EUREKA — The 7B belongs to Bigfork.
In the boys district championship on Saturday, it was Bigfork who came out on top with a 61-35 win over Eureka driven by a dominant second half. In the girls championship it was Bigfork as well, routing Thompson Falls 51-12.
For the boys game it was a back and forth start with the two teams exchanging buckets early in the first quarter.
Eureka junior Tristan Butts had a fadeaway shot that just teetered in late in the first quarter to give the Lions an early two possession lead.
But Bigfork;s Isak Epperly wouldn’t be denied throughout the game, making plays like one layup where he weaved his way through three Eureka defenders en route to the basket.
At the half Bigfork held a two-possession lead up 28-24 with the Lions nipping at their heels.
Eureka's Tristan Butts was carrying the Lions offensively with shots from all over the floor from mid-range jumpers in the first half to nothing-but-net 3s early in the second half that sent the home crowd into an electric frenzy.
Bigfork answered with 3s of their own including one from the corner from senior Nick Walker halfway through the third quarter which gave the Vikings a bit of a lead.
That shot ended up kickstarting a huge second-half scoring run that the Vikings wouldn’t look back from on their way to a comfortable 61-35 win over the Lions.
Next it was the girls championship with Bigfork battling Thompson Falls.
After Bigfork jumped out to a 12-0 run to start the game Thompson Falls senior Avery Burgess scored back to back buckets, first with this layup and then moments later with a quick-fire three.
But from there on out it was all Bigfork with strong plays including mid-range jumpers from sophomore Braeden Gunlock and breakaway layups from her younger sister, freshman Paeten Gunlock.
The strong play early on from the Gunlock duo put the Valkyries up 30-7 at the half.
Bigfork senior Scout Nadeau continued to add it on for the Valkyries with a fourth quarter three that perfectly splashed through the net, and she wasn’t done there following it up shortly after with a layup that ended up turning into another three point play with an and-one.
The Bigfork buzzsaw of an offense continued to pile it on until the buzzer and the Valkyries ultimately closed out the game with a dominant 51-12 win to bring home Bigfork's second championship trophy of the day.
