Hoops Heat It Up. Grapplers Tear It Up

Our local teams battled it out on the hardwood this past weekend. The rivalries were fierce, the shots were hot, and the crowds were roaring! And the wrestlers made all of us proud in Billings, unleashing their fury on the mats!

The Sugarbeeters faced a challenging weekend, going up against Conrad and CJI. The girls kicked things off with a dominant performance on Friday, crushing Conrad 61-17. However, they couldn't maintain the momentum against CJI on Saturday, falling 46-38. The boys also struggled, dropping both games against Conrad (56-46) and CJI (53-39). Despite the losses, the Sugarbeeters showed flashes of brilliance, and we know they'll be back with a vengeance!

The Wildcats had a mixed weekend. The girls couldn't overcome Glasgow on Friday, losing 41-29. The boys put up a valiant fight against Malta on Saturday, but ultimately fell short in a high-scoring thriller, 75-70!

Hays-Lodgepole girls soared to victory on Friday, defeating Turner 44-35. The boys, however, couldn't weather the Tornado, falling to Turner 74-36. Turner's boys continued their winning streak on Saturday, blowing past North Star 63-47. These teams continue to prove that small-town spirit can pack a big punch!

The basketballs were bouncing and the wrestlers were hard at work. The mats at Metra Park were calling. Beeter grapplers answered!

Wrestling is a sport that embodies the values of hard work, discipline, and perseverance - values that are deeply ingrained in our HiLine way of life. Coach Stroh and his dedicated team of Assistant Coaches shared some insights with BCJ Sports about the triumphs in Billings and what it means for the athletes.

"2025 saw Chinook take more wrestlers to the State Tournament since before I can remember. All the boys, Bailey, and Lynley wrestled hard. Five of them fought all the way to the blood round before falling Saturday morning - the 3rd and final day of the tournament".

Stroh continued, "Grace has been rock solid for us all year, and she showed this weekend why she is our leader and team captain. She wrestled with maturity and heart. In the finals, she defeated a girl who had beaten her 3 times throughout the year. However, the match that had all of Metras' attention was in the semifinals where Grace came from behind to tie it with a last-second take down, sending the match into overtime where Grace - in her first state finals appearance - Took. Her. Opponent. Down! Cotes from Ronan was 25-1 for the season and a heavy favorite to win the bracket until Grace proved that wouldn't be happening in 2025!

Grace's heart and determination is what separated her from the rest of the girls in her bracket. She knew she could do it and believed in herself even when she was down 6 points going into the 3rd period. Our coaching staff will really miss her leadership and happy, go-lucky attitude."

BCJ is proud to cover the athletic achievements of our local students. Let's pack the gyms, cheer on our athletes, and show our small-town pride!