Undefeated Charlo girls win 14-C championship
Charlo's Liev Smith (12) looks for an opening in the 14-C District tournament last weekend in Ronan. Smith helped the Lady Vikings to the championship. (Scott Shindledecker/Lake County Leader)
Charlo's Carlee Fryberger launches a shot during the 14-C District tournament last week in Ronan. The Lady Vikings won the tourney and will play in Frenchtown this weekend. (Scott Shindledecker/Lake County Leader)
In the end, the unbeaten stayed that way and took home the top prize.
The Charlo Lady Vikings ran their season record to 20-0 and won the Montana 14C District tournament with a 48-32 win over Hot Springs Saturday in Ronan.
Friday, Charlo hammered Noxon, 51-18, to give Lady Vikings head coach Bret Thompson his 600th career win.
The Lady Vikings will begin Divisional play Thursday in Frenchtown. They will play Manhattan Christian at 5 p.m.
Hot Springs’ second-place finish was also good for a ticket to the Divisional tourney, which begins Thursday and runs through Saturday. Hot Springs will play West Yellowstone at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
Top finishers from that tournament will move on to the state championship tournament next month at the University of Montana in Missoula.
In last Saturday’s title game, Charlo junior Connor Fryberger scored 15 points and Liev Smith added 12 in leading the Lady Vikings to the title.
Hot Springs grabbed the early lead behind a strong defense and the leadership of sophomore guard Katelyn Christensen, who led the Lady Savage Heat with 10 points.
By halftime Charlo’s defense clamped down on Hot Springs and their offense began to find the range behind the scoring of Fryberger and Smith. Hot Springs could not overcome the 26-15 deficit the rest of the way.
The win gave Charlo a season sweep of the Lady Savage Heat, which is 19-3. All three of their losses have come at the hands of the Lady Vikings.
Hot Springs advanced to the title game with a 53-42 win over Sanders County rival Plains. Charlo, meanwhile, crushed Noxon 51-18 in their semifinal game to secure a spot in the championship game.