The league-leading Bigfork Valkyries (16-2) set the tone early and never looked back, cruising to a 51-35 victory over the Ronan Maidens in a Northwest A Conference matchup on Monday, Feb. 24.

A dominant first half by Bigfork proved to be the difference, as the Valkyries stormed out to a 32-11 halftime lead. Their defensive pressure stifled Ronan’s offense early, limiting the Maidens to just four points in the first quarter and seven in the second.

Meanwhile, Bigfork’s offense executed efficiently, posting 14 points in the opening frame and an even more impressive 18 in the second.

Despite the early struggles, Ronan showed resilience. The Maidens improved their offensive rhythm, scoring 10 points in the third quarter and finishing strong by outscoring Bigfork 14-4 in the fourth quarter. However, the deficit proved too much to overcome, as Bigfork’s early dominance provided a comfortable cushion.

Ally Luedtke led Ronan’s scoring efforts with nine points, while Arianna Zepeda and Nevaeh Perez each chipped in six.

Despite the loss, Ronan retained their second-place finish in the Northwest A Conference standings.

At Ronan

BIGFORK 51, RONAN 35

Bigfork - 14 - 18 - 15 - 4 - 51

Ronan - 4 - 7 - 10 - 14 - 35

RONAN SCORING: Ally Luedtke 9, Arianna Zepeda 6, Nevaeh Perez 6, Kaylee Kelch 4, Maddy Illig 3, Zailee Hewankorn 3, Lauryn Buhr 2, Natalie Adams 2

Ronan set for tough battle against Dillon in divisional opener

The Ronan Maidens finished second in the Northwest A Conference and get the draw of one of the toughest teams in Class A basketball for the opening round of the Western A Divisional Tournament, squaring off against the Dillon Lady Beavers on Thursday, March 6, at 9 a.m. in Whitefish.

Ronan has had a bright season (10-7 overall, 7-4 Northwest A), finishing second in a competitive Northwest A conference. The Maidens have been battle-tested and have taken the toughest punches their conference has. They’ll draw on that experience if they want to upset over a Dillon team that has been dominant all season.

Dillon (17-1 overall, 9-1 Southwest A) enters the tournament as one of the top-ranked teams in Class A basketball, finishing first in the Southwest A standings. The Lady Beavers’ only loss came in conference play. Their disciplined defense and efficient offense has made them a tough matchup for any opponent this season.

Ronan will need a strong performance on both ends of the court to compete with the Beavers. The Maidens average 56 points per game while allowing 48, a defensive effort that has kept them in games against some of the best teams in the state. They will need to do just that to limit Dillon’s scoring opportunities.

Dillon’s defense has been robust in nearly every statistical category. The Lady Beavers have allowed just 35 points per game while scoring 53, making them one of the stingiest defensive teams in Class A. Ronan can score a lot of points, and they will have to accomplish that to offset Dillon.

This matchup will test Ronan’s ability to play at a high level against a top-tier opponent. The Maidens need to take care of the basketball and limit turnovers so the Lady Beavers don’t get on runs and gain confidence.

For an opening-round matchup, this could be Ronan’s toughest contest of the year, so it’s a can’t-miss.