FORT BENTON — Approximately four hours after the first serve of the District 7C volleyball title match, a winner was crowned. Belt overtook Fort Benton in five sets of an "if necessary" championship on Friday night.
It was the third match the two teams had played against each other on the day. All three matches went to five sets.
It started with the undefeated semifinal round at 11 a.m., which Belt won 3-2. The Huskies locked up a trip to the championship, while Fort Benton had to play another semifinal. The Longhorns defeated Geraldine-Highwood, who took third in the tournament, 3-1 to set up a rematch with Belt.
In the first championship match, Fort Benton jumped out to a 1-0 lead in a 25-21 decision. Belt responded by winning the next two sets, 25-18 and 26-24, to take a 2-1 lead. The third and fourth sets went down to the wire, with numerous lead changes, but the Longhorns prevailed 25-23 and 15-13 to set up the second championship.
In the second championship, it was the Longhorns who held a 2-1 lead, but the Huskies dug in and forced a fifth set, which they won 15-11.
Belt will enter the divisional tournament as the No. 1 seed from the 7C and will face the winner of Power and Big Sandy. Fort Benton, the No. 2, will face Augusta. Geraldine-Highwood squares up with Chinook. The 2019 Northern C Divisional Tournament begins November 7 at Cascade High School.
