North Country Girls Defend Their State Championship With Authority

By state-tourney standards the North Country Mavericks girls’ basketball team was a runaway train racing down the tracks, unable to slow down by anybody or anything. This team just kept moving full-speed ahead, and it showed in the three final-score margins at the 46th annual State C Girls’ Basketball Tournament in Great Falls.

It was the program’s second consecutive state championship, resulting in a winning streak reaching 54 games.

On Thursday, March 7, in their tourney opener they led South C runnersup Roberts Rockets 30-28 at halftime, which featured six lead changes and two ties.

Oh, it’s going to be a close one.

Not! The Rockets failed to lift off in the third quarter, getting ran over 25-5 (don’t play on NC’s tracks).

As the game was winding down the Saco, Whitewater and Hinsdale triumvirate produced its largest lead at 70-36—34 points!— before the final was declared at 7245.

They hit 13-25 (.520) field goals in the first half, 18-25 (.720) in the second half and ended at 31-50 (.620). At the free-throw they sank all seven.

Next! If any team was going to defeat North Country it would have been the Twin Bridges Falcons. After losing by a large margin to the Mavs in last season’s State C championship game and coming within 53-41 at the start of this season in Lewistown, the Falcons fell 58-33 to them Friday night in the semifinals.

The Hi-Liners hit 20-of-43 (.465) field goals, including 8-of-14 treys (.571), and 10-of-10 free throws.

Next! Is was up to the Roy-Winifred Outlaws to holdup North Country’s winning streak dating back to Saturday, March 12, 2022 at the State C Tournament in Great Falls. After losing 58-53 two years ago in the semifinals to Box Elder, the Mavs returned to the court Saturday and defeated Ekalaka 7...