Vikings move up in hoops poll, Wildcats drop to second
The Bigfork boys continue to climb up the Class B basketball rankings while Northwestern A’s top two teams were hit with demotions in this week’s Associated Press poll.
The Vikings (11-1 overall) moved up one spot from last week into fourth place.
Bigfork’s only loss of the season came to second-ranked Missoula Loyola (11-1) on Dec. 19. Since then the Vikes have won eight straight and have a firm grasp on first-place in District 7B with six games left.
Columbia Falls (10-2) went winless over the weekend and was bumped out of the top ranking in Class A by Eastern A leader Laurel (11-1).
The Wildcats expelled all the energy they had in a classic game with Glacier (7-3) last Friday that drew an estimated crowd of 3,000 people, according to school administrators. Columbia Falls lost 65-63 in overtime and then had to face Loyola the next night on the road. The Rams toppled the worn-out Wildcats 67-52. Columbia Falls still leads Northwestern A with a 3-0 league record, but Polson is 3-1 and Libby is 2-1 trailing close behind.
Polson (7-4 overall) dropped from third to fifth in the Class A poll, but snapped a two-game losing streak last Saturday with a conference win over Whitefish (3-8).
In the girls’ rankings, the Lady Pirates (9-2) held their ground at fifth. Polson is 4-0 in conference while unranked Columbia Falls (7-5) is 3-0.
The Bigfork girls (7-3) edged into the top 10 for Class B with a tie for tenth.
Montana Prep Poll
BOYS
The Top Ten teams in the Associated Press Montana high school basketball poll with first-place votes in parentheses and won-loss record through weekend games, total points and position last week at right:
Class AA
Record Pts Prv
1. Billings Senior (13) 10-0 138 2
2. Great Falls Russell 9-1 114 1
3. Billings West 8-1 99 4
4. Bozeman 8-2 78 3
5. Billings Skyview 8-3 48 5
Others receiving votes: Missoula Sentinel 31, Helena Capital 12.
Class A
Record Pts Prv
1. Laurel (13) 11-1 130 2
2. Columbia Falls 10-2 105 1
3. Glendive 8-3 92 4
4. Browning 9-3 85 5
5. Polson 7-4 73 3
Others receiving votes: Dillon 14, Belgrade 12, Butte Central 9.
Class B
Record Pts Prv
1. Rocky Boy (12) 11-0 129 1
2. Missoula Loyola (1) 11-1 111 2
3. Florence 10-1 91 4
4. Bigfork 11-1 88 5
5. Plains 10-0 76 3
6. Conrad 10-2 74 6
7. Shepherd 10-2 55 7
8. Boulder 8-3 27 9
9. Malta 7-3 16
(tie) Huntley Project 8-3 16
Others receiving votes: Fairfield 12, Manhattan 6, Whitehall 6, Shelby 3, Columbus 3. Valley Christian 1, Wolf Point 1.
Class C
Record Pts Prv
1. Culbertson (9) 13-0 125 1
2. Winifred (2) 11-0 111 2
3. Joliet (1) 13-0 97 3
4. Arlee 11-1 79 4
5. Twin Bridges (1) 9-0 65 5
6. Drummond 11-1 57 6
7. Big Sandy 10-1 48 9
8. Fairview 12-1 42 7
9. Wibaux 10-1 40 7
10. Belt 10-1 27 10
Others receiving votes: Centerville 8, St. Labre 7, Shields Valley 6, Dutton-Brady 2, Highwood 1.
GIRLS
Class AA
Record Pts Prv
1. Bozeman (10) 10-0 118 1
2. Missoula Sentinel (2) 11-0 108 2
3. Butte 8-1 97 3
4. Great Falls Russell 7-3 83 4
5. Missoula Big Sky 7-4 55
Others receiving votes: Billings Senior 13, Helena Capital 6.
Class A
Record Pts Prv
1. Anaconda (9) 9-1 117 1
2. Sidney (2) 8-1 105 2
3. Livingston (1) 9-1 92 3
4. Billings Central 9-2 71 4
5. Polson 9-2 58 5
Others receiving votes: Miles City 13, Butte Central 12, Laurel 12.
Class B
Record Pts Prv
1. Malta (10) 9-0 117 1
2. Fairfield (2) 10-1 106 3
3. Missoula Loyola 11-1 97 2
4. Shepherd 10-2 78 5
5. Choteau 9-2 63 4
6. Manhattan Christian 10-2 55 7
7. Florence 10-2 52 9
8. Broadus 8-2 32 8
9. Wolf Point 7-3 24 10
10. Whitehall 7-5 13 6
(tie) Bigfork 7-3 13 NR
Others receiving votes: Three Forks 6, Harlem 4.
Class C
Record Pts Prv
1. Harlowton-Ryegate (10) 12-0 115 1
2. Fairview (1) 12-0 93 2
3. Belt (1) 11-1 77 5
4. Winifred 9-1 71 4
5. Hot Springs 11-1 47 3
6. Saco 10-1 45 7
(tie) Twin Bridges 8-1 45 6
8. Roberts 13-1 40 9
9. Seeley-Swan 10-1 38 10
10. Culbertson 12-1 36 7
Others receiving votes: Terry 16, Chester-Joplin-Inverness 14, Roy 8, Drummond 6, Joliet 5, Charlo 2, White Sulphur Springs 2.