State AA, A, B-C softball titles up for grabs

The 2017 softball season proved to be an anomaly for Glacier.

After a state championship in 2015 and a runner-up finish in 2016, the Wolfpack missed out on the Class AA state tournament last year for the first time since 2012.

But Glacier (13-7 overall) is back in the postseason tournament this season, thanks in large part to an explosive offense that led the Western AA conference in most every meaningful statistical category.

“It’s really exciting as a program to be back at the state tournament,” Glacier coach Abby Connolly said. “We’re going to be focused on continuing to be really strong offensively. When we score early and score often, we usually find we’re really successful in games.”

That was the case last week, when the Wolfpack totaled 39 runs in two play-in games versus crosstown rival Flathead to punch its ticket to state.

Glacier hopes it can carry over the success at the plate to the state tournament, where the Wolfpack will face Billings Senior in the first round today at 4 p.m. at Batch Fields in Helena.

The two teams have yet to face off this season, and Connolly said that can present challenges for both squads.

“You don’t have that background in terms of scouting and seeing what pitches worked and didn’t work and what their pitcher looks like,” she said. “Ultimately, I think it’s really exciting. I like to play teams that we haven’t played before. I think a lot of teams underestimate us as a team, so we like to come in there and be the dark horse and take care of business.”

Teams that take the Glacier bats lightly do so at their own risk.

The Wolfpack topped the Western AA in batting average (.403), home runs (22), runs (189), on-base percentage (.475) and slugging percentage (.589).

Individual leaders include Alivia Atlee (team-best .517 average and 30 RBIs), Kynzie Mohl (team-high six home runs and 26 runs), Allee Meyer (.424 average and 28 RBIs) and Addie Labrum (.414 average and 29 runs).

“Our ultimate goal is to win a state championship, but secondly, we want to make sure that we’re hopefully putting our best performance out there and hopefully playing on Saturday at the state tournament because that means we’re bringing some hardware back,” Connolly said. “It’s a very competitive playing field across the state this year. I truly believe that any team that’s at the tournament could walk away with first, second or third depending on how it plays out. It’s really exciting to be in the mix.”

Class A

Though they’re rivals on the diamond, there seems to be consensus among Northwest A conference softball coaches on a couple of points entering this weekend’s state tournament at the Frenchtown Softball Complex.

First, they say the lot of teams is as strong top to bottom as it’s been in quite some time.

“This is a very strong field,” longtime Polson coach Larry Smith said. “It’s one of the strongest fields I’ve seen in several years.”

“It’s anybody’s tournament. You’ve gotta come to play,” Libby coach Dean Thompson added. “There’s some really good teams, and there’s a lot of them.”

“This is the deepest field I think we’ve had in a while,” Columbia Falls coach Dave Kehr said.

All three coaches also believe their teams are among the group of teams capable of making a run to Saturday and potentially even challenging defending state champion Belgrade for this year’s crown.

Polson (18-4 overall) earned the top seed in the conference and a first-round bye at state with an undefeated mark in conference play.

Vanessa Kent anchors the squad in the circle, and she’s supported by an offense that’s as deep as it is potent.

“We’ve really picked it up and played our best ball at the end of the season, and that’s exactly when you want to be (at your best),” Smith said. “If we’re on, we’re capable of beating anybody.”

Polson will face the winner of Frenchtown and Fergus at 3 p.m. today for a spot in the state quarterfinals. The Pirates defeated Frenchtown 5-0 and Fergus 8-2 earlier this year.

Smith expressed concern about his team’s first-round bye but maintained it will be a net positive.

“When you get a bye, you’re playing a team that’s already won a game, and they’ve got those first-game jitters out of the way. You have to go through that yet for your first game,” Smith said. “This year, I think our kids are going to be able to handle that pretty well.”

Libby, the No. 2 seed from Northwest A, is back in the Class A state tournament this season after spending the past two years at the Class B-C level.

The Loggers (13-8) came up just short of a B-C title a year ago, and Thompson hopes his team’s experience in high-pressure environments will pay dividends this weekend.

“We were second in the state in B/C last year and lost just a couple kids off our team,” Thompson said. “We’ve had the feeling of playing on Saturday. Our girls have been here before.

“They’re just ready to come in and play. I think they can make a good run at it.”

Libby faces Hardin for the first time this season at 1 p.m. today. The winner advances to face Hamilton, the top seed from the Southwest A conference.

“We need to hit the ball well and keep the mistakes down,” Thompson said. “It’s like starting the season all over again. We go into every game as if it could be the last game that we play. We just go in there trying to play the best ball that we’ve played all year each game.”

The No. 3 seed from Northwest A, Columbia Falls, sneaked into the state tournament thanks to a late-season push.

The Wildkats (13-8) will face Sidney at 11 a.m. for the right to play Belgrade. Columbia Falls defeated Sidney 9-3 in a tournament in Butte earlier this season.

“The girls feel real confident,” Kehr said. “Once you beat a team and then see them again, they feel pretty good about that.”

Columbia Falls battled injuries and inconsistent weather to begin the year but bounced back to make it into a third consecutive state tournament.

At this point, Kehr actually believes that could work to his team’s advantage.

“I don’t think people really know what we’ve got,” he said. “I think we have a chance at surprising some teams.

“I kind of like where we’re at.”

Class B-C

Eureka kicks off state play today at the Belgrade Softball Complex with a 4 p.m. test versus Great Falls Central, the No. 3 seed out of the Eastern conference.

The winner of that matchup will face the winner of Shepherd and Missoula Loyola on Friday morning.

The Lions finished second at last week’s divisional behind Florence-Carlton.