Mission knocks off Vikings in semis
Bigfork’s Isak Epperly (21) goes to the basket against St. Ignatius’ Ross McPherson (12) at Bigfork High School on Thursday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Bigfork’s Isaac Bjorge (23) shoots against St. Ignatius’ Ross McPherson (12) at Bigfork High School on Thursday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Bigfork's Colt Thorness (1) looks to shoot in front of Mission's Layne Spidel (32) at Bigfork High School on Thursday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Bigfork's Bryce Gilliard (15) grabs a rebound for a putback over Mission's Kolten Gardipe (3) at Bigfork High School on Thursday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Bigfork's Isaac Bjorge (23) looks to shoot between Mission's Jedi Christy (24) and Layne Spidel (32) at Bigfork High School on Thursday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Mission's Isaiah Nasewytewa (10), Jedi Christy (24) and Hayden Currie (44) celebrate after a 47-44 win over Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Thursday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Mission's Jedi Christy (24) drives to the basket against Bigfork's Isaac Bjorge (23) and Colt Thorness (1) at Bigfork High School on Thursday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Mission's Jedi Christy (24) drives to the basket against Bigfork's Isaac Bjorge (23) at Bigfork High School on Thursday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Mission's Zoran LaFrombois (4) drives to the hoop against Bigfork's Walker Fisher (5) at Bigfork High School on Thursday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Mission's Davien Adams (23), Zoran LaFrombois (4) and Jedi Christy (24) celebrate after the Bulldogs' 47-44 win over Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Thursday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
The Mission bench celebrates as time expires during their 47-44 win over Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Thursday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Mission's Jedi Christy (24) drives to the basket against Bigfork's Isaac Bjorge (23) and Colt Thorness (1) at Bigfork High School on Thursday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
BIGFORK – Jedi Christy scored 15 points for Mission, eight coming in the fourth quarter and the Bulldogs tripped Bigfork 47-44 in the semifinals of the District 7B boys basketball tournament Thursday.
Zoran LaFrombois and Isaiah Nasewytewa added 12 points each for Mission (10-10), which takes on Eureka in Saturday’s 7-B championship in Libby at 4 p.m.
Colt Thorness had 15 points for Bigfork, which led 33-32 after three quarters. Wyatt Reichenbach had seven points, six rebounds and three steals for the Vikings, who will face Thompson Falls in Saturday’s consolation game at 1 p.m.
All four teams move on to the Western B Divisional Feb. 27-29 in Hamilton.
Mission 9 18 5 15 - 47
Bigfork 15 6 12 11 - 44
MISSION – Loran LaFrombois 12, Isaiah Nasewytewa 12, Ross McPherson 4, Jedi Christy 15, Noah Durheim 2, Hayden Currie 2.
BIGFORK – Colt Thorness 15, Wyatt Reichenbach 7, Walker Fisher 3, Bryce Gilliard 2, Isak Epperly 8, Isaac Bjorge 9.
Eureka 47,
Thompson Falls 42
EUREKA – A.J. Pacella scored seven of his 21 points in a pivotal second quarter for the host Lions, who picked up the win in the other 7-B semifinal.
Eureka (11-8) pulled away from an 11-all tie to lead 30-21, getting two free throws from Gavin Bates to close the first half.
The Lions will face Mission, which beat Bigfork 47-44 in the other semifinal, Saturday at 4 p.m. in Libby for the district championship.
Sidney Akinde had a game-high 23 points for the Bluehawks (8-11), who will face Bigfork in the consolation game at Libby Saturday at 1 p.m.
Thompson Falls 11 10 10 11 - 42
Eureka 11 19 9 8 - 47
THOMPSON FALLS (8-11) – Sidney Akinde 23, Nathan Schraeder 8, Justin Morgan 2, Jack Green 2, Trey Fisher 2, Cody Burk 5.
EUREKA (11-8) – Danny Dunn 1, Austin Sartori 2, Alex Lowe 5, Corbin Hurst 3, A.J. Pacella 21, Cory Channey 4, Jake Kindel 9, Gavin Bates 2.
Class A
Whitefish 59,
Columbia Falls 50
WHITEFISH — Tallon Holmquist’s 13 points led the Whitefish Bulldogs over the Columbia Falls Wildcats.
Whitefish led 22-15 at the half. Both teams experienced a scoring drought in the second quarter – Whitefish scored seven points and Columbia Falls two.
The Wildcats tried to rally in the fourth by outscoring the Bulldogs 22-17 but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Justin Conklin added 12 points for the Bulldogs (6-11 overall, 2-7 Northwestern A).
For the Wildcats (4-14, 3-7), Dillon Shipp scored 16 and William Dyon contributed 11 points.
Whitefish plays its final regular season game today in Libby at 7:30 p.m.
Columbia Falls 13 2 13 22 — 50
Whitefish 15 7 20 17 — 59
Columbia Falls — Cade Morgan 10, Jack Price 1, Danny Henjum 2, William Dyon 11, Dillon Shipp 16, Allec Knapton 10.
Whitefish — Bodie Smith 11, Justin Conklin 12, Garrett Brock 6, Jace Cripe 12, Sam Menicke 5, Tallon Holmquist 13.
Girls
Class A
Columbia Falls 53,
Whitefish 12
COLUMBIA FALLS – Josie Windauer’s 18 points led the way for the host Wildkats, who made short work of Northwestern A rival Whitefish.
Lakia Hill added 11 points and Maddie Robison 10 for Columbia Falls (16-2, 8-2 in league).
Jadi Walburn and Payton Kastella had four each for Whitefish (5-12, 3-6).
Whitefish 2 6 2 2 - 12
C. Falls 8 21 16 8 - 53
WHITEFISH – Jadi Walburn 4, Payton Kastella 4, Erin Wilde 2, Gracie Smyley 2
COLUMBIA FALLS – Maddie Robison 10, Lakia Hill 11, Grace Gedlaman 2, Josie Windauer 18, GraceAnne Sevisind 6, Lauren Falkner 4, Madyson Hoerner 2.
MCAA Tourney
Flathead Valley Home 69, Bozeman Heritage 39
HELENA – Codi Kenney had 17 points, Cory Connerly had a double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds and Flathead Valley Home School blew out Bozeman’s Heritage Home School at the MCAA tournament at Carroll College.
Makaila Burlingame added 12 points for the Lady Crusaders, who face Bozeman’s Gallatin Valley Home School, the No. 2 seed from the east, at 5 p.m. Friday.
Ashley Remely scored 13 points for Heritage.
Heritage Home 5 3 17 14 - 39
Flathead Valley 20 15 14 20 - 69
FLATHEAD VALLEY HOME SCHOOL – Aurora Howery 6, Cody Kenney 17, Abby Wiser 7, Corey Connerly 16, Starlyn Davis 2, Kassidy Farrar 9, Makaila Burlingame 12.