Foothills squads advance at MCAA state tourney

Adair Henning poured in 22 points as Foothills Christian of Great Falls cruised to a 57-17 victory over Heritage Christian on Thursday in the first round of the Montana Christian Athletic Association girls’ basketball state tournament.

The Foothills Christian boys’ team was also successful as the combined competition, composed of eight girls’ and eight boys’ teams, got underway at the Paris Gibson Education Center.

Janessa Willekes and Lissy Willekes scored eight points each for the Foothills girls, which advanced to a semifinal game Friday afternoon at 3:30.

The Foothills boys, which got 20 points from Luke Willekes in a 71-31 victory over Helena Christian on Thursday, will play in the semifinals Friday night at 8. Foothills will meet either Stillwater Christian or Heritage Christian, teams that met late Thursday night.

Shane Wood scored 18 points and Dawson Reiman added 10 for the Foohills boys, who led 33-16 at halftime and won going away.

In other first-round girls’ games Thursday, Yellowstone County Homeschool defeated Stillwater Christian 45-26, Billings Christian edged Helena Christian 48-43 in overtime, and Flathead Valley Homeschool defeated Gallatin Valley Homeschool 64-27.

Priscilla Rajkowski and Heidi Schneller combined for 23 points for Flathead Valley. Shania Bell led Billings Christian with 18, while Emma Kerttula poured in 23 for Helena Christian. Serrena Koch led Stillwater Christian with 14, and Hannah Thom led a balanced Yellowstone County attack with 10.

In girls’ loser-out games Friday, Stillwater meets Heritage at 8:30 a.m., followed at 10 a.m. by Helena Christian taking on Gallatin Valley.

Foothills and Yellowstone Christian play in the girls’ semifinals at 3:30, while Billings Christian meets Flathead Valley at 5.

In the boys’ first-round games Thursday, Billings Christian defeated Flathead Valley 41-33 and Gallatin Valley defeated Helena Homeschool 70-35.

Jacob Tompkins scored 16 for Billings Christian, while Jay Baker led Flathead Valley with 12.

Michael Hoover scored 23 points for Gallatin Valley. Evan Vinger added 15. Jalen Lieberg led Helena with 16.

Boys’ loser-out action starts Friday afternoon at 12:30 as Flathead Valley takes on Helena Homeschool.

BOYS

Billings Christian 41, Flathead Valley Homeschool 33

Billings Christian…6 11 7 17 – 41

FVHS…6 6 5 14 – 33

Billings Christian – Drake Coonfare 2, Taylor Faw 6, Jacob Tompkins 16, Joe Waggoner 4, Ray Gregory 5, Chris Schwartz 8. Totals: 17 6-13

FVHS – Caleb Gwynn 4, Jay Baker 12, Taylor Titchebourne 4, Paul Artyomenko 8, Logan Buckner 5. Totals: 13 3-6

3-pointers - Faw, Baker 4. Total Fouls – Billings 10, FVHS 18.

Gallatin Valley Homeschool 70, Helena Homeschool 35

Gallatin Valley…20 11 19 20 – 70

Helena…7 7 13 8 – 35

Gallatin Valley Homeschool – Connor Westlake 4, Devin Hotalen 2, Dakota Perry 9, Daniel Westlake 2, Sam Lester 2, Joseph Shanahan 4, Michael Hoover 23, Evan Vinger 15, Josh Lester 2, Denver Fields 7. Totals: 28 7-12

Helena Homeschool – Joe Burgard 3, Jonny Brown 8, Jalen Lieberg 16, Isaac Pegram 2, Jaedon Lieberg 6. Totals: 14 3-16

3-pointers - Perry, Hover 5, Fields, Jalen Lieberg 3. Total Fouls – GVHS 16, HHS 10

Foothills Christian 71, Helena Christian 31

Foothills…10 23 16 22 - 71

Helena…7 9 7 8 - 31

Foothills Christian: Logan Reiman 2, Ben Fried 6, Luke Willekes 20, Caleb Orso 10, Carson Lindseth 5, Dawson Reiman 10, Shane Wood 18. Totals: 28 11-18.

Helena Christian: Seth Kerttula 2, Connor Koenig 2, Brad Asbury 2, Tanner Marks 13, Zach Fenlason 12. Totals: 13 5-11.

3-pointers: Willekes 2, Orso, Lindseth. Fouls: Foothills 13, Helena 18. Fouled out: Willekes.

GIRLS

Yellowstone County Homeschool 45, Stillwater Christian 26

Stillwater…7 0 9 10 - 26

Yellowstone…8 8 17 12 - 45

Stillwater: Serena Koch 14, Cora Boll 1, Dori Smith 3, Alicia Warricks 2, Lulu Neumann 2, Alisa Benman 1, Ramey Metzger 3. Totals: 6 12-26.

Yellowstone: Molly Lundby 7, Hannah Thom 10, Shana Icenogle 4, Rose Jones 4, Sophi Gillespie 8, Rachel Hamilton 5, Anna Watson 7. Totals: 13 16-17.

3-pointers: Koch 2, Thom, Icenogle, Hamilton. Fouls: Stillwater 26, Yellowstone 16. Fouled oupt: Neumann.

Foothills Christian 57, Heritage Christian 17

Foothills…21 10 16 10 - 57

Heritage…2 7 4 4 - 17

Foothills: Josey Lindseth 4, Janessa Willekes 8, Emma Simpson 2, Rayna Lindseth 2, Lissy Willekes 8, Keileigh Fulbright 2, Faith Meza 4, Kenzie Huston 5, Adair Henning 22. Totals: 29 3-4.

Heritage: Cambrie Shea 4, Jordan Nuss 2, Macy Shea 1, Taylor Remely 3, Olivia Johnson 4, Nicole Shepherd 2, Beryl Wytcherley 1. Totals: 5 6-10.

3-pointers: Remely. Fouls: Foothills 12, Heritage 7

Billings Christian 48, Helena Christian 43 (ot)

Billings…11 6 10 13 8 - 48

Helena…8 8 6 18 3 - 43

Billings Christian: Christian O’Loughlin 2, Nicole Whiteman 4, Sarah Besel 9, Emily Taylor 3, Caitlyn Sayer 7, Isabell Erickson 3, Shania Bell 18, Nicole Case 2. Totals: 20 5-17.

Helena Christian: Emma Kerttula 23, Leanna Johnston 2, Shelby Austin 18. Totals: 17 7-23.

3-pointers: Taylor, Bell 2, Kerttula 2. Fouls: Billings Christian 23, Helena Christian 17. Fouled out: Bell, Case, Austin.

Flathead Valley Homeschool 64, Gallatin Valley Homeschool 27

Flathead… 12 24 14 14 - 64

Gallatin…2 10 11 4 - 27

Flathead Valley: Victoria Hanson 8, Julia Burden 1, Heidi Schneller 11, Britney Howery 2, Naomi Dobson 4, Cassidy Husted 2, Karissa Williams 16, Lexi Ehlers 8, Priscilla Rajkowski 12. Totals: 30 4-15.

Gallatin Valley: Glenna Jacdos 2, Courtney Lieurance 13, Alina Jacdos 4, Mariah Flook 6, Jubilee Blair 2. Totals: 13 0-2.

3-pointers: Lieurance. Fouls: Flathead Valley 4, Gallatin Valley 12.