SPORTS

BELGRADE — The Columbia Falls softball team earned its first state championship in program history with an 8-2 win over Billings Central on a rain-soaked Saturday. The top-seeded Wildkats (24-3) won all four of their games at the Class A state tournament this weekend. They edged third-seeded Laurel 6-4 in the undefeated final earlier in the day, began the tournament with a 16-3 win over fifth-seeded Hamilton and won a 4-3 thriller over second-seeded Central on Friday night.

Editors note: Honors teams are submitted by district secretaries at various points at the conclusion of the season. This will be updated as we receive lists from the districts and divisions. Northwest A. All-State: Maddie Moultray, Jr., Columbia Falls, P; Haden Peters, Jr., Columbia Falls, 3B; Syd Mann, Sr., Columbia...

BELGRADE- Between the lightning, thunder, rain and hail, the Wildkats managed to go undefeated on their way to the Class A state title. Columbia Falls Overcomes the Elements to Win their First State Title in School History. BELGRADE- Between the lightning, thunder, rain and hail, the Wildkats managed to go...

HELENA — After besting Missoula Sentinel Saturday morning, Helena High met Kalispell Glacier for the Class AA state softball championship at Batch Fields. Brooke Richardson would go deep for the first time of this game, second HR on the day for Richardson saw her Bengals on top of the Wolfpack, 1-0 early in the fourth inning. Senior, Kalley May would then RBI single off Glacier’s Ella Farrell to make it 2-0 in the top of the sixth inning.

HELENA, Mont. - Better conditions and even better matchups for day 2 of the Class AA State Softball Tournament. Strong pitching arms were the story of round 2 as Helena High defeated tournament favorite Billings West 2-1 and Glacier would run past Sentinel 9-5 to meet each other later for a chance to play in the State Championship.

KALISPELL — Defending Class AA boys singles champion Ryan Ashley of Helena Capital won twice Thursday to march back into Friday's semifinals. Ashley beat Missoula Hellgate's Samuel Ender 6-2, 6-0 and topped Great Falls CMR's Carson Rich 7-6(4), 6-1 to set up a semifinal match with Bozeman High's Oliver Ward.

LAUREL — Sprinting success comes naturally for Whitefish's Brooke Zetooney, but she's never been faster than she was Friday at the Class A state track and field meet. Zetooney sped to victory in her heat in the 100-meter trails with a time of 12.24 at the Laurel Sports Complex, which tied a Class A mark that has stood for 25 years. It was also personal record for Zetooney — and a bit of a surprise.

KALISPELL – The C.M. Russell High boys’ tennis team earned its second straight state trophy Friday, earning second place at the Flathead Valley Community College Courts. The doubles tandem of Josh Stimac and Brady Pike rebounded from a three-set setback in the semifinals for the defending state champion Rustlers, taking their final two matches 6-4, 6-4 and 6-3, 6-4 to take third.

Caleb Moeller threw five scoreless innings as the Libby Loggers Legion baseball team led the Kalispell A Lakers 4-0. The Loggers scored two runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings. But after Moeller exited the game, the Lakers put six runs on the board and one in the seventh to take home a 7-4 win. The Loggers played at Kalispell Thursday and then were scheduled to plat at the Mission Valley Mariners on Saturday. Libby's next home game is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 31. ...

The Columbia Falls track squads did well at the Western A Divisional meet last week. The girls took second and the boys took fourth. Leading the charge for the women were Siri Erickson, who took first in the 1,600 with a 5.17.76 and Ally Sempf, who took second in the 200 with a 24.45 — a personal record. Sempf took fourth in the 100 with a 12.86, and fourth in the 400 with a 1.00.73. Erickson was second in the 800 with a 2.22.27. Courtney Hussion was fourth in the 300 hurdles with a 16.63. Courtney Hoerner took third in the 3,200 with a...

May 23—After much delay and little more than a week before summer basketball camp season, Flathead High School has selected a head boys coach: Dan Trageser. Flathead activities director Bryce Wilson announced the selection via email Monday. Trageser's hiring is pending school board approval. Wilson was part of an...

At the Northwest A Divisional Tennis Tournament last week in Libby, the Whitefish Bulldogs had three doubles teams qualify for the state tournament. Whitefish’s No. 1 doubles team for the boys, also the No. 1 seed in the tournament, juniors Mason Kelch and Dane Hunt had a commanding performance to place first and become divisional champions. The Whitefish boys No. 2 doubles team of senior Johnny Nix and junior Jesse Burrough also qualified for state by earning a spot in the third-fourth place match; the Bulldog team took fourth and Polson nabbed third. The only girls to qualify for the state tournament...

Mission tennis teams were determined at the Western B-C Divisionals last Thursday and Friday in Bigfork. The boys secured an impressive second place overall, and the team's performance resulted in six players earning qualification for the upcoming state tournament in Great Falls. In the doubles category, Tre Heath-LaFrombois and Nic Frost of Mission faced a formidable duo from Bigfork, Porrovecchio and Christians, in the divisional championship match. Despite their best efforts, Heath-LaFrombois and Frost fell short in the final, scoring 6-3, 6-2. However, their outstanding performance throughout the tournament earned them a well-deserved second-place finish. In singles, Erich Morigeau of Mission engaged...

HELENA — Ella Farrell held the softball that was used to record the final out like her most prized possession. “It’s going on my wall,” she said with a smile. Farrell pitched all but one inning – 33 total – in Kalispell Glacier’s three-day, five-game journey toward being crowned 2023 Class AA State Champions on Saturday.

KALISPELL, Mont. — The 3BR Tournament, formerly known as the 3 Blind Ref Soccer Tournament kicks off Friday at the Kidsports Complex in Kalispell. The three-day affair showcases talent, food and giveaways. For more information about the tournament or to register, click here. Legend Soccer Co. released the following...

Columbia Falls senior tennis player Cloey Ramage took second at the Western A divisional tourney in Libby over the weekend. Ramage won the first set over longtime rival Clara Todd of Polson, 6-1, but then lost 6-3, 6-0 in the championship match. It was the first time this season that Ramage had beaten Todd in a set, noted head coach Michele Colliander. Ramage was the lone player to qualify for state in Missoula this week. “Overall, the Wildcats played great at Divisionals.  There were so many third set matches which means really good tennis.  The ladies team took second place overall (losing to Polson)...

Just one point in a whole tennis match. That was the difference between second place and third place at the 2023 Western Divisional BC tennis tournament this past weekend in Bigfork. That meant the area’s only high school tennis team, the Superior Bobcats, finished third in the Bigfork tournament with...

The Columbia Falls softball team continued its tear through the season, winning the Western A Divisional title Saturday in Frenchtown, beating conference foe Polson in the championship, 11-7. The game was knotted up at 3 apiece after three innings, but the Kats put up four runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth to go up 11-3. Polson would rally a bit in the top of the seventh with three runs, but it wasn’t enough. Kyrah Trenkle had a solo homer in the second. Aspen Dawson led the squad with 4 RBIs and a double. Tayler Lingle had a triple and...

Though the Whitefish track and field teams didn’t come out on top at the Western A Divisional meet last week, plenty of athletes showed stellar performances over the two-day competition. Leading Whitefish was the performance by junior sprinter Brooke Zetooney who earned 36 of Whitefish’s 72 total points. Zetooney broke three records at the meet which ran Friday and Saturday in Corvallis. Her PR in the 200 (25.08) broke a divisional record and her prelim time in the 100 was a personal best of 12.37. She ran to first place in the 100 finals and broke a divisional and school record...

The Vikes and Vals took three of the top four awards and came away with both team titles as Bigfork hosted the Western B/C Divisional Tennis Championship over the weekend. The Vikings took the singles and doubles titles in the boys division and compiled 42 points to nearly double second-place Mission’s 22. Conrad was third with 19. Cole Carlson took the boys singles title, coming back after dropping the first set to earn a three-set win over Mission’s Erich Morigeau, 4-6, 7-6, 6-0. Carlson reached the championship by defeating his brother, Cole, in the semifinals, 6-1, 6-3. Seth Christians and Dylan Porrovecchio earned the...