MCAA Tourney: Foothills teams off to good starts

The Foothills Christian volleyball team earned a state championship last fall, and the girls’ basketball squad would like to follow suit.

The Falcons took the first step toward winning their second title in three seasons with a 67-11 triumph over first-year program Great Falls Home School on Thursday as the Montana Christian Athletic Association state tournament got underway at Great Falls Central’s Wiegand Health and Wellness Center.

Foothills is coached by Sydnie Fulbright. Many of her top players, including seniors Emma Simpson and Josey Lindseth, played on the champion volleyball team and are now hopeful of duplicating that feat.

“These girls can take the pressure. It’s a great group,” Fulbright said. “A very close-knit team. And they’ve very fun to be around.”

Adair Henning, a 6-2 senior center, is one of the few Falcons who did not play volleyball in the fall. But she’s a champion all right. Henning scored 31 points, an effort that included a 7-for-7 performance from the foul line, as the Falcons advanced.

“Adair did a phenomenal job,” Fulbright said. “We’ve been working a lot on her outside shot. It showed tonight.”

The Falcons meet Gallatin Valley Home School Friday afternoon at 5 in the semifinals.

“Anything can happen, because teams get better throughout the season,” Fulbright said. “I’m very hopeful, but we don’t get too far ahead of ourselves.”

IN OTHER GIRLS’ games, Gallatin Valley Home School of Bozeman upset defending state champion Flathead Valley Home School 40-39. Bryanna Wolfe scored 21 for Gallatin, while Karissa Williams had 20 and Victoria Hanson scored 17 for Flathead Valley.

Stillwater Christian of Kalispell defeated Heritage Christian 46-31. Dori Smith led the winners’ balanced attack with 10 points, while Heritage Christian got 11 from Taylor Remely.

IN THE BOYS’ play, meanwhile, Foothills was among the first-round winners with a dramatic 73-67 victory over Helena Homeschool.

The Falcons of coach John Fried were led by sophomore Carson Lindseth, who poured in 31 points. Senior Caleb Orso added 22 for Foothills. The Falcons also got 14 points from junior guard Ben Fried.

Jaedon Lieberg led Helena Home School with 31 points.

Also, Isaac Neumann scored 24 points as Stillwater Christian upended Billings Christian 63-36. Joe Hooker and Austin Brown combined for 23 for Stillwater.

The tournament continues Friday morning with loser-out games. The girls’ semifinals are at 3:30 and 5 p.m., followed by the boys’ semifinals at 6:30 and 8 p.m. The girls’ championship game is Saturday afternoon at 3, followed by the boys’ title game at 4:30.

GIRLS

Billings Christian 42, Helena Christian 30

HCS 4 3 7 16 - 30

BCS 13 11 9 9 - 42

HCS: Jaelynne Harlan 0 2-4 2, Faith Dobyns 1 0-0 2, Noa Criddle 1 0-1 3, Faith Harlan 2 5-6 10, Leanne Johnston 1 0-2 2, Dianna Walth 0 1-3 1, Shelby Austin 5 0-1 10. Totals 10 8-16 30.

BCS: Sarah Besel 2 2-4 6, Emily Taylor 1 1-2 3, Caitlyn Sayer 2 1-2 5, Isabell Erickson 5 6-17 17, Quincee Wilmot 1 1-2 3, Nicole Case 3 2-4 8

3-point goals - HCS 2 (Criddle, Harlan) BCS 0. Total Fouls - HCS 33 BCS 18 Fouled Out: Austin

Stillwater Christian 46, Heritage Christian 31

HES 2 10 7 12 - 31

SCS 16 7 12 11 - 46

HES: Taylor Remely 4 0-0 11, Hannah Gray 1 1-3 1, Nicole Shepherd 3 1-5 8, Olivia Johnson 2 1-4 5, Beryl Wytcherley 3 0-1 6. Totals 13 3-13 31.

SCS: Cora Boll 2 0-2 4, Ramey Metzger 1 0-0 2, Adrianna Lambert 1 3-8 5, Dori Smith 3 4-8 10, Alicia Warricks 2 0-0 4, Helen Hashley 3 1-3 7, Lulu Neumann 4 0-2 8, Selah Neumann 2 0-0 4. Totals 19 8-24 46.

3-point goals HES 2 (Remely, Shepherd) SCS 0. Total Fouls - HES 17, SCS 15. Fouled Out: Shea

Gallatin Valley Home School 40, Flathead Valley Home School 39

GVHS 3 11 17 9 - 40

FVHS 10 9 6 14 - 39

GVHS: Kathryn Westlake 3 0-0 6, Courtney Lieruance 1 4-4 6, Bryanna Wolfe 8 3-6 21, Alana Jacobs 0 0-1 0, Mariah Flook 2 0-0 4, Jubilee Blair 1 1-2 3. Totals 15 8-13 40.

FVHS: Victoria Hanson 6 5-11 17, Heidi Schneller 1 0-0 2, Karissa Williams 6 3-4 20. Totals 13 8-16 39.

3-point goals GVHS 2 (Wolfe 2), FVHS 5 (Williams 5). Total Fouls - GVHS 17, FVHS 17. Fouled Out Flook, Blair, Schneller, Williams

Foothills 67, Great Falls Homeschool 11

FCCS 26 7 20 14 - 67

GFHS 0 2 5 4 - 11

FCCS: Josey Lindseth 4 0-0 8, Raina Lindseth 2 0-0 4, Emma Simpson 4 0-0 8, Keileigh Fulbright 1 1-2 3, Faith Meza 2 0-0 4, Kenzie Huston 2 4-4 9, Adair Henning 12 7-7 31. Totals 17 12-13 67.

GFHS: Abigail Gray 0 0-2 0, Kennedy Gray 1 1-2 3, Grace Reiman 2 0-0 4, Jamie Grimes 2 0-4 4. Totals 5 1-8, 11.

3-point goals FCCS 1 (Huston), GFHS 0. Total Fouls FCCS 6, GFHS 11. Fouled Out: None

BOYS

Foothills Christian 73, Helena Homeschool 67 (2 ot)

FCCS 14 9 15 16 10 9 - 73

HHS 13 13 17 17 10 - 67

FCCS: Ben Fried 14, Caleb Orso 22, Zach Kingsley 6, Carson Lindseth 31. Totals 26 17-26 73

HHS: Joel Burgard 6, TJ Lewis 12, Jalen Lieberg 16, Isaac Pegram 2, Jaedon Lieberg 31. Totals 22 12-22 67

3-point goals - FCCS 4 ( Fried 1, Orso 1, Lindseth 2) HHS 11 (Burgard 2, Lewis 1, Jalen Lieberg 5, Jaedon LIeberg 3). Total Fouls FCCS 17 HHS 23 Fouled Out -FCCS Fried, HHS Lewis, Rogers, Lieberg.

Stillwater Christian 63, Billings Christian 36

BCS 7 7 9 13 - 36

SCS 22 10 16 15 - 63

BCS: Drake Coonfare 9, Eric Taylor 9, Mike Morehand 3, Noah Lund 1, Ray Gregory 9, Cole Herman 2, Dan Waggoner 3. Totals 10 12-27 36

SCS: Nicholas Sulzbacher 3, Elijah Chuang 3, Austin Brown 11, Joe Hooker 12, Jakob Hembroff 1, Isaac Neumann 24, Zach Basnett 4, Jeremiah Hooker 5. Totals 24 9-14 63

3-point goals - BCS 4 (Taylor 3, Gregory) SCS 6 (Sulzbacher, Chuang, Brown, Neumann 3). Total Fouls BCS 14, SCS 33. Fouled Out - Joe Hooker