Wednesday’s Regional Briefs: CMR girls at Skyview

CMR girls at Billings Skyview

The C.M. Russell High girls’ basketball team will try to secure a berth in next weekend’s State AA tournament with a victory Thursday night at Billings Skyview in the Eastern AA playoffs.

The Rustlers of coach Brian Crosby split with the Falcons this year and finished 8-12 in the regular season. Russell won 41-39 at Skyview on Jan. 24 and dropped a 10-point decision to the Falcons at CMR on Feb. 20.

The Rustlers are led by talented seniors Taylor Edwards, Briana Easton and Lindsay Martinez.

Skyview (12-8) features senior Haley Copinga.

Northern B boys’ tourney begins Thursday

A highly competitive field will vie for two berths in the upcoming State B tournament this weekend as the Northern B boys’ competition unfolds at Shelby High.

The tournament starts Thursday at 12:30 as coach Matt Luedtke’s District 1B champion Choteau (20-0) takes on Plentywood (3-17), coached by Wade Sundby. Then at 2, Shelby (13-8), with mentor Tom Reynolds, squares off with David Costin and Malta (11-9).

District 2B champ Glasgow (19-1), with Norm Braaten at the helm, meets Adam Demontiney’s Rocky Boy squad (5-17) at 6:30. Then at 8, Kyle Bibgy and Harlem (8-10) takes on Fairfield (9-11), coached by Marshall Laage.

The tournament continues through Saturday night.

State powerlifting meet on tap Saturday

The 18th annual Montana State High School Powerlifting championships will be held Saturday at the Community Rec Center, 801 2nd Ave. N.

The championships are broken down into four weight classes for males and one for women. The men’s lighter classes (114-165 pounds) and the women’s class will begin at 9 a.m., while the men’s 181-pound and super heavyweight classes start at 2.

Admission to the meet is $6. Call Willy Weaver at (406) 899-9942 or Matt Nicola at 231-9876 for more information.

Argo softball takes two in Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. – The University of Great Falls softball team won twice Wednesday on the first day of a six-day, 12-game road trip, beating Siena Heights (Mich.) 8-0 and Eastern (Pa.) 11-1.

The Lady Argonauts (9-5) scored five runs in the third inning of the opener against Siena Heights. Chloe Cross finished with two hits – including a triple – and scored twice. Kirstie Thomas had three RBI and Mindy Larson drove in two. Winning pitcher Keeley Van Blaricom struck out four while allowing two hits.

In the victory over Eastern the Lady Argos scored four in the second and broke the game open with five runs in the top of the fifth. Larson had two hits including a triple, and drove in three runs. Kayeley Lyons had three hits, scored three times and drove in two runs, while Morgan Robinson drove in a pair and scored a run. Brittany Franklin homered and drove in two runs. Shelby Abeyta went the distance, giving up five hits while striking out eight.

UGF continues play today, meeting Eastern at 9 a.m. and Northwestern (Iowa) at 11.