Charlo girls win tenth straight over nonconference foes

The Charlo Lady Vikings dismantled two nonconference opponents this past week to add two more to their unblemished record.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley grapplers place four at Cut Bank Invite

At the Cut Bank Invitational this past weekend, Arlee Warrior and Mission-Charlo Bulldog grapplers competed against top rate competition that included a quartet of Class A programs. Mission-Charlo would place fourth in the team standings, bolstered by a pair of champions and another placer.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Bulldogs claim pair of close wins; Eagles fall to St. Regis

The Mission Bulldogs picked up two convincing wins this past week.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Pair of Pirates chosen for Shrine game

Mission Valley football players Ryker Wenderoth and Bo Kelley of the Polson Pirates were named to the 74th annual Montana East-West Shrine game.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Lady Bulldogs drop pair against Thompson Falls, Loyola

This past week, the Mission Lady Bulldogs faced a pair of top rung on the Western B ladder teams.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Arlee girls fall to Florence, Charlo

Down in the Bitterroot against defending Western B champion, State B runnerup Florence, the visiting former Class C Scarlets may have been outmaneuvered by their host, but they closed out the contest with their most productive half of the season while matching their highest quarter tally during the final frame.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Polson, Ronan wrestlers busy at several duals

This past week, the pair Mission Valley NWA wrestlers from Ronan and Polson competed in sets of duals against fellow Western A competition.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Chiefs edge Whitefish Bulldogs, 58-55

Against Whitefish, the visiting Bulldogs connected on better than half their shots during a big first frame that included a trio of triples.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Ronan Maidens roll past Lady Pirates, 61-11

At the midpoint juncture of the regular schedule, the Maidens of Ronan collected a pair of convincing NWA conference wins.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Pirates win three straight, including two in conference

The Polson Pirates reeled off a trio of victories on the week that included a pair of crucial conference wins.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Bulldogs smash Hot Springs; edged by Eureka in overtime

At St. Ignatius this past week, the visiting Savage Heat got the attention of the host Bulldogs when they wrapped up the first frame with a two possession lead. But thereafter, Mission shifted gears by outscoring their opponent by a 4:1 ratio to shape the outcome in their favor. Zoran …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

A look at this weekend's key sports matchups

Rez roundball rivarly wrangle at Ronan:
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Lady Vikings win two in conference; Two Eagle falls to Victor

This past weekend, the Lady Vikings of Charlo picked up a pair of conference wins with a combination of suffocating defense and quality shooting.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Arlee Scarlets fall to Anaconda, Deer Lodge

Against the visiting Lady Wardens this past Thursday, the host Scarlets played Deer Lodge within two possessions during the first frame, nibbling at the deficit during the second to remain in the hunt at intermission. But thereafter, the Wardens went on lockdown and caged Scarlet aspirations of pulling off a …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Vikings top Two Eagle at home; fall to Red Devils in Noxon

At Charlo this past weekend, the visiting Red Devils posted mid-teens during a first frame surge by their trio of leading scorers as contrasted to a mere duece by the Vikings’ Levi Gaustad.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Arlee Warriors come up short against Anaconda, Deer Lodge

At Arlee last Thursday, the host Warriors trailed by a double digit deficit at intermission against the visiting Wardens, but pulled within a single possession with a third quarter surge.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Frenchtown edges Polson Pirates in close game, 43-40

At the Salish Kootenai College gym in Pablo, the host Polson Pirates checked the reins on the visiting Broncs for most of the way.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Mission girls drop pair of close games

At St. Ignatius this past weekend, the host Lady Bulldogs played a pair of close contests.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Ringing in the New Year with area rivalry games

Among many ways to ring in a new year, one resolution might involve attending some area rivalry wrangles.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Kelley headed to Montana Tech for football

As signal caller of the Polson Pirates for two-and-one-half seasons, quarterback Bo Kelley completed more than 15 dozen passes for over 2,700 yards as well as rushed for almost another 300 yards over the course of his three-year prep career.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Former Arlee stars seeing time on the collegiate hardword

The success of the Arlee basketball program over the past handful of seasons has spilled over into the collegiate ranks with the placement of several former Mission Valley area prep players contributing minutes on the floor with a handful of teams.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Charlo's long-range shooting carries it past Mission

At St. Ignatius in a county cross classification clash on Friday the 13th, the visiting Lady Vikings of Charlo dialed the operator long distance and completed the call on a trio of triples that contributed to relegating the host Lady Bulldogs to a double digit deficit when their shots fell …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Pirates drop hard-fought game to Browning; Mission tops Charlo

At Browning, the visiting Pirates held an edge on the bookend frames, but it was inbetween that the outcome would fall off the shelf.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

A few gems, some diamonds in the rough at Mining City

At Butte this past weekend, Polson and Ronan grapplers were among several Class A teams in attendance at the Mining City Duals held at the Civic Center. The tournament was structured into multiple pools during first day action with the top teams advancing to champion pool competition and the bottom …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley grapplers place 10 at Clark Fork tourney

At Superior this past weekend, Western BC wrestlers from Mission-Charlo and Arlee competed at the Bob Kinney Classic. Mission-Charlo had eight placers, while Arlee notched a pair. The Bulldogs came within one bout of overtaking Cutbank in the team standings.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley wrestlers place eight at Owen Invite

Dozens of Mission Valley wrestlers began the new season by competing in two tournaments this past weekend.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Pirate grapplers aspire to contend with state elite

Polson placed third at state last season while capturing the Western A crown with a first place finish that just edged Frenchtown by a single point.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Girls basketball previews: Ronan Maidens poised for big season

Basketball opponents scheduled to face Ronan girls this season might be advised to take out one of those insurance policies to protect themselves against mayhem of the variety that Maidens are capable of inflicting upon those they face on the hardcourt this upcoming season.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley boys basketball previews: Polson top scorer Graham returns

Last season, the Polson Pirates could have easily flipped the script on their 9-14 record as they came out on the short end of a quintet of contests by a mere two possessions or less. Formulate some fixes to a few fractured fundamentals and they were capable of contending with …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley gridders receive postseason honors

The Mission Valley area had 13 football players who were acknowledged with postseason accolades this past fall, a quintet from Mission, a quartet from Ronan and a pair from Arlee as well as Polson.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley volleyball all-stars shine one last time

At Ronan last Tuesday, the Mission Valley held their annual volleyball all-star gathering to culminate the end of the season.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Lady Vikings eye return to postseason prominence

Last season, the Charlo Lady Vikings had a season for the ages that included their first trip to State in more than a decade.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Polson volleyball 2019 campaign a memorable one

The Lady Pirates volleyball program, under head coach Lizzy Cox, successfully negotiated the perils of postseason play to advance to the State A stage in eight seasons after a four-year run from 2011-08.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Polson grads making the grade in collegiate level soccer

Polson area soccer programs currently have a half dozen graduates competing among the collegiate ranks, five from the Polson High School Lady Pirate girls soccer program and one from the Mission Valley Christian Academy soccer program.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Lady Vikings volleyball win first state match

At Bozeman for the All-classification State volleyball tournament on the Montana State University campus, the Western second-seeded Charlo Lady Vikings were making only their third tournament appearance since 2006 and 1998.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Polson volleyball concludes season at states

At Bozeman for the All-classification State volleyball tournament on the Montana State University campus, the Western fourth-seeded Lady Pirates of Polson were making their first State A appearance in eight seasons since a four-year run dating from 2008-2011 that included a fourth place finish in 2009.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Polson soccer players garner postseason honors

Polson soccer had an octet of pitch proficient Pirate players acknowledged with postseason honors this past fall.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Polson x-c celebrates successful season

Tuesday, Nov. 5, the Polson cross country team held their annual awards banquet in the Polson High School commons area.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Frissell transitioned well to college running

If Polson’s recently graduated two-time cross-country State A champion Bea Frissell encountered any difficulties in transitioning from high school to collegiate competition, it sure didn’t seem to show.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Jackson in action: Ronan's resourceful runner

Mission Valley native Jackson Duffey is another cross country runner who has made the transition from prep to collegiate competition look close to seamless.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Charlo Vikings beat Heat for District 14C Championship

At Noxon for the District 14C volleyball tournament, the top-seeded Lady Vikings of Charlo would run the gamut of playoff match experiences. First, there would be a tussle with some Devils on Halloween. Next, embark upon a marathon. Then, a meltdown from too much Heat exposure. Following that, perform an …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Polson Pirates prep for Western A volleyball tournament

This upcoming weekend, Dillon will host the Western A Divisional volleyball tournament. The top four teams who survive their engagements will advance to compete in the State A tournament the following weekend against their Eastern A counterparts.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Mission places third at District 7B tourney

At St. Ignatius this past Saturday for the District 7B tournament, the host Mission Lady Bulldogs started out a little ragged in their first set against the second-seed Lady Blue Hawks of Thompson Falls and ended up dropping a four-set match to the eventual champion.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Park City Panthers deny Bulldogs playoff payoff

At Park City in first round action of Class C 8-man playoffs, the visiting Mission Bulldogs of St. Ignatius and the host Park City Panthers grappled on the gridiron the duration of the matchup as each sought to gain an edge over the other.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Season comes to an end for Arlee Warriors

At Arlee, the Western C league leading Mountain Cats and the host Warriors traded scoring drives in the early going of the first frame as each matched the other.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Mission Bulldogs roll into playoffs with big win

At Darby, the visiting Bulldogs and the host Tigers traded initial scoring drives before Mission cobbled together a one possession advantage as the first frame drew to a close.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Corvallis rallies past Ronan Chiefs, 26-20

At Corvallis, it was trick or treat time in the Bitteroot for the host Blue Devil gridders on Senior Night before Halloween. What was thought to be the initial trick? The visiting Chiefs jumped out to a three-possession lead in the first frame.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Hamilton gridders roll past Polson on Sr. Night

At Polson on Senior Night, the visiting top tier-ranked Bitterroot Broncs from Hamilton showcased much of their vaunted multiple weapon arsenal that has featured them as part of the conversation much of the season as favored to advance to the Class A championship for a third straight time.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley runners brave elements at state cross country meet

Weather tends to be a frequent subject we all have cause to grouse about at one time or another.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Mission Bulldogs' grit topples Titan trickery

At St. Ignatius for a key Western C showdown this past Friday, the visiting Titans of the Flint Creek coop and the host Bulldogs squared off for a titanic battle with postseason implications.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Dillon rolls past Ronan, 48-12

At Ronan this past Thursday in a game rescheduled to accomodate a shortage of referees for Friday night contests in the area, the Chiefs would endure some bouncing by beastly Beaver boys.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Polson volleyball competes at tournament

At Missoula, the Lady Pirates participated in the annual Missoula County Public Schools Invitational held jointly at Hellgate and Sentinel. The tournament features most of the Western AA and A teams with 6B Florence among others rounding out the roster of teams.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley harriers named all-conference

At Hamilton in the Western A Classic, the Mission Valley had seven area runners place among the top fifteen for all-conference honors.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Ronan Maidens sweep Libby

This past week, the Ronan Maidens swept their competition to post two wins in conference action.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Nothing fishy about final tuneup for Mission Valley harriers

At Arlee for the Fish Hatchery Challenge this past Thursday, most Mission Valley area teams were able to get one final regular season tuneup before the postseason gets underway next week.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Charlo Lady Vikings remain unbeaten in District 14C volleyball action

At Charlo last week, Lady Viking volleyball dialed down the therms generated by the Savage Heat of Hot Springs, then tamed some Tigers from St. Regis to notch two more wins in District 14C to maintain their lead in the conference.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Extras in excess: Maidens drop a pair

For Ronan volleyball, the idiomatic adage “so close and yet so far” is becoming a recurrent theme with an uncanny frequency this season.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Mission Lady Bulldogs sweep week's slate

This past weekend, the Lady Bulldogs of Mission St. Ignatius traveled to Troy, where they topped the Lady Trojans in straight sets to notch another 7B conference win.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Polson volleyball beats Browning

At Polson this past Saturday, the visiting Browning Lady Indians proved to be more than a handful for the host Lady Pirates, but the Polson volleyballers were able to take charge a crucial junctures during the latter stages of each set to capture the match.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Polson Pirates soccer teams back into the playoffs

Both Polson soccer squads retained their third-seed status in the Northern A conference despite dropping their final week of regular schedule contests.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Davis' late touchdown helps Polson Pirates swat Bitterroot

At Stevensville, the visiting Pirates would play the role of spoiler for host Homecoming hopes by breaking a scoreless tie in the final frame, then fending off a swarm of Yellowjacket activity the rest of the way in an 8-0 win.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Mission Bulldogs claim Crown of the Valley, spoil Arlee homecoming

At Arlee during Homecoming, the visiting Mission Bulldogs flipped the script on the outcome from the preceding pair of seasons against the Warriors with a strong first half performance.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Trio of Polson High School golfers named all-state

At the State A golf tournament held in Laurel, the Mission Valley minted a trio of area golfers with all-state recognition.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Mission Bulldogs hammer Ennis, 51-8

At St. Ignatius, Mission held the reins in check on the visiting Mustangs while the hosts found the end zone eight times with a half dozen different players.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Pirate soccer teams remain in hunt for playoff berths

At Libby, the visiting Lady Pirates got an early goal from Ali Hupka, but Libby scored just before intermission to even the contest, then scored a go-ahead goal halfway through the second half to force Polson to rally.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley sends three golfers to State

With the culmination of the Western A Divisional held in Frenchtown this past weekend, the Mission Valley will have a dozen area golfers competing in the State A tournament this weekend in Laurel.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Polson soccer teams sweep Bigfork

At Homecoming, the Polson Lady Pirates got an early goal from Sophia Moderie, then had to stave off multiple challenges by the visiting Bigfork Valkyries to keep themselves in the hunt for a postseason playoff berth. Kyla Heiser turned in a strong defensive performance, diffusing a couple of explosive incursions …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley harriers run well at invites

This past week, area runners competed in two events, the Whitefish Invitational and the Mountain West Classic in Missoula.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Whitefish Bulldogs run past Ronan Chiefs, 55-20

At Whitefish, the visiting Chiefs discovered that Dawg Devin Beale was the real deal as he bulled his way for four scores at their expense. After Beale double dipped into the end zone in the first quarter, Ronan countered with an 11-yard Eric Dolence pass to Matt Victor that put …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Lady Pirates volleyball splits homecoming matches

The Polson volleyball team split its homecoming matches last week, beating Libby and losing to Butte Central.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Mission, Charlo score gridiron football triumphs

At Seeley-Swan in a rescheduled match moved to Saturday, the visiting Bulldogs and the host Blackhawks were knotted at a touchdown apiece entering intermission. In the second half, Kolten Gardipee snared his second TD reception of the game, Troy Matt rushed for two tallies and Layne Spidel added some icing …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Charlo edges Plains to remain unbeaten; mixed results for Mission VB teams

At Charlo this past weekend, the visiting Plains Trotters sought to blemish the pristine record of the host Lady Vikings. The match was knotted at one apiece entering the third set, which Charlo secured for a 2-1 advantage.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Polson native Frissell running well for Griz

Bea Frissell has already carving herself a niche among collegiate cross-country.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Polson soccer splits games

At Polson this past weekend, both Pirate soccer teams flashed some teeth on offense as they prevailed over the visiting Libby Loggers with multiple goal scoring performances.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Setting the tone with Orange & Black Hues: Ronan Homecoming

Week long Homecoming activities culminated this past Friday night with a sports doubleheader volleyball match between Ronan and county rival Polson, followed by the football rivalry wrangle and the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen at halftime.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Polson Pirates edge Ronan, 40-36, on Homecoming

At Ronan, the gridiron rendition of the Rez rivalry wrangle between the visiting Pirates and the host Chiefs unfolded much like other tradition classics, an entertaining contest that exhibited momentum shifts and pendulum swings. The game culminated Homecoming week for Ronan. The Chiefs gridders played a caliber of contest not …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Polson Pirates eke out Homecoming win over Ronan Maidens

At Ronan Friday night during Homecoming, the volleyball clash with cross-county rival Polson held extra significance for the Maidens beyond mere conference implications. Tradition and pride were also on the line. It was patently evident that both teams were geared up for showcasing some of their best capabilities because the …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Kelly medals on Polson Bay, Lady Pirate golfers take third

At Hamilton this past weekend, both Polson and Ronan golf teams competed on last year’s state tournament course in a final tuneup before the postseason begins. The Lady Pirate girls place a trio among the top 10 with Ellie Thiel leading the way with a sub-90 for a third place …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley Prep Cross Country roundup

Three different running events were on the slate for various cross-country teams within the county last week. The most widely attended was in Thompson Falls, where Ronan’s James Normandeau staved off a challenge by Frenchtown’s Tyler Schmautz to edge out a win at the finish line by a margin of …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Ashlee Howell to play soccer at University of Providence

Polson Lady Pirate senior striker Ashlee Howell will be extending her athletic career at the collegiate level playing soccer for the University of Providence Argonauts in Great Falls. Howell, who is the youngest of a quartet of sensational soccer siblings, acquired the nickname “Sm-Ashlee” on account of the powerful kick …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Polson Lady Pirates seek sustained success on diamond

The 2018 rendition of the Polson Lady Pirates (20-6) wrapped up their regular schedule 18-4 that included a 10-0 conference sweep to secure the Northwest division top seed at the State A tournament held in Frenchtown. After a first-round bye, the Lady Pirates outdueled tournament host Frenchtown (2SW) 10-7, fell …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Charlo, Arlee, Mission open at Frenchtown Invite

Charlo Vikings seek to extend district streaks
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Maidens stung by Yellowjackets in Bitterroot battle

In the Bitterroot last Saturday, the visiting Maidens may not have had to contend with any pesky buzz-bombing insects on account of cooler than usual spring temperatures, but they nevertheless felt the sting of another type of Yellowjacket in the form of the Stevensville softball squad. Trailing by a single …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Sarah Howell harvests hefty haul of hardware

Sarah Howell (Polson, Class of 2015) wrapped up her collegiate soccer career with the University of Providence (formerly University of Great Falls) Argonauts last fall. The recently held awards banquet resulted in Howell reaping several accolades in recognition of multiple achievements.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

March Meltdown run preps forthcoming track season

A rescheduled March Meltdown 5K run was held last Saturday, March 30 by local nonprofit Polson Running. The event was originally scheduled for March 9, but lingering snow was not conducive to solid footing — resulting in the event being pushed back to the end of March. All proceeds benefit …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley All-Stars rock the court; Light overshadows Dark

At the Ronan Events Center this past Thursday, area basketball players put an exclamation point on their hoops season with a pair of evenly matched Mission Valley All-Star Games.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Bronc bats bounce Maidens in season opener

At Hamilton, the Ronan Maidens started the season well by plating a run to open the game against Hamilton. But thereafter, the homestanding Lady Broncs took advantage of their visitors who have yet to taste the outside on account of an overabundance of whites stuff contaminating their playing field. A …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Polson netters sweep first day, bounced by Bitterroot

At Polson last weekend, prep tennis conveys a crescendo of kudos to the Pirate coaches and players for having one of the few spring sports venues fully operational for the first meets of the season.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO

Bison, Lady Bison bound for bout of March Madness

While NCAA March Madness basketball tournaments get underway across the country, the Mission Valley will have its own collegiate representatives vying to catch some breaks among brackets less familiar to most. The Lady Bison women and the Bison men basketball teams of Salish Kootenai College (SKC) will seek to bring …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 12 MONTHS AGO

Thinclads anxious to open season

NWA Polson
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 12 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley teams get preseason conditioning ... shoveling lots of snow

NWA Polson Lady Pirate girls
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 12 MONTHS AGO

Warriors denied third straight state title by Eagles

Last weekend at MetraPark Rimrock Auto Arena in Billings, the Arlee Warriors would embark upon an ambitious quest to defend their two-time state C titles. Hurdles in their path included a trio of top-seeded undefeated teams among a formidable field. This would be Arlee’s fifth straight state C tournament appearance, …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Arlee's Schall signs at Minot State

Arlee senior Lane Schall is slated to extend his athletic career at the collegiate level playing football for the Minot State University Beavers of Minot, N.D. The 6-foot, 185-pound Schall received dual acknowledgement on offense as well as defense during the 2018 season for the 8-3 Warriors. Schall received all-state …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Warriors' sights are now set on defense of the Class C state title

As the 2019 rendition of the State C Boys Basketball Tournament gets set to tip off, among the field of eight will be three thus far undefeated contenders and the two-time defending state champion Western second-seeded Arlee Warriors.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Up for the Challenge: Arlee rallies to qualify for state

At Deer Lodge last Wednesday, the Twin Bridges Falcons and the Arlee Warriors were finally able to play their Western C challenge game after two reschedulings on account of inclimate arctic weather more typical of the heart of winter than the cusp of spring.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Scarlets rally nipped shy of earning consolation advance

At the State Class C Girls Basketball Tournament in Great Falls last weekend, the Western second-seeded Scarlets of Arlee didn’t fare well against the beast from the East in their opener, but rallied in their second game to overtake the lead for a short while that was almost enough to …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Talented Warriors taloned by Eagles, await challenge match

At the Maroon Activities Center (MAC) in Butte last weekend, the Arlee Warriors embarked upon a more perilous stretch of trail along their path to secure a bid to the State C tournament to defend their back-to-back titles.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

R&R ends Pirate season at Divisionals: rain and rally

Last Thursday at Dale Berry Court in Hamilton for an opening round of the Western A Divisional, the NWA Pirates and the SWA Beavers experienced the basketball equivalent of a meteorological phenomenon. It may have been snowing outside with polar vortex temperatures, but inside it started to rain. Unfortunately for …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Maidens come within minutes of advancing to state

Last Thursday, the Maidens opened their tournament against the Lady Maroons of Butte Central, the top-seeded team that emerged from the Southwestern A Conference tournament. Both team records were closely aligned, which suggested the contest to play out within a few possessions. The game almost followed such a script to …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Bulldogs take bite out of Western B opponents

At the Ronan Events Center last weekend at the Western B Divisional, the Mission Bulldogs not only bared some teeth and did some growling, but the team took some bites out of the competition they faced as they played some of the best basketball of the season.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Warriors sprint their way to repeat of District title

To no one’s surprise, Arlee captured another championship in the 14C District Tournament on Saturday evening at Joe McDonald Gym at SKC in Pabo, roaring past Charlo 80-49 to earn a top seed in the Western C Divisional Tournament this Thursday through Saturday at the MAC (Maroon Activity Center) at …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Lady Vikings edge Arlee for 14C District title

First Round
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Pirates climb seeding ladder, finish second at Divisional

At the Northwest A Conference tournament in Whitefish, the Polson Pirates secured a seat at the table of the Western A Divisional by winning their first two games to qualify for the championship. In their opening round against Columbia Falls, the Pirates jumped out early in the first frame and …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Vikings saddle Horsemen, fall to Arlee for second

The Charlo Vikings opened up their first-round match of the 14C District Tournament against Two Eagle River with a strong first frame en route to a 66-48 win. The cousin connection of Nate Delaney and Connor Koenig would account for two thirds of the point productivity of the quarter. Delaney …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Scarlets secure second, hold rein on Trotters in 14C challenge game

Arlee girls’ basketball had to wait a bit longer to solidify the outcome of their postseason foray, but it would be well worth the wait.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Pirates cage Cats, but get stung by a pair of B's

The Polson Pirates held a three-game homestand at the Joe McDonald Health & Wellness Center (SKC gym) last week, but were only able to partially benefit from home cooking.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Maidens leash Whitefish, edged by Bigfork

Last Tuesday at the Ronan Events Center, the Maidens hosted the first encounter of the season with visiting Whitefish in a crucial conference clash. Despite home court advantage, the Lady Bulldogs surged to a double-figure lead after the first frame during which Maiden Jaylea Lunceford accounted for the only field …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Ronan honors former athletes in Wall of Fame ceremony

Last Friday during an extended intermission between the girls’ and boys’ Ronan vs. Polson roundball rivalry wrangle basketball contests, a number of Ronan athletes were recognized for their contributions that predate the current Wall of Fame athletes that adorn the walls of the events center.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Last-minute foul shots lift Polson past Chiefs, 59-50

At the Ronan Events Center this past Friday, the host Chiefs and the visiting Pirates battled to the brink in a classic round of their annual rez roundball rivalry wrangle.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Lady Pirates fall to Ronan in rivalry wrangle

At the Ronan Events Center, the visiting Lady Pirates had aspired to put their best game of the season on the hardwood against the host Maidens in their second round of the rez roundball rivalry wrangle. They were looking forward to the encounter. The venue itself seemed hospitable enough, “Welcome …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Jackets, Loggers topple Lady Pirates

At Stevensville last Friday, the visiting Polson Lady Pirates climbed another rung on the scoring ladder by tallying their highest half scoring segment as well as their highest overall point total thus far this season. Mossy Kauley had her first varsity career dabble among double digits, while Karly Lawson and …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Chiefs split with 'Dogs, Broncs

At Frenchtown, the Ronan Chiefs played relatively shoulder-to-shoulder with their opponent through the first quarter, but the Broncs galloped off for over 50 points through the middle frames to decide the outcome. The contest was a rematch of an early season Tip-Off encounter in which Frenchtown had narrowly eeked out …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Lady Dawgs have their day, sink Scarlets, 68-65

At St. Ignatius in a cross-classification county clash classic, the host Lady Bulldogs and visiting Scarlets would hang in the balance until no more ticks remained on the clock.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Vikings nix Noxon 62-52, tether Two Eagle River

The Charlo Vikings picked up two more conference wins to close out their December schedule with a pristine 7-0 record. Against Noxon, cousins Connor Koenig and Nate Delaney turned in new varsity career highs among the teens. Against Two Eagle River, Landers Smith surpassed the varsity career 700-point threshold.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Charlo clobbers competiton, closes pre-holiday calendar

The Charlo Lady Vikings closed out the calendar year by cleaning out the closet on their December schedule as they outscored their opponents, 127-29, adding two more conference wins to their record.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Lake County wrestlers close out pre-holiday action

Area grapplers closed out their 2018 calendars with a series of duals and quads around the area. The Polson Pirate swept their duals at Columbia Falls against the Wildcats and visiting Corvallis.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Area wrestling teams place 14 at Eureka

The Mission Valley had 14 area wrestlers place at the Buzz Lucey Tournament in Eureka last Saturday.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Pirates fall to Browning, Broncs

At Browning, the visiting Pirates outscored the host Running Indians in the second half, but couldn’t overcome the double digit deficit dug by their second quarter doldrums. Colton Graham, Bo Kelley and Trevor Schultz led Polson in scoring with a collective contribution of 30 points. The Pirates outshot Browning from …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Tandem triumph at Tri-State for Pirate wrestlers

Polson grapplers tangled with some significant multi-state talent at Couer d’Alene, Idaho, last weekend. Teamwise, the Pirates finished 25th with 64 points. Mead (Wash.) took the title with 171 points, with Post Falls (Idaho) second (171) and Chiwana third (155).
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Warrior wrestlers wrangle wins

Several Arlee Warrior wrestlers fared well in competition last weekend. At the Arlee Mixer, Skyler Titsworth (152) won three matches, Colt Crawford (138) along with Demetrix Austin (160) won a pair of matches, while CJ Forgey (152) won a match.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Polson, Ronan wrestlers mine matches at Mining City

Area grapplers had a full slate this past week. Polson engaged in a pair of duals at Frenchtown last Tuesday before heading over to Butte for the Mining City Duals last weekend along with county rival Ronan. Both Chief and Pirate wrestlers sharpened their skills against some top-notch talent, many …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Scarlets have new coach; Mission returns four starters

The 2018-19 rendition of the Arlee Scarlets have to be rated as within the scope of a reloading phase given that the lion’s share of their offensive firepower returns along with further infusion from the transfer of Louetta Conko-Camel.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Vikings post pair of tourney victories

At Frenchtown for the Class C Tip-Off, the Charlo Vikings would prevail in both contests by a slim margin. On Friday against Valley Christian, Landers Smith led all scorers with 18 points. The Vikings held a 10-point lead entering the final frame, but had to hold off a rally by …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Lady Vikes, Eagles open at Tip Off Tourney

The 2018-19 rendition of the Lady Vikings embark upon their new season with a lot of continuity at their disposal.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Lake County volleyball players accentuated with bevy of athletic accolades

Mission Valley prep volleyball had 11 area players who received postseason recognition for their athletic aptitude on the court this past fall.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Former Lake County athletes making mark on college gridiron

The Mission Valley periodically has a handful of players who continue on in their football careers at the collegiate level. Among those who this writer is aware of who are presently involved in varying degrees include Tanner Wilson along with Matt Rensvold with the University of Montana Grizzlies; Jonah Burke, …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Lake County soccer players, XC runner excel in college

The Mission Valley had eight collegians playing on the pitch of women’s soccer fields this season, an unprecedented number for this area.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Tanner, Malatare successful in transition to college hoops

The Mission Valley has a handful of area standouts extending their athletic endeavors at the collegiate level on the hardwood of men’s basketball. The so-called multi-headed monster of back-to-back state C champion Arlee Warrior has a tandem who have joined forces at Northern Idaho College in Couer d’Alene. These are …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Polson-led Dream Team wins UM Co-Rec FB title

Institutionally recruited, scholarship supplemented, coaching refined collegiate competition is not the only game in town for many university undergraduate students, where intramural sports play an influential role in many of their lives. On the last day of October, the University of Montana held its Intramural Co-Rec Flag Football championship in …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

No headline

SKC women’s basketball is already well into their season with several early-schedule games having taken place. The Lady Bison have won seven AIHEC championships, most recently two years ago to add icing to the cake of the 2016-17 season.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Charlo takes fourth at Western C Divisional, stung by 'Stangs

In the opening round at the Western C Divisional Tournament, the Charlo Lady Vikings rallied from a tightly-contested two-set deficit to take the third set from the then undefeated Lady Mustangs of Ennis. The fourth set likewise extended into the 20s for both squads, but the Mustangs didn’t horse around …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Pirate plaque preference Burger-larized by Bulldogs

At Smith Fields in Whitefish for the 2018 State A boys soccer championship, the Polson Pirates and the Northern A conference champion Bulldogs would put on quite a show in an energetic quest to claim the coveted state A crown last Saturday. This would be just the third foray to …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Charlo qualifies for divisionals; Arlee out

At the District 14C Volleyball Tournament in Hot Springs last Thursday and Friday, both the undefeated Charlo Lady Vikings and the second-seeded Arlee Scarlets succumbed to early-round bouts of hiccups that rerouted them from their anticipated trajectory of an all-Mission Valley semifinal into the consolation rounds — despite drawing first-round …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Ram tough Pirates keep on truckin'

In a State A quarterfinal soccer match at Polson, the visiting (Missoula) Loyola Rams and the host Pirates matched the other stride for stride through the opening quarter of the first half in a 1-1 tie. Polson leading scorer Mack Moderie found the net off an assist from Robin Erickson …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

The ABC's of Western Divisional X-C

Three different classifications from the Mission Valley area competed in their respective Western Divisional cross country meets last weekend. The top 15 runners received all-conference recognition.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Polson spikers split; Charlo remains undefeated

Polson earned a split in its midweek volleyball fare last week, getting a four-set win over Browning before a loss in four sets to Stevensville.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Arlee rolls to win; Ronan, Charlo, Mission suffer losses

Libby logs 54-14 win over Ronan
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Polson soccer roundup

Pirates torpedo Vikings, cage Cats
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley harriers soar at T-Falls Invite

At Thompson Falls last Thursday, a pair of Mission Valley area runners took first-place honors with 11 finishing among the top 25 at the River’s Bend Golf Course at Thompson Falls. For the lads, James Normandeau of Ronan led the pack that included only a quartet who turned in sub-17-minute …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Mission Valley area volleyball net Class A-B All-Conference volleyball recognition

Mission Valley area volleyball teams had a dozen players acknowledged for their caliber of play this Fall. The Polson Lady Pirates and the Ronan Maidens each garnered a pair of players on the Northwest A all-conference team, the Mission Lady Bulldogs had a solo representative on the District 6B team, …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Area softball players hold own fireworks show at tournaments

While most area softball teams were idle over the Independence Day holiday, a segment of players were participating in tournaments much like some of their baseball counterparts.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Mariners Sparkle during Firecracker Tourney

LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Mercer finishes season with nine goals

The 2015 Pirates (8-3-2 all, 6-0-2 conference) captured the Northern A crown by posting the third best overall record in the history of the Polson boys soccer program. The only other time the Pirates have posted an undefeated conference slate was the 2010 season (9-4-1 all, 7-0-1 conference). Beyond that, …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Polson's Duford tallies 18 goals, four hat tricks on season

The 2015 Lady Pirate girls soccer squad (6-2 conference, 9-4 overall) turned in the second best record in the history of Polson soccer tracing back to its inception in 1997. The high water mark belongs to the 2002 Lady Pirates (8-0-2 conference, 11-2-2 overall), who were winners of the Eastern …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Polson boys' soccer team ends season in quarterfinal playoff

At Polson during the State A quarterfinal match, the visiting (2E) Rams dictated the tempo of the first half of play with an exhibition of superb ball control which they parlayed into a 2-0 lead at intermission.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

MVCA girls win thriller, take second in championship

MVCA girls
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Polson boys win third conference title

The Polson Pirates won their first conference championship since 2010 with wins this past week against Columbia Falls and Libby. They will host Billings Central on Saturday in Polson.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Polson boys win conference title: Girls lose heartbreaker to Whitefish in Tuesday night play-in games

On Tuesday, the Polson Lady Pirates hosted Whitefish for a playoff game. Leading up to that game were two others that put the Pirates into the second seed of the Northern conference.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

MVCA remains undefeated, Polson girls beat Whitefish

LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Polson soccer teams go 2-2 on week

LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

MVCA down a team

Mission Valley Christian Academy (MVCA) will field two teams this season instead of three on account of insufficient numbers to accommodate a full-fledged boys roster. Last season the MVCA Sting boys’ soccer secured the second seed in the MCAA Western Conference after having posted their best regular schedule record (5-0-2) …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Local basketball teams compete well at summer tourneys

The last weekend of June, area basketball players collaborated by combining their talents to formulate teams that would further hone roundball skills.
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Summer softball teams gear up for state ASA

Although Polson-based softball teams took a respite from ASA competition during the Fourth of July holiday, other softball squads were not on such a holding pattern this past weekend. Several Mission Valley area players sprinkled among the rosters of Missoula-based softball teams were creating their own variation of fireworks while …
LAKE COUNTY LEADER | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO