Vals streak into 7B tourney

While the Bigfork boys basketball team has been the turnaround story of the season, the Bigfork girls have been back to business as usual.

The Valkyries matched the Vikes’ accomplishment of going undefeated in District 7B this year after moving from Northwestern A. Bigfork finished the regular season 16-2 overall and has won 12 of 13 heading into today’s district tournament in Libby. The Vals have a first-round bye and on Friday will face the winner of St. Ignatius (8-10) and Plains (3-15), who play today.

“We just talked about it Monday, everybody is starting over now,” Bigfork second-year coach Mark Hansen said. “We want to go in with some confidence and we realize we need to be playing our best basketball right now.”

The Vals and their run-and-gun offense have earned an eighth-place ranking in the Class B girl’s Associated Press poll.

“I still think the best is yet to come, Hansen said of the team.”

The Vals have made the state tournament the past three seasons and have a core group of eight contributing players who have tournament experience.

“We feel we are prepared,” Hansen said. “If you want to look for it, you can worry about anything. I told the girls if you prepare the best you can, you shouldn’t worry.”

The other first-round bye went to Eureka (10-8), who is looking to return to the state tournament for the first time in four years.

The Lions on Friday face the winner of today’s game between Thompson Falls (8-10) and Troy (0-18). Eureka swept both squads handily this season.

Last season, Eureka lost to Thompson Falls in the district final but got revenge at divisionals and beat the Bluehawks and ended up in third place.

“We have the three seniors (Steph Vogelman, Carly Hammond, Tayler Holder) that have been great leaders all year long and our younger kids have done a great job of improving and doing what we’ve asked them to do,” Eureka sixth-year coach John Hammond said.

District 7B Girls

At Libby

Top four teams advance to divisional

Today

1 p.m. — St. Ignatius (8-10, 4-6) vs. Plains (3-15, 2-8)

6 p.m. — Thompson Falls (8-10, 6-4) vs. Troy (0-18, 0-10)

Friday

1 p.m. — St. Ignatius/Plains vs. Bigfork (16-2, 10-0)

6 p.m. — Thompson Falls/Troy vs. Eureka (10-8, 8-2)