The Charlo Vikings girls basketball team left no doubt who the District 14C champion is.

For the third time this year, the Vikings beat Hot Springs, this time by a 53-27 score in the District championship game in Polson on Saturday afternoon.

The win gives Charlo the No. 1 seed coming out of District 14C as they move on to the Divisional round this weekend in Frenchtown where they will take on Philipsburg on Thursday morning.

Hot Springs’ Lady Heat also advanced to the Division round in Frenchtown as the District’s number two seed. The Heat will play West Yellowstone this Thursday at 3:30 p.m.

Charlo won both regular season meetings with Hot Springs and wasted little time going for win number three. The Vikings jumped out to a 16-6 first quarter lead behind their aggressive, smothering defense and multi-faceted offense in a fast paced opening eight minutes of play.

The two teams settled into a slower pace in the second quarter, in which Charlo outscored Hot Springs 8-4 to take a 24-10 halftime lead.

Throughout the first half, and indeed most of the game, Charlo’s defense controlled the tempo and seemed to take the flow out of the normally potent Hot Springs offense.

Charlo kept up the pressure in the third quarter, adding 10 points to their lead, 42-18, heading into the final quarter of play.

Hot Springs got a spark from sophomore guard Callie Cano in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough to make a dent in the large Charlo lead.

The Vikings had three players score in double figures, led by Sheadon Kain’s game-best 17 points. Charlo also got 11 points each from Seeley McDonald and Darcy Coleman as they lifted their season record to 14-4.

Senior forward Lauryn Aldridge had eight points to lead Hot Springs, while Cano and junior forward Brooke Jackson had six points each.

    Hot Springs guard Callie Cano dribbles up court while being guarded by Charlo's Keadon Kain during their District 14C championship game Saturday evening in Polson. (Chuck Bandel/VP-MI)
  

    Hot Springs sophomore guard Kara Christensen looks for an open teammate under the watchful eye of Charlo's Brielle Zempel (35) during the game Saturday in Polson. (Chuck Bandel/VP-MI)