Northwest A honors Gunlock as MVP

Kolby Finley of Ronan and Paeten Gunlock of Bigfork were named Most Valuable Players for the Northwest A, as part of the all-conference and All-State honors in the league released late Monday.

Gunlock is a four-time All-State pick who averaged 25.9 points a game while leading the Valkyries to a third straight State A tournament. She’s one of three All-State selections for the Northwest A girls, along with Whitefish freshman Avery Orme and Polson junior Rylee Taylor-Jefferson. 

Gunlock was All-State Class B in 2023, the year the before they Vals moved up to Class A.

Orme was the Northwest A’s second-leading scorer at 16.5 points per game; she also averaged 7.7 rebounds and helped the Bulldogs to their first State A tournament since 2021.  

Taylor-Jefferson averaged 14.5 points, with 41 3-pointers, for the Lady Pirates. It’s the junior’s first All-State selection, though she was first team all-Northwest A last season. 

The girls’ Coach of the Year honors were split between Bigfork’s Isaac Martel and Bob Bolam of Whitefish. 

Finley was named All-State for a second straight year while helping Ronan make a second straight State A appearance. The senior averaged 18.2 points and 8.1 rebounds; he also had a team-high 101 assists. 

Ronan had a second All-State pick in junior Matiya Nenemay; he averaged 17.0 points. 

Columbia Falls senior Bjorn Pedersen was the third All-State boys selection after averaging 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds, both team highs. He was first-team all-Northwest A last season as well. 

The Northwest A first team was filled out by Browning senior Shayde St. Goddard and Bigfork senior Austin Savik. Savik was first team (and All-State) a year ago.  

The boys Coach of the Year is Ronan’s George Sherwood.  

All-Northwest A 

BOYS 

First Team 

Kolby Finley, sr.    Ronan* 

Bjorn Pedersen, sr.    Columbia Falls* 

Matiya Nenemay, jr.    Ronan* 

Shayde St. Goddard, sr.    Browning 

Austin Savik, sr.    Bigfork 

*-denotes All-State selection 

MVP: Kolby Finley, Ronan 

Coach of the Year: George Sherwood, Ronan 

Second Team 

Malakai Curley, jr.    Polson 

Easton Brooks, sr.     Columbia Falls 

Jhett McDonald, sr.    Ronan 

Jory Hill, jr.    Columbia Falls 

Royce Madplume, sr.    Browning 

Honorable mention — Will Sisson, jr., Whitefish; Kyson Michel, so., Polson’; Siouxprixm Qualtier, jr., Ronan; Treker Hickey, sr., Bigfork; Reis Reevis, jr., Browning; Jett Pitts, jr., Columbia Falls; Tamret Savik, s., Bigfork. 

GIRLS 

First Team 

Paeton Gunlock, sr.    Bigfork* 

Avery Orme, fr.    Whitefish* 

Rylee Taylor-Jefferson, jr.    Polson* 

Onnikka Lawrence, jr.    Columbia Falls 

Allie Shors, so.    Whitefish 

*-denotes All-State selection. 

MVP: Paeten Gunlock, Bigfork 

Co-Coaches of Year: Isaac Martel, Bigfork, and Bob Bolam, Whitefish. 

Second Team 

Rylee Sweeney, jr.    Columbia Falls 

Josephine Michael, jr.    Browning 

Kendee Ollinger-Calf Boss Ribs, fr.    Browning 

Nefertiti Stewart, 8    Ronan 

Hinkley Moss, jr.    Polson 

Honorable mention — Alexa Friske, jr., Columbia Falls; Aleysia Black, jr., Polson; Reese Hudson, so., Whitefish; Rylee Delmas, jr., Libby; Payton DeSpain, so., Bigfork; Tess Trombley, sr.,  Browning; Kailyn Morengo, jr., Ronan. 

All-Southwest A 

BOYS 

First Team 

Hank Smith, jr.    Frenchtown* 

Braxtyn Turney, sr.    Dillon* 

Josh Sutton, jr.    Butte Central* 

Cohen Hartman, sr.    Dillon 

Cooper Michaud, jr.    Frenchtown 

*-Denotes All-State selection.

MVP: Hank Smith, Frenchtown 

Second Team 

Ryan Peoples, sr.    Butte Central 

Henry Griffin, sr.    Frenchtown 

Jaxon Hiatta, so.    Butte Central 

Aason Munday, so.    Dillon 

Jake McCarthy, sr.    Hamilton 

Honorable mention — Trevor Smith, sr.,  Frenchtown; Kaden Wyant, jr., Stevensville; Trevyn Bakkenb, so., Hamilton; GG Fantini, jr., Butte Central; Will Hansen, sr., Dillon; Dylan Wirt, jr., Corvallis. 

GIRLS 

First Team 

Mason Quinn, sr.    Frenchtown* 

Tess Tash, so.    Dillon* 

Landri Hartman, so.    Dillon* 

Jezzy Palmer, so.    Frenchtown* 

Cassie Keller, so.    Dillon 

*-Denotes All-State selection.

MVP: Mason Quinn, Frenchtown. 

Second Team 

Addi Drye, sr.    Stevensville 

Kaitlyn McKern, so.    Dillon 

Ashlynn McKern, sr.    Hamillton 

Ryan Lucier, jr.    Frenchtown 

Ella Varner, sr.    Corvallis 

Honorable mention — Zayonna Otherbull, so., Butte Central; Shannon Martin, sr., Dillon; Blake Hardy, jr., Frenchtown; Kate Allen, jr., Corvallis; Rylee Forbes, jr., Butte Central; Meryn Leonardi, jr., Hamilton.