighth in the 100 breaststroke.

The Valkyries relay teams also had a strong showing, finishing fourth and 10th in the 200 freestyle relay and fourth in the 400 freestyle relay.

Also for the Valkyries Saturday, Erika Dowling was 12th in the 200 freestyle and 24th in the 100 breaststroke, Kylie Kinslow was 13th in the 200 freestyle and 22nd in the 100 backstroke, Coralynn Shillam was 19th in the 100 freestyle and 23rd in the 50 freestyle, Olivia Pendlay was 16th in the 100 backstroke and 25th in the 50 freestyle, Grace Stewart was 22nd in the 100 breaststroke and 28th in the 50 freestyle and Anna Thompson was 17th in the 100 freestyle and 25th in the 100 breaststroke.

The team will be in action in another virtual meet Friday.

VIKINGS WRESTLING

The Vikings wrestling team saw their winning streak in duals come to an end Saturday against Class A Libby but still had a strong week as Angus Anderson and Patrick Wallen both went 2-0 while Ryder Nollan also picked up a pair of victories.

Wallen started his week with a win over Thompson Falls wrestler Eli Ratliffe in the 152-pound division Tuesday, pinning Ratliffe in 1:41. Wallen followed that win with another victory in Libby Saturday, bumping up to the 160-pound weight class to pin Joey Wise in 4:33.

Anderson took down Thompson Falls wrestler Weston Brown in 1:49 Tuesday before earning a 7-0 decision over Libby’s Cael Schwindt Saturday.

Nollan pinned Thompson Falls wrestler Weston Brown in 1:20 Tuesday, but fell to Trae Thilmony later that evening. Nollan bounced back Saturday, pinning Libby’s Matthew Niemi in 1:36.

The Vikings will be back in action Friday at the Whitefish Duals.

Mixer vs Thompson Falls and Darby (Tuesday)

182 Evan Tidwell (B) lost by Fall 2:29 to Dane Chojnacky (TF)

138 Eli Tidwell (B) lost by Fall 2:48 to Trae Thilmony (TF)

126 Angus Anderson (B) won by Fall 1:49 over Weston Brown (TF)

145 Shelton (B) lost by decision 9-5 to Eli Ratliffe (TF)

152 Vaughn Pendlay (B) won by decision 15-12 over Owen Fernstrum (TF)

182 Evan Tidwell (B) lost by Fall 0:39 to Cody Fisher (D)

160 Archie Brevik (B) lost by decision 5-4 to Max Hannum (TF)

132 Ryder Nollan (B) won by Fall 1:20 over Weston Brown (TF)

152 Patrick Wallen (B) won by Fall 1:41 over Eli Ratliffe (TF)

170 Joseph Farrier (B) lost by Fall 5:03 to Max Hannum (TF)

182 Cody Fisher (D) lost by decision 16-4 to Dane Chojnacky (TF)

138 Eli Tidwell (B) won by Fall 0:18 over Walker Morefield (TF)

138 Ryder Nollan (B) lost by Fall 4:51 to Trae Thilmony (TF)

Bigfork 33 Libby 42 (Saturday)

103 Traic Fainter (B) won by Forfeit

113 Json Merringer lost by Fall 0.26 to Exavier Reatz (L)

120 Angus Anderson (B) won by decision 7-0 over Cael Schwindt (L)

126 Forfeit (B) to Zekiah Myers (L)

132 Ryder Nollan (B) won by Fall 1:36 over Matthew Niemi (L)

138 Eli Tidwell (B) lost by Fall 1:20 to Zack Morrison (L)

145 Shelton Woll (B) won by Fall 3:37 over Elijah Edwards (L)

152 Vaughn Pendlay (B) lost by Fall 1:55 to Cody Crace (L)

160 Patrick Wallen (B) won by Fall 4:33 over Joey Wise (L)

170 Joseph Farrier (B) lost 3:20 to Jace DeShazer (L)

182 Evan Tidwell (B) lost by Fall 0:53 to Tucker Masters (L)

205 Isaac Bjorge (B) won by Forfeit

285 Fletcher Postalwait (B) lost by Fall 5:03 to Ayden Williamson (L)