Flathead’s Moore all-tourney; Koch, Williams are MVPs
BILLINGS — Kennedy Moore of Flathead was named All-Tournament, and the State AA basketball championships boasted the MVPs in voting by media at last week’s event.
Boys champion Helena Capital saw senior guard Brayden Koch take Most Valuable Player honors, while sophomore forward Breanna Woods landed the girls MVP after leading Skyview to its first girls basketball title.
Moore, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, helped Flathead take the third-place trophy by scoring 60 points and grabbing 39 rebounds in four games. She was one of 10 all-tournament picks.
Two of her Bravette teammates were honorable mention: junior forward Maddy Moy and senior guard Clare Converse.
Woods, 6-2, scored 55 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in three games for the state champion Falcons. She shot 76 percent for the tournament (19 for 25), and her 25 points in the championship win over Missoula Hellgate tied a career-high.
Skyview teammate Cami Harris was also all-tournament; so were Baylee Sayler, Lauren Dick and Alex Covill of runner-up Hellgate.
Koch, who was also named Montana’s Gatorade Player of the Year Wednesday, averaged 23 points in Capital’s three wins at State. He sent the Bruins to the final with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer against Skyview, winning that game 53-50. The 6-3 guard shot 25 for 41 (61 percent) from the field — 6 of 7 from three — and 13 for 16 at the line.
Two Glacier boys were honorable mention: senior guards Will Salonen and Connor Sullivan.
AA All-Tournament
GIRLS
Breanna Woods, 6-2, so. Skyview (MVP)
Baylee Sayler, 6-0, sr. Hellgate
Brooke Berry, 60, sr. Skyview
Lauren Dick, 6-0, sr. Hellgate
Taylee Chirrick, 5-11, so. West
Kennedy Moore, 6-1, so. Flathead
Emily McElmurry, 5-9, so. Sentinel
Cami Harris, 5-9, sr. Skyview
Kaitlin Grossman, 6-0, sr. West
Alex Covill, 6-6, jr. Hellgate
Honorable mention — Maddy Moy, 5-9, jr., Flathead; Lauren Lindseth, 5-10, sr., CMR; Lauren Cummings, 5-10, jr., Billings Senior; Brenna Linse, 6-1, sr., Billings Senior; Allie Cummings, 5-8, sr., Billings Senior; MG Spotted Bear, 5-11, sr., Skyview; Clare Converse, 6-0, sr., Flathead; Brooke Stayner, 6-0, sr., Sentinel.
BOYS
Brayden Koch, 6-3, sr. Capital (MVP)
Ty Huse, 6-3, sr. Bozeman
Payton Sanders, 5-11, sr. Skyview
Jacksen Bayse, 6-7, sr. Bozeman
Hayden Opitz, 6-4, jr. Capital
Eli Hunter, 6-1, jr. Gallatin
Jacob Curry, 6-0, sr. Capital
Melo Pine, 6-4, sr. Senior
Tre Reed, 6-2, sr. Big Sky
Caden Bateman, 6-6, sr. Big Sky
Jake Gardanier, 6-1, sr. Big Sky
Honorable mention — Shane Shepherd, 6-2, sr., Big Sky; Lane Love, 6-5, jr., Skyview; Trysten Mooney, 5-11, sr., Capital; Rhyse Owens, 6-1, jr., Skyview; Cactus Runs Above, 6-2, sr., Senior; Trent Rogers, 6-2, sr., Bozeman; Connor Sullivan, 5-10, sr., Glacier; Will Salonen, 6-1, sr. Glacier; Tyler Nansel, 6-4, sr., Gallatin; Kooper Klobucar, 6-6, sr, Butte.