FAL

Griz are fifth, Cats 18th in first TSN poll

The Montana Grizzlies are ranked fifth and the Montana State Bobcats are No. 18 in the Sports Network's first FCS Top 25 football poll.

Eastern Washington of the Big Sky Conference is top-ranked, while three-time defending national champion North Dakota State is No. 2. Southeastern Louisiana and New Hampshire are ranked third and fourth, respectively.

Northern Arizona of the Big Sky is at No. 23.

Both the Grizzlies and Bobcats were also ranked in the preseason FCS Coaches poll, released earlier in the week. Montana was ranked fifth and Montana State was ranked No. 19 by the coaches.

Billings Little League season ends in regional

Lynnwood Pacific scored seven runs in the final inning to pull away for a 10-4 victory over Boulder-Arrowhead of Billings in the Little League West Region semifinals Thursday night in San Bernardino, Calif.

Boulder-Arrowhead has been eliminated from the tournament, the winner of which advances to the Little League World Series.

Lynnwood Pacific, 5-0 in the tourney, plays Bend North of Oregon at 2 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.

The Little League World Series is in Williamsport, Pa., Aug. 14-24.

Americans' Brady Christiaens signs with N. Colorado

Great Falls Americans Junior A forward Brady Christiaens will continue his education and playing career at an NCAA Division III Colorado school after playing three seasons of junior hockey in Montana.

Christiaens will attend the University of Northern Colorado located in Greeley, Colo., this fall and play for the Bears that compete in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA).

Christiaens, a 2011 graduate of C.M. Russell High, was one of the first signees of the 2011-12 expansion Americans team in Great Falls. Before playing for the Junior A team, he played hockey with the Great Falls Americans U-18 high school team.

Christiaens, a 6-1 forward from Great Falls, collected 14 goals and dished out 35 assists in 43 games this year for the Americans. He registered two goals and two assists in seven playoff games.

"It's always exciting to see a local player be as successful as Brady has," said Americans' coach Jeff Heimel. "It was a pleasure coaching him last season. We wish him the best of luck in his future college endeavors and we know that he will do great things."

Men's State C, E softball tourneys underway

Nearly four dozen men's slowpitch softball teams are in Great Falls this weekend for state tournament play.

The Men's State C and State E tournaments started Saturday and continue throughout the weekend at Multi-Sports Complex.

Larry Lewis of Great Falls is the tournament director.

City League volleyball taking signups

Registration for the 2014 City Park and Recreational Fall Volleyball season will start Monday morning at continue through Thursday, Sept. 4 at the Park and Recreation Office, 1700 River Drive North, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Registration fees are $100 for both Power Leagues and Recreational Leagues. Fees are due at the time of registration.

Teams will be registered on a first come, first served basis. Call (406) 771-1265 for more details.

Missoula falls into loser bracket in Oregon

EUGENE, Ore. – Medford, Oregon tallied five runs in the top of the eighth inning to defeat the Missoula Mavericks 12-7 in the second round of the Northwest Class AA American Legion regional tournament Friday night at Swede Johnson Stadium in Eugene.

The Mavericks, now 53-23, will face Waipahu, Hawaii, in an elimination game today at 1 p.m. Montana Time.

Meanwhile, the Glacier Twins rolled past Fairbanks, Alaska 8-4 in the Northwest A Regional first round Friday at Anchorage.

The Twins will meet Pocatello, Idaho today in a second round match at 3:15 Montana Time, the winner advancing to the winner's bracket semifinals Sunday evening.