Polson and Ronan are battling as regular-season games start to wind down. With pressure on these teams to make it to state, this week was one in which each squad had to get it right. 

Here’s a look at how these Class A participants fared in one of the closing weeks of the conference schedule.

Polson Girls 39, Libby Girls 20

It was senior night on Feb. 5 in Linderman Gym and all eyes were focused on Polson taking care of Libby.

While many teams boast multiple seniors across the roster, there was one lone senior trying to make her mark that night: Josie Henriksen.

Henriksen is the only senior on the Lady Pirates roster this year, which can be a daunting task, leading younger players while navigating the pace of the game. But for this one game, Henriksen got to have fun.

Polson played well as a team, not scoring much but still keeping Libby to a low score. The gym wasn’t packed as it had been in some Lady Pirates games. However, when Henriksen put in a shot, it was like a reaction to a game-winner. 

The bench erupted as the crowd cheered the lone fourth-year player on the varsity roster. The Loggers kept up with many of the players on the team but struggled at times to find an answer for Henriksen. Her touch around the net was solid as she started her strong night with an and-one finish at the hoop.

While this game will help push the Lady Pirates up the standings, it ultimately gave Henriksen a day under the lights. Never the leading scorer, getting the cheers of a star was the kind of night to make this low-scoring affair worth the price to get in.

“It's kind of a bittersweet feeling,” Henriksen said while reminiscing on senior night. “I'm obviously sad that I have to go, but it motivates me to work hard and to just want to achieve things and make every moment count.”

The Lady Pirates earned the 39-20 win with the lowest total score they’ve recorded with another team all season. 

Aleysia Black helped her season total by getting past the 100-point scoring mark on the year as well.

Polson Boys 48, Libby Boys 45

It was a tight battle on Feb. 7 as Polson looked to win against Libby.

For senior night, Maddox Bird, Holden Emerson and Cody Haggard were allaaa honored as outgoing members of the team. For the team, a win was paramount not just for the rest of the season but also for the seniors.

Despite the Loggers having no recorded conference wins, they wanted to take a big one on the road away from the Pirates.

It was back-and-forth with Libby leading 14-13 after the first quarter. However, one Pirate was not going to let the Loggers dismantle his team at home. Malakai Curley started strong with three three-pointers in the first quarter.

His offensive output was more than effective as Polson kept up in the second quarter. Libby struggled to find chances as Polson took a 25-20 lead.

Libby rallied in the second half. Trailing 38-31, the Loggers found life in the fourth quarter. Curley was still putting up shots but the team allowed Libby multiple chances to stay in this one. The game came down to late free throws and some Curley magic.

The Pirates won out 48-45 on the back of Curley’s 24 points. That tally led both teams in scoring.

“I'm putting a lot of hard work, dedication, thousands of shots, and it just feels good that they're finally starting to pay off,” Curley said.

Bigfork Girls 54, Polson Girls 39

It was a tough start for the Lady Pirates on Feb. 5 when they suffered a tough road loss to Bigfork.

Polson struggled to put up points throughout the game, making this a more defensive match. Bigfork held strong while the Lady Pirates’ traditionally strong offense couldn’t keep up. Polson suffered a tough 54-39 road loss.

On a positive note, Black got her new career high with 14 points; Hinkley Moss hit the 300-point mark for varsity scoring; and Rylee Taylor-Jefferson earned the 200-point mark for the season.

That loss puts the Lady Pirates even on the week and puts them at 5-3 in the division. They now sit in third place, just a game behind Columbia Falls.

Polson Boys 51, Bigfork Boys 40

The boys started their week on Feb. 5 with a win over Bigfork and another reason to keep hopes high with the state tournament rolling around.

It was a strong defensive game for Polson, as the Vikings struggled to score. While Bigfork led 12-10 after the first quarter, they could only put up 10 points over the next two quarters. This lack of scoring and Polson’s steady scoring helped lift the Pirates to a 51-40 win.

That win helps get Polson to 4-4 in divisional play. They sit just below Browning, in fifth place.

Whitefish Girls 42, Ronan Girls 37

The Ronan Maidens have seen some success at the midseason turn and, even in a loss, saw some great improvements in their game against Whitefish on Feb. 5.

Ronan kept it close against a tough Lady Bulldogs team. The Maidens looked solid in three of their four quarters, but a five-point second quarter put Ronan in too much of a hole to come back and take the road win.

Nefertiti Stewart led the team with 10 points on the night. Nevaeh Perez reached 100 points on the year in that game and Kailyn Marengo hit 400 points in her varsity career as well.

Ronan Boys 68, Whitefish Boys 58

Ronan had two signature wins this week, starting with a victory over Whitefish on Feb. 5.

It was a game Ronan needed to win to keep their hopes of winning the top spot in the Northwest A alive. Despite the Bulldogs playing it close, Ronan won the rebound battle. As the Chiefs got board after board, it became evident that they were going to win this one.

The Chiefs won out 66-58, out-rebounding the Bulldogs by 11 en route to the win.

Ronan Girls 61, Browning Girls 58

For both Ronan squads, it was a revenge game as they headed up to Browning on Feb. 7.

It was tied for the Maidens' best offensive performance of the year. After suffering a home loss earlier in the season, the Maidens came back stronger. However, Browning was still a tough opponent.

Trailing 58-55, Stewart hit two clutch free throws to close the gap to 58-57. Then, a Maddy Illig jumper helped push Ronan over the edge with a 59-58 win. After two free throws by Natalie Adams, the Maidens sealed the crunch time victory 61-58.

Four players hit double digits for Ronan, while Illig reached the 100-point mark for season scoring. 

That win puts Ronan even with Browning and tied for fifth with a 3-6 divisional record.

Ronan Boys 76, Browning Boys 70

That wasn’t the only big win of the night, as Ronan beat Browning on Feb. 7.

This was the signature Class A win Ronan needed on its resume. Much like the last two times the teams met, it was higher scoring but Ronan finally got the edge in this one. As the field tightens up towards the end of conference play, the Chiefs buckled down and won a game in front of a passionate Browning crowd.

This win puts Ronan at 7-2 on the year in the Northwest A, claiming the top spot with just weeks before the divisional play-in.

    Polson junior Rylee Taylor-Jefferson goes up for a layup against Libby on Feb. 7 at Linderman Gym in Polson. (Bob Gunderson Photo)
  

    Polson junior Malakai Curley goes up for a three-point shot against Libby on Feb. 7 at Linderman Gym in Polson. (Bob Gunderson Photo)
  

    Polson junior Aleysia Black baseline drives against Libby on Feb. 7 at Linderman Gym in Polson. (Bob Gunderson Photo)