The Helena Bighorns never got it going on Friday night as they fell to the Yellowstone Quake 5-0 in game 3 of the NorPac Hockey League playoffs. The Cody, Wyoming six took jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first period on goals by Nick Kent, Matthew Tackett and Chris Rinaldi. They added 2 more in the 3rd period to take a 2 games to 1 lead in the best of 5 series. Alex Larson was stellar in the nets for the Quake as he stopped all 28 shots on goal.
Game 4 is set for Saturday night at 7:35PM at the Helena Ice Arena.

Al Marks Beartooth NBC
[  11:51 PM, Fri Mar 5  ] Back to top

The Carroll College women's basketball team rallied to knockoff the MSU-Northern Skylights 58-57 in Frontier Conference playoff action. Trailing 57-55 with just 25 seconds to go in regulation, Saints junior point guard Alex Dunn tied the game at 57-all. She then hit the first of 2 free throws to give the Saints a 1-point victory. Dunn led the Saints with 12 points and Sara Meyer also had a dozen. Kelsi Brekke and Alysha Green each scored 10 points for the Saints. The win improved Carroll's record to 17-13 on the year.

Al Marks Beartooth NBC

[  11:47 PM, Wed Mar 3  ] Back to top

The Capital High boy's basketball team punched their ticket to the Class "AA" State Torunament next week with a lopsided 69-36 win over the Big Sky Eagles. The Bruins jumped out to a 12-0 lead and never trailed in the game. At one point in the 3rd quarter they increased their lead to 43-10. All-State senior guard Matt Miller led the offense with 17 points and Josh Dirks added 13. The Bruins improved their season record to 13-8 while Big Sky ends the season with a 4-17 mark.

Al Marks Beartooth NBC
[  11:42 PM, Tue Mar 2  ] Back to top

The Carroll College Men's basketball team outscored the University of Great Falls 41-22 in the second half to beat the Argos 80-52 in Frontier Conference action. Saints sophomore forward Andy Garland pumped in a game high 20 points and senior forward Chris Medina added 14 points as the Saints improved to 6-7 in conference play and 13-14 overall. The Argos fell to 2-11 in conference play and 6-21 overall.

Al Marks Beartooth NBC
[  12:39 AM, Sat Feb 27  ] Back to top

The Carroll College women's basketball team had a big second half as they beat the University of Great Falls 76-62 in Frontier Conference action. The Saints went into the lockerroom at the half trailing by 5 points but outscored UGF 42-23 in the second half to win it going away. Sophomore guard Alysha Green led Carroll with 17 points. The win improved the Saints record to 7-6 in conference play and 16-12 overall. UGF fell to 0-13 in the Frontier and 5-22 overall.

Al Marks Beartooth NBC

[  12:47 AM, Sat Feb 27  ] Back to top

The Capital High Bruins fell behind and early and couldn't mount a big enough comeback as they lost to the Sentinel Spartans 49-42 in boy's "AA" basketball. Senior guard Matt Miller of the Bruins led all scorers with 20 points. Sentinel was led by Kendall Maier's 15. The win clinched the Western "AA" title for the Spartans.
Sentinel clinches Western AA.

Al Marks Beartooth NBC
[  1:05 AM, Fri Feb 26  ] Back to top

The Helena High boy's basketball team hung on to beat the Big Sky Eagles on Thrusday night in Missoula 48-47 in Western "AA" action. Bengal senior Tyler Hulse led the way with 19 points and Adam Johnson had 11 to lead the way. Eddie Apostol led the Eagles with 12.

Al Marks Beartooth NBC
[  12:55 AM, Fri Feb 26  ] Back to top

The Helena Bighorns won their 37th game in 41 tries on Friday night as they beat the Bozeman Icedogs 7-3 in NorPac Hockey League action. The Bighorns found themselves trailing 2-1 after the first period and were tied at 3-all after the 2nd. But the local six put in 4 unanswered goals in the 3rd to win it going away 7-3. Taylor Laneville led the Bighorns attack as he scored a pair of goals and had 2 assists and also had the go ahead goal just :59 seconds into the 3rd period that put the Horns up 4-3. Alec Goplen led the Icedogs as he scored all 3 goals for a hat trick in a losing effort. The Bighorns hit the road on Saturday night for a game against the Yellowstone Quake.

Al Marks Beartooth NBC

[  11:52 PM, Fri Feb 5  ] Back to top

Students in Fairfield and Cascade are awaiting the arrival of some very special visitors next week. The Nations only touring Hero Sled Dog Educational/Therapy Team will bring literature to life and much more. According to Harry and Lela Schultz of Park City, Montana, this is the 19th year that Mountain Mushers ED/Therapy Team has visited schools, libraries, senior homes, and many special events all over the United States.
The Schlitz’s refer to their dogs as “hero” sled dogs in reference to the vital and historic role sled dogs played in February 1925, when a team of dogs and mushers rushed life-saving diphtheria serum to Nome, Alaska from Nenana, Alaska — a distance of more than 600 miles. To this day, the famous Iditarod Sled Dog Race is held each March to commemorate this event.
Two of these Hero Sled Dogs are retired from U. S. Government service at Denali National Park, Alaska. These sled dogs work with Rangers to patrol the park to keep it safe for all of us to enjoy.
The three Hero Sled Dogs will be at the Fairfield, Montana school on Wednesday March 10th, and at the Cascade Montana school Friday March 12th.

Beartooth NBC Sports
[  1:05 PM, Fri Mar 5  ] Back to top

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) -- The Billings Mustangs have hired the radio studio host for the NBA's New Orleans Hornets to handle the play-by-play for the Pioneer League team this summer.
Joe Block takes over for Ed Cohen, who spent the last two seasons as the Mustangs broadcasting director.
Block anchors the pre-game, halftime and post-game studio shows for the New Orleans Hornets Radio Network. He also serves as the backup play-by-play announcer and contributes to the pre-game
television show. In addition, Block calls football, basketball and
baseball play-by-play for regional television networks Comcast
Sports Southeast and Cox Sports Television.
Block has called play-by-play for more than 800 professional baseball games, including stints with the Montreal Expos, Jacksonville Suns, St. Paul Saints and Great Falls White Sox.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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[  5:08 PM, Fri Mar 5  ] Back to top

HELENA, Mont. (AP) -- Montana State forward Bobby Howard and Montana guard Anthony Johnson have earned first team All-Big Sky Conference honors for the 2009-10 season.
Howard, a junior from Great Falls, averaged 14.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game and 15.2 points and 6.5 rebounds in conference play.
Johnson, a senior from Tacoma, Wash., averaged 18.8 points per game this season, 19.9 in conference play, and became the first UM player to score 1,000 career points in two seasons. Johnson was named the league's newcomer of the year last season.
Montana guards Will Cherry and Ryan Staudacher earned honorable mention honors as did Montana State guard Marquis Navarre.
Weber State sophomore guard Damian Lillard was named the league's MVP.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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[  5:05 PM, Fri Mar 5  ] Back to top

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) -- Butte, Montana native and Seattle Mariners catcher Rob Johnson underwent a pair of hip surgeries during the off-season, and has been a bit limited in spring training.
He has caught bullpen sessions, taken batting practice and done his running and agility drills. He's also working on rehabilitation and gaining mobility in his hips.
The next step is getting into game shape and adjusting his catching stance to prevent another hip injury.
Manager Don Wakamatsu says the surgery even seems to have helped Johnson's hitting.
Wakamatsu expects Johnson to be ready to start the season. He shared catching duties last season, his first full season in the Major Leagues, but comes back as the team's No. 1 catcher for the 2010 season.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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[  5:07 PM, Fri Mar 5  ] Back to top

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) -- Montana State has signed three more track and field athletes from the high school ranks.
Among them is Slater Powell of Corvallis High School. Powell is a two-time Montana state class "A" champion hurdler in the 110-meter event. He is also the 2009 state champion in the 300 hurdles.
The other two new recruits are Trevor Polson, a distance runner from Gillette, Wyo., and Lierin Flanagan, a sprinter from Kenai, Alaska.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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[  5:04 PM, Fri Mar 5  ] Back to top

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) -- Montana State-Billings women's soccer coach Don Trentham has added three new assistant coaches to his staff.
Among the new coaches is former Yellowjacket standout Sara Gress and former Montana standout and Billings native Sara Campbell.
The other new assistant coach is Wojtek Krakowiak , a native of Poland who has played with the San
Jose Clash in the MLS.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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[  5:03 PM, Fri Mar 5  ] Back to top

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) -- Montana State-Billings senior pitcher Archie Smith has been named Great Northwest Athletic Conference pitcher of the week.
The native of Palmyra, Neb., went 1-0 in two starts for the Yellowjackets in an eight-game road trip at Grand Canyon and Dixie State to open the 2010 season.
For the week, Smith gave up seven hits, walked five and struck out eight in 12 innings.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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[  5:02 PM, Fri Mar 5  ] Back to top