Montana’s high school girls basketball defending champions are all out to solid starts to the 2017-18 season, but only two of them top their respective classifications in the first MontanaSports.com power polls of the season.
Helena High has yet to lose in its title-defense, so the Bengals are the No. 1-ranked team in Class AA, ahead of crosstown rival and fellow unbeaten Helena Capital. Belt, which has played on Saturday night at the State C tournament each of the past 10 seasons, tops the Class C rankings. The Huskies are back-to-back state champs.
Columbia Falls (Class A) and Fairfield (Class B) won their respective 2017 state titles, but Havre and Three Forks top the MontanaSports.com rankings. Neither Fairfield (4-4) nor Malta (0-8) is ranked in Class B’s top five. Those programs have combined to win the past 11 State B titles.
The full rankings are below and will be updated every Sunday throughout the regular season. The boys power polls can be found here.
*Records as of Jan. 8
Class AA
1. Helena High (5-0)
2. Helena Capital (5-0)
3. Missoula Sentinel (5-1)
4. Billings Senior (4-1)
5. Billings West (4-1)
Also receiving votes: Kalispell Glacier.
Class A
1. Havre (8-0)
2. Columbia Falls (8-1)
3. Hamilton (9-0)
4. Hardin (7-1)
5. Browning (6-1)
Also receiving votes: Dillon.
Class B
1. Three Forks (8-0)
2. Townsend (7-1)
3. Colstrip (8-1)
4. Florence (8-0)
5. Poplar (9-0)
Also receiving votes: Bigfork, Harlem.
Class C
1. Belt (7-0)
2. Box Elder (8-0)
3. Twin Bridges (8-1)
4. Savage (8-0)
5. Harlowton (9-0)
Also receiving votes: Plentywood, Froid-Medicine Lake, Winnett-Grass Range.
