Vikings top 5th-ranked Chiefs

By FAITH MOLDAN / Bigfork Eagle

The Bigfork High School boys varsity basketball team head into the Northwest A Divisional tournament with a little something extra — confidence.

Bigfork defeated the Ronan Chiefs, recently ranked fifth in the state in Class A, 53-49 Saturday in Bigfork. The win marked the Vikes' first conference win in two years and finished out their regular season 6-12 overall.

The game, which came down to free throws with two seconds remaining, began with Ronan going ahead 10-6 at the end of the first quarter. Bigfork held a slim lead during a portion of the first before slipping. The Vikes led by one point — 3-2 and 5-4 — halfway through the quarter.

"We battled through the down times," Bigfork coach Jim Epperly said. "We've been playing well enough to beat these teams, just not all four quarters."

Still trailing the Chiefs, Bigfork put together a nine-point scoring run in the second half of the second quarter to take a 20-19 halftime lead. Scott Taylor, who recorded career highs with 13 rebounds and 12 points, started the run with a two-point field goal with 3:56 on the clock. He added another two points with an offensive rebound and putback. Bigfork committed just 15 turnovers during the game.

It was Garrett Pewe who gave the Vikes the lead again. His bucket, assisted by Roland Benedict, put Bigfork ahead 17-16. He and Taylor finished off the scoring run with free throws for three more Bigfork points. Ronan managed to score three points in-between Bigfork's scoring each time. Each three-point play came the old-fashioned way with a two-point field goal and free throw.

Bigfork tied the game at 23 apiece with 6:14 remaining in the third quarter and took the lead less than two minutes later. The Vikes held onto the lead until about the two-minute mark, when the Chiefs came back to lead 33-32 at the end of the third. Ronan's lead was short-lived, as Bigfork scored eight straight points to start the fourth. Boll and Pewe, who finished the game with 15 and 12 points respectively, combined for the eight. Boll scored 10 of his 15 in the fourth. He also had nine rebounds.

When it wasn't Boll or Pewe scoring in the fourth, it was Benedict adding to the Vikes' lead. He scored five of his eight points in the fourth, the last of which came with two seconds on the clock and a four-point Bigfork lead.

"It wasn't the seniors' (Benedict and Dockstader) best games, but they played well defensively and hustled," Epperly said of the two who were recognized before the game.

Dockstader scored five points in the game, including one 3-point field goal. He also added to the rebounding. After missing the front end of a one-and-one trip to the line, Dockstader rebounded his miss and eventually helped Benedict make a trip to the line as well.

Bigfork and Ronan meet again in the first round of the divisional tournament tonight, Feb. 21, at 8 p.m. at Glacier High School in Kalispell.

"Hopefully we can do it again," Epperly said.

Ronan 10 9 13 17 — 49

Bigfork 6 14 12 21 — 53

Ronan — Moss Tanner 3 4-7 10, Mike Fisher 6 4-5 16, Ryon Hesselgesser 0 1-2 1, Makenzy Kelch 1 0-1 2, Jordan St. Clair 2 3-4 7, Nolan Harris 4 0-0 11. Totals: 16 12-19 49.

Bigfork (6-12, 1-9) — Roland Benedict 2 4-4 8, Levi Dockstader 2 0-1 5, Brock Boll 7 1-6 15, Garrett Pewe 4 4-6 12, Scott Taylor 4 4-6 12, Ben Sandry 0 1-2 1. Totals: 19 14-25 53.

3-point goals: Harris (3); Dockstader; Team fouls: Ronan 20, Bigfork 16; Fouled out: St. Clair.