BELGRADE — For awhile Thursday evening, things were looking pretty good for the Bigfork girls basketball team.

The Valkyries held Fairfield to two points in the second quarter to take a 25-22 lead.

Bigfork also stayed on top 37-35 after three quarters.

Then the two-time defending state champs woke up. Fairfield outscored Bigfork 21-12 down the stretch to claim a 56-49 victory in the final game in opening-round action at the Class B state girls basketball tournament.

Fairfield moves on to a semifinal contest tonight at 8:30 versus Choteau. Bigfork drops into loser-out play at 2:30 p.m. versus Columbus.

Fairfield (22-2) was led by Molly Kliner, 23 points, Courtney Kinna, 15, and Skylar Steinbach, 12.

Mallery Knoll had a super game for Bigfork with a 23-point effort. Quinci Paine was next with 12.

 In other first-round action on opening day, Choteau topped Columbus 43-35, Manhattan Christian edged Missoula Loyola in overtime 41-40, and Malta topped Three Forks 37-30.

Malta and Manhattan Christian play in the first semifinal game tonight at 7.

Three Forks faces Loyola in loser-out play at 1 p.m.

Fairfield     20     2     13     21     –     56

Bigfork     10     15     12     12     –     49

Fairfield (22-2) – Molly Klinker 9-14 4-8 23, Cortney Kinna 6-21 2-4 15, Brianne Poor 0-3 0-0 0, Jordyn Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Destiny Palmer 0-4 0-0 0, Katie Luoma 0-1 1-2 1, Skylar Steinbach 1-4 9-18 12, Sydnie Manuel-McInerney 1-1 1-3 3, Brianne Kirkhorn 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 17-49 19-37 56

Bigfork (20-5) – Mallery Knoll 8-17 2-3 19, McKinze Schults 1-3 0-0 2, Quinci Paine 5-8 2-2 12, Melissa VanDerveer 0-0 2-3 2, Caitlin Charlebois 2-13 3-6 8, Kailey Fierro 2-3 2-6 6. Totals 18-44 11-22 49

3-pointers: Fairfield 3-10 (Klinker 1-1, Kinna 1-5, Steinbach 1-1, Palmer 0-3); Bigfork 2-6 (Knoll 1-3, Charlebois 1-3). Rebounds: Fairfield 27 (Klinker 11); Bigfork 34 (Paine 11). Steals: Fairfield 14 (Klinker 3, Manuel-McInerney 3); Bigfork 4 (Charlebois 3). Assists: Fairfield 9 (Steinbach 4); Bigfork 9 (Charlebois 4). Turnovers: Fairfield 11, Bigfork 23. Total fouls: Fairfield 21, Bigfork 24. Fouled out: Luoma.

Choteau 43, Columbus 35

Choteau     12     7     15     9     —    43

Columbus     9     9     11     6     —     35

Choteau (21-4) – Maria Renteria 1-5 2-2 4, Ashley Vandolah 1-3 4-5 7, Samantha Mellinger 2-6 0-0 5, CJ Spinder 0-3 0-0 0, Alisha Breen 6-11 0-0 14, Marissa McCormick 6-16 1-5 13. Totals 16-44, 7-12 43

Columbus (16-8) – Kelsey Stewart 0-4 0-0 0, Kali France 0-4 0-0 0, Ashley Stewart 1-3 0-0 2, Kaitlin Campbell 1-1 0-0 2, Tesse Rouane 1-7 2-5 4, Mikaea Osborne 0-12 1-2 1, Samantha Church 4-8 0-0 8, Bailey Wilson 7-15 0-0 18. Totals 14-55 3-9 35

3-pointers: Choteau 4-8 (Breen 2-2, Vandolah 1-1, Mellinger 1-3, McCormick 0-2); Columbus 4-22 (Wilson 4-12, Osborne 0-4, Rouane 0-4, Stewart 0-2. Rebounds: Choteau 34 (McCormick 9); Columbus 37 (Osborne 11); Steals: Choteau 11 (Mellinger 4); Columbus 8 (A. Stewart 2, Church 2); Assists: Choteau 13 (Vandolah 6); Columbus 9 (A. Stewart 2, Campell 2, Church 2); Turnovers: Choteau 20, Columbus 20: Fouled out: none. Total fouls: Choteau 11, Columbus 12.

Manhattan Christian 41, Missoula Loyola 40 (OT)

Loyola     11     6     11     9     3     —    40

MCHS     11     4     10     12     4     —     41

MISSOULA Loyola (22-2) – Jordan Pfau 3-13 2-2 10, Alex Anderson 4-6 0-1 8, Kiernan Haggarty 5-10 3-3 13, Taylor Giliher 0-1 0-0 0, Emma Priddy 1-8 0-0 2, Alex Lamey 2-6 0-1 5, Ashley Medeiros 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 16-49 5-7 40

MANHATTAN CHRISTIAN (20-5) – Alllyson Braaksma 0-1 0-0 0, Miranda Koenes 2-5 1-2 5, Chelsea VanDyk 2-4 0-0 4, Amber Visser 0-3 0-1 0, Breanne Heidema 0-0 0-2 0, Lauren Potts 5-11 0-5 10, Hanna VanDyk 10-20 2-3 22. Totals 19-44 3-13 41

3-pointers: Loyola 3-8 (Pfau 2-7, Lamey 1-1); MCHS 0-4 (Koenes 0-1, Visser 0-1, Potts 0-1, H. VanDyk 0-1). Rebounds: Loyola 28 (Haggarty 8); MCHS 29 (Potts 9); Steals: Loyola 5 (Haggarty 2); MCHS 8 (Visser 3); Assists: Loyola 9 (Lamey 3); MCHS 13 (Visser 4, Potts 4); Blocks: Loyola 3 (Anderson, Haggarty, Giliher); MCHS 11 (H. VanDyk 8); Turnovers: Loyola 16, MCHS 15; Total fouls: Loyola 17, MCHS 14. Fouled out: Loyola Priddy; MCHS none.

Malta 37, Three Forks 30

Three Forks     12     5     4     9     —     30

Malta     6     7     11     13    —    37

Three Forks (16-8) – Liz Samson 0-0 0-0 0, Shayla Mack 1-3 3-6 5, Allie Sauvageau 4-10 7-10 16, Jordan Hamilton 0-1 0-0 0, Ashley Malmquist1-7 1-2 3, Cierra Myers 1-4 3-4 6. Totals 7-25 14-22 30.

Malta (24-0) – Courtney Henry 3-6 0-2 6, Ashley Carner 1-3 0-0 2, Jessica Cole 1-5 0-0 2, Bobbi Knudsen 3-6 4-6 10, Kori Kindle 1-3 7-8 9, Jennifer Weaver 0-2 0-0 0, Kirschelle Zwiers 3-6 2-7 8. Totals 12-31 13-23 37

3-pointers: Three Forks 2-11 (Sauvageau 1-4, Myers 1-2, Malmquist 0-5); Malta 0-5 (Henry 0-2,Knudsen 0-2, Cole 0-1); Rebounds: Three Forks 16 (Myers 4); Malta 26 (Knudsen 10); Steals: Three Forks 9 (Samson 3); Malta 9 (Knudsen 3); Assists: Three Forks 4 (Mack 3); Malta 5 (Kindle 4); Blocks: Three Forks 0; Malta 1 (Knudsen); Turnovers: Three Forks 19, Malta 16; Total fouls: Three Forks 18, Malta 18; Fouled out: Sauvageau.