Valley City Dominates Lisbon, Locks Up Top Seed

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Valley City Hi-Liner girls basketball team left no doubt on Thursday, cruising to an 84-32 victory over Lisbon to clinch the Region 1 regular-season championship. Valley City raced out to a 30-9 lead after the first quarter and stretched the advantage to 51-12 by halftime, led by strong performances from Katie Burchill, Skye Nielson, and the Frieze sisters.

Why it matters

The dominant win not only secured the Region 1 regular-season title for Valley City, but also locked up the top seed and a first-round bye in the upcoming region tournament. This positions the Hi-Liners as the team to beat heading into the postseason.

The details

Valley City wasted little time taking control of the game, as Katie Burchill scored 15 points in the first quarter to help the Hi-Liners race out to a 30-9 lead. Maddy Frieze added a pair of 3-pointers in the opening period as well. The second quarter was more of the same, with Valley City's defense limiting Lisbon to just 3 points and Skye Nielson leading the charge to stretch the lead to 51-12 at halftime. With the outcome well in hand, Burchill and the other starters were pulled midway through the third quarter, but Mariah Frieze stepped up to score 10 of her 13 points in the second half as Valley City continued to extend its advantage.

• The game took place on Thursday, January 30, 2026.

What’s next

Valley City returns to action on Tuesday, February 3rd, with a road matchup against the Central Cass Squirrels.