It took Billings Skyview 36 years, but the Falcons finally have a State AA girls basketball title after defeating Missoula Hellgate this past weekend. Colstrip joined Skyview in snapping a long drought, as the Fillies won their first Class B crown after State A titles in 1993 and 1999.
“Going through all those struggles, having people ask me if I was going to transfer, and I said, 'No. We're going to build. I know what we're going to do. I know the potential this program has.' We built it up and we made history every single year.”
“Every challenge that I've ever given them, they've always conquered it. This was the last final challenge I gave that group of seniors. Unbelievable."
The Falcons might not have won much Berry’s freshman year, but they knew something special was on its way.
“I knew that we had Breanna Williams in the weeds, as a 7th grader at the time, Brooke Berry, phenomenal …. Mg Spotted Bear, Cami Harris, those four, we knew we had something there. Those kids made the commitment.”
This wasn’t the first rodeo for Colstrip head coach Ben Johnson. He’s been around the block in Montana and won a State C crown in 2015 with Gardiner.
“There’s nothing like it. A lot of girls dream of doing something like this and never get here. They got here and they took care of business. It’s awesome to end your season on a win because it doesn’t always happen.”
It was Colstrip’s first Class B title, having won championships in 1993 and 1999 while Class A.
