Billings Central emerged from a 25-team field to win the Butte Central Blocktober Classic high school volleyball tournament held over the weekend.
The teams competed on courts at the Maroon Activities Center (MAC) and the Butte Civic Center Friday and Saturday.
Billings Central defeated Havre in the championship match while Hamilton placed third with a win over Florence in their match for the bronze.
The top four place-winners in the consolation bracket were Anaconda, first; Dillon, second; Laurel, third; and Polson, fourth. The copper bracket saw Lockwood lead the way with Stevensville second, Deer Lodge third and Ronan fourth for the top four.
Pool play Friday relegated the young Butte Central squad to the Saturday copper bracket where the Maroons fell 25-15, 25-21 to Stevensville and took Libby to three sets before the Loggers prevailed 10-25, 25-19, 15-12.
Butte Central scores in pool play were highlighted by a 25-16 win over Libby. The defeats were by 21-17 to Anaconda, 25-13 to Billings Central, 25-17 to Lewistown, 25-14 to Hardin, 25-14 to Havre and 25-19 to Polson.
Only two seniors are on the Maroons’ roster and one of them, 5-foot-9 Arika Stajcar is a fourth-year starter. The other returning senior starter is 5-7 setter Logan LeProwse.
First-year head coach Karina Mickelson, a former Montana Tech standout, rounds out her varsity roster with two juniors – 5-6 setter Presli Smith and 6-0 middle blocker Rylee Forbes, — and a six-girl sophomore contingent of 5-6 libero Kodee Badovinac, 5-8 outside hitter/rightside hitter Braelynn Schelin, 5-7 rightside hitter/setter Jaedyn Maldonado, 5-8 outside hitter/defensive specialist Kenzie McQueary, 5-10 outside hitter Zayonna Otherbull and 5-8 middle blocker/rightside hitter Natalie Osterman.
Different levels of experience wind through the eager group.
The Butte Central team will return to Southwestern A Conference action on Tuesday with a 7 p.m. match against Stevensville in the MAC.
