Vikes and Vals maintain hold atop district basketball standings

Both the Vikings and Valkyries basketball teams maintained their lead atop the district standings last week with blowouts wins over Troy and Plains while the Vikings wrestling team was in action at the Western B Divisional tournament.

VALKYRIES BASKETBALL

Bigfork jumped out early and dominated the Plains Trotters 73-9 Saturday as senior guard Emma Berreth scored her 1,000th point for the Valkyries in the third quarter. Berreth calmly stepped back and drained a long three pointer to give her 21 points on the afternoon and 1,002 in her high school career. Head coach Cortnee Gunlock quickly called a timeout as Berreth was honored for her achievement.

Braeden Gunock tallied 17 points for the Valkyries, who improved to 15-1 overall with the victory and 8-1 in district play. Plains was led by Kaylah Standeford’s six points

The Vals were at home against Polson after press time Tuesday and will finish out the regular season at home against Thompson Falls Saturday.

Plains 3 1 5 0 – 9

Bigfork Valkyries 15 30 21 7 – 73

PLAINS: Carlie Wagner 3, Kaylah Standeford 6.

BIGFORK: Emma Berreth 21, Braeden Gunlock 17, Callie Gembala 8, Callie Martinz 8, Ellie Jordt 7, Madison Chappius 4, Zoey Albert 3, Keni Wade 3, Scout Nadeau 2.

The 4th-ranked Valkyries jumped out to a 27-0 lead in the first quarter against Troy Tuesday and never looked back as Bigfork downed the Lady Trojans 75-9. The Valkyries were once again led by freshman sensation Braeden Gunlock who went off for 22 points while Emma Berreth tossed in 15 for the Vals. Elaine Folkerts and Leslie Gravier netted four each for Troy. The Valkyries were without the services of Ava Davey as she was resting a sprain.

Bigfork 27 19 12 17 – 75

Troy 0 4 2 3 – 9

BIGFORK – Braeden Gunlock 22, Emma Berreth 15, Zoey Albert 7, Anika Ranson 7, Callie Gembala 6, Ellie Jordt 5, Scout Nadeau 5, Keni Wade 2.

TROY – Izzy Tunison 1, Elaine Folkert 4, Leslie Gravier 4.

VIKINGS BASKETBALL

The Vikings used a balanced scoring attack to cruise past Plains Saturday as Bigfork improved to 8-1 in district play and 9-7 overall this season.

Bigfork jumped out to a 20-point lead after one quarter and later held the Horsemen scoreless in the fourth quarter as the Vikings earned a 69-14 victory.

Cole Knopik led the way for the Vikings with 11 points while Isak Epperly scored 10. Seven Vikings scored at least five points in the win.

The Vikings were in action at Polson after press time Tuesday and will finish out the regular season at home against Thompson Falls Saturday.

Plains 3 9 2 0 – 14

Bigfork 23 17 17 12 – 69

BIGFORK: Cole Knopik 11, Isak Epperly 10, Levi Taylor 8, Bryce Gilliard 8, Ian McMann 7, Eli Thorness 7, Colin Wade 6, Nick Walker 4, Wyatt Johnson 2, Levi Peterson 2.

PLAINS: Not available

Knopik, Eli Thorness and Nick Walker each scored 10 to lead the Vikings Tuesday as Bigfork downed Troy 70-12.

Bigfork allowed no more than four points in any quarter, including holding the Trojans scoreless in the second quarter en route to the win.

All 12 players scored for Bigfork in the win.

Bigfork 22 17 20 11 – 70

Troy 4 0 4 4 – 12

BIGFORK: Cole Knopik 10, Eli Thorness 10, Nick Walker 10, George Brown 9, Levi Taylor 8, Colin Wade 7, Isak Epperly 6, Ian McMann 3, Wyatt Johnson 2, Landon Byerman 2, Bryce Gilliard 2, Jensen Jack 1.

TROY: Not available

VIKINGS WRESTLING

Four Vikings will be making their way to Billings for the state tournament this weekend after finishing in the top eight at the Divisonal Tournament in Butte.

Traic Fainter and Vaughn Pendlay each earned fourth place finishers in their respective weight classes for the Vikings in Butte while Ryder Nollan and Angus Anderson both took seventh.

Fainter won his first two matches in the 103-pound division via pin before falling to Cole Rogers of Three Forks/Ennis in the semifinals. Fainter bounced back by pinning Cut Bank’s Richard Schmidt in 1:23 in the consolation semifinal before being forced to withdraw from the third-place match with an injury.

Pendlay had a similar road to his fourth-place finish in the 160-pound division, winning his first two matches before falling in the semifinal. Pendlay earned a win via tech fall (15-2) over Conrad’s Chris Graham in the consolation semifinals before falling to Perseverance Bechtold of Choteau in the third-place match, 7-2.

Nollan went 2-2 to take seventh in the 138-pound weight class while Anderson was 3-2 in the 126-pound division.

Ian Wolfe and Evan Tidwell both went 2-2 for Bigfork but did not place as the Vikings went 15-22 overall at the tournament.