Sports roundup: Vikes and Vals headed to state after earning Western B titles in Ronan

The Vikings and Valkyries will both be making the trip to Bozeman for the State B basketball tournament next week after earning Western B Divisional titles in Ronan last week.

The boys survived a close overtime battle with Eureka in the championship round Saturday evening to earn their fourth Western B title in seven seasons while the girls dominated the field throughout the tournament.

This will be the Vikings seventh trip to State B in the past 11 years while the Valkyries will be returning after last making the tournament in 2020.

VIKINGS

The Vikings improved to 15-8 Saturday evening as they held off a feisty Eureka effort in the title game, downing the Lions in overtime, 55-51.

Bryce Gilliard knocked down a trio of three-point attempts in the first half as the Vikings led by 11 after one quarter and 30-22 at the half.

The Lions clawed their way back into the game over the final 16 minutes of regulation, taking their first lead at 45-42 on a three by Gavin Bates with 2:44 to play in the fourth quarter.

Gilliard answered with a three of his own to tie the game at 45. A three-point attempt by Bigfork’s Colin Wade bounced off the front of the rim as time expired in regulation and the teams entered overtime still knotted at 45-45.

Bigfork grabbed a quick four-point lead in the extra period, but a Caleb Utter three cut the Vikings advantage to 51-50 with 2:08 to play.

Isak Epperly went to the Vikings bench with his fifth foul with 1:37 to play, but the Vikings prowess on the offensive boards took over the game as Levi Taylor and Nick Walker pulled down several key rebounds as Bigfork missed eight free throws in the final 2:22 but still managed to hold on for the win.

Gilliard’s 14 points led the way for the Vikings in the title game while Epperly and Taylor were also in double figures with 10 points each.

The Vikings will open the state tournament with a matchup against the No. 3 team from the South at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10 at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse on the campus of Montana State University in Bozeman.

Championship

Eureka 10 12 12 11 6 - 51

Bigfork 21 9 8 7 10 - 55

EUREKA — Gavin Bates 24, Tristan Butts 8, Dan Dunn 4, Caleb Utter 4, Carson Komac 3, Joey Kindel 4, Trent Truman 4.

BIGFORK — Bryce Gilliard 14, Isak Epperly 10, Levi Taylor 10, George Brown 6, Nick Walker 6, Eli Thorness 6, Colin Wade 3.

The Vikings used a three-point barrage to spark a 13-0 run to close out the second quarter and take a 30-21 lead into halftime against Loyola in semifinal Friday.

Isak Epperly and Colin Wade scored 14 points each for Bigfork, and Nick Walker checked with 12.

The Rams cut the gap to three in the third quarter before Bigfork pushed the lead back to 47-38 going to the fourth. The Vikings held on from there to earn a trip to the title game.

Semifinal

Loyola 12 9 17 11 - 49

Bigfork 13 17 17 15 - 62

MISSOULA LOYOLA — Reynolds Johnston 19, Ethan Stack 9, Raef Konzen 7, Jack Fines 5, Declan Harrington 4, Clayton Ogilvie 4, Talen Reynolds 1.

BIGFORK — Wyatt Johnson 2, Isak Epperly 14, Colin Wade 14, Nick Walker 12, Levi Taylor 1, Bryce Gilliard 7, Cole Knopik 7, Eli Thorness 2, George Brown 3.

Arlee was able to keep the game close for a quarter against the Vikings in the opening round of the Western B Divisional Thursday, but George Brown provided a spark off the bench to help Bigfork grab a 30-18 halftime advantage.

Gilliard led the way for Bigfork with 13 points while Epperly and Brown each added 10 as the Vikings went on to grab a 62-44 win over the Warriors to advance to the tournament semifinals.

Arlee 9 9 14 12 - 44

Bigfork 11 19 16 16 - 62

ARLEE — Benny Harlow 19, Levi Fullerton 6, Payton Mays 6, Kendall O’Neill 5, Jace Arca 4, Jake Knoll 2, Dallas Swab 2.

BIGFORK — Bryce Gilliard 13, Isak Epperly 10, George Brown 10, Colin Wade 8, Nick Walker 8, Eli Thorness 7, Levi Taylor 6,

VALKYRIES

The Valkyries improved to 22-1 with a 45-26 win over Thompson Falls in the Western B Divisional finals in the late game Saturday evening.

After Bigfork’s Braeden Gunlock scored the game’s opening basket in the opening seconds, Thompson Falls employed an unorthodox strategy, electing to pass the ball around the perimeter for the final seven and half minutes of the first quarter in an attempt to keep the game close.

Content to let the Lady Blue Hawks run the clock, the Valkyries took a 2-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Valkyries turned up the defensive pressure in the second quarter, forcing a number of Thompson Falls turnovers and building an 18-9 halftime advantage.

The Valkyries continued to add to their lead in the second half, outscoring Thompson Falls 27-17 over the final 16 minutes to earn a 45-26 victory.

Madison Chappuis led the way for the Valkyries with 16 points in the title game while Gunlock added 12 and Emma Berreth chipped in with 11.

The Valkyries will open the state tournament at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse on the campus of Montana State University in Bozeman with a matchup against the No. 3 team from the South at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 10.

Championship

Thompson Falls 0 9 10 7 - 26

Bigfork 2 16 13 14 - 45

THOMPSON FALLS — Chesney Lowe 8, Ellie Baxter 8, Cheyla Irvine 4, Maliyah LeCoure 3, Natalie Roberts 2.

BIGFORK — Madison Chappuis 13, Braeden Gunlock 12, Emma Berreth 11, Ava Davey 4, Zoey Albert 3, Scout Nadeau 2.

Gunlock scored a tournament-high 27 points for the Valkyries in the semifinals Friday as Bigfork built a 17-8 lead after one quarter against Florence-Carlton on the way to a 59-35 victory.

The Valkyries led 35-21 at the half and never looked back as they cruised to victory.

Along with Gunlock’s 27, Berreth was also in double figures in 11 points.

Semifinal

Bigfork 17 18 19 5 - 59

Florence 8 13 6 8 - 35

BIGFORK — Emma Berreth 11, Braeden Gunlock 27, Scout Nadeau 9, Callie Martinez 4, Ava Daveyu 6, Madison Chappuis 2.

FLORENCE — Kylie Kovatch 7, Kadisey Yeoman 7, Kobi Wood 6, Elise Schneiter 4, Gwen Reed 3, Olivia Coulter 3, Kenzy Pickering 5.

It was all Valkyries in the opening round of the Western B Tournament in Ronan Thursday as Bigfork cruised to a 62-6 win over Deer Lodge.

Berreth led the way with 16 points, Gunlock added 12 and Ava Davey had 10 as the Valkyries built a 32-5 halftime lead before holding the Lady Wardens to a single free throw in the second half.

Deer Lodge 3 2 0 1 — 6

Bigfork 18 14 18 12 —62

DEER LODGE — Natalie Spring 4, Taryn Lamb 2.

BIGFORK — Emma Berreth 16, Braeden Gunlock 12, Ava Davey 10, Madison Chappuis 6, Scout Nadeau 4, Callie Gembala 4, Callie Martinez 4, Zoey Albert 3, Keni Wade 3.