Bigfork boys, girls move up in hoop polls
The Bigfork Vikings have earned a third-place ranking in Class B in the latest Associated Press statewide high school boys basketball poll.
The Vikings (13-1 overall, 8-0 in District 7B), are riding a 10-game win streak into the final stretch of the season. The Vikes, ranked fourth last week, have perhaps their toughest remaining test tonight at home against fifth-ranked Plains (13-1, 5-1), whose only loss of the season came to Bigfork. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.
The Bigfork girls continue to climb the ranks as well and moved up to seventh place in the latest poll. The Valkyries (11-3, 8-0) head to Plains on Thursday.
The District 7B tournament starts Feb. 18 for boys and girls in Libby. The Northwestern A divisional tournament starts Feb. 25 at Glacier High.
Other area teams to rank in their respective polls are: the fifth-place Polson girls (11-2, 4-0 in Northwestern A); and the second-ranked Columbia Falls boys (11-2, 3-0 in Northwestern A).
Montana Prep Poll
The Top Ten teams in the Associated Press Montana high school basketball poll with first-place votes in parentheses and win-loss records through Sat. Jan 30, total points and position last week at right:
BOYS
Class AA
Record Pts Prv
1. Billings West (6) 9-1 94 3
2. Great Falls Russell (3) 11-1 91 2
3. Billings Senior (1) 11-1 85 1
4. Bozeman 9-3 65 4
5. Billings Skyview 9-3 59 5
Others receiving votes: Missoula Sentinel 6.
Class A
Record Pts Prv
1. Laurel (10) 13-1 100 1
2. Columbia Falls 11-2 89 2
3. Browning 11-3 75 4
4. Glendive 9-3 74 3
5. Belgrade 9-5 31
Others receiving votes: Dillon 25. Stevensville 6.
Class B
Record Pts Prv
1. Rocky Boy (9) 13-0 99 1
2. Florence (1) 12-1 86 3
3. Bigfork 13-1 77 4
4. Missoula Loyola 11-2 62 2
5. Plains 13-0 58 5
6. Shepherd 12-2 53 7
7. Huntley Project 9-3 34 9
8. Malta 9-3 23 9
9. Whitehall 9-4 13
(tie) Boulder 9-4 13 8
Others receiving votes: Conrad 12. Manhattan 9. Fairfield 5. Wolf Point 3. Three Forks 2. Columbus 1.
Class C
Record Pts Prv
1. Winifred (8) 13-0 98 2
2. Joliet (1) 15-0 89 3
3. Fairview 14-1 73 8
4. Culbertson (1) 13-1 62 1
5. Arlee 11-1 60 4
6. Wibaux 12-1 38 9
7. Twin Bridges 10-1 33 5
(tie) Belt 12-1 33 10
9. Drummond 12-2 30 6
10. Big Sandy 11-2 17 7
Others receiving votes: Centerville 6. Circle 4. Whitewater 3. Shields Valley 2. St. Labre 1. Roy 1.
Class AA
Record Pts Prv
1. Missoula Sentinel (9) 12-0 90 2
2. Bozeman 11-1 79 1
3. Great Falls Russell 9-3 65 4
4. Butte 9-2 63 3
5. Missoula Big Sky 8-4 44 5
Others receiving votes: Helena 12. Billings Senior 7.
Class A
Record Pts Prv
1. Anaconda (6) 10-1 87 1
2. Livingston (1) 11-1 75 3
3. Sidney (2) 9-2 73 2
4. Billings Central 10-2 65 4
5. Polson 11-2 53 5
Others receiving votes: Miles City 7.
Class B
Record Pts Prv
1. Malta (8) 11-0 89 1
2. Fairfield (1) 11-1 82 2
3. Missoula Loyola 12-1 71 3
4. Shepherd 11-2 63 4
5. Choteau 11-2 51 5
6. Manhattan Christian 11-3 32 6
7. Bigfork 11-3 30 10
8. Florence 12-1 29 7
9. Broadus 9-3 27 8
10. Three Forks 11-4 13
Others receiving votes: Wolf Point 7. Whitehall 1.
Class C
Record Pts Prv
1. Harlowton-Ryegate (7) 13-0 87 1
2. Fairview (1) 14-0 80 2
3. Belt (1) 13-1 72 3
4. Winifred 11-1 59 4
5. Hot Springs 13-1 47 5
6. Saco 12-1 42 6
7. Roberts 14-1 39 8
8. Twin Bridges 9-2 20 6
9. Terry 14-1 14
10. Culbertson 12-2 12 10
Others receiving votes: Drummond 11. Seeley-Swan 8. Chester-Joplin-Inverness 2. Joliet 1. Scobey-Peerless 1.