Wildkats smother Polson
Karper, Spencer score 14 each to lead Columbia Falls
COLUMBIA FALLS - Jessica Boyer's 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer capped a dominant second quarter by the Columbia Falls High School girls basketball team Friday night en route to a 55-35 Northwestern A victory over visiting Polson.
The Wildkats (6-3, 4-1) committed nine turnovers in the first quarter and led just 9-6 entering the second frame, but they finished the first half on a 24-5 run and led 28-11 at halftime.
A senior guard, Boyer scored nine second-quarter points, contributing to a balanced Columbia Falls attack. Senior forward Beth Karper and senior guard Callie Spencer scored 14 points apiece for the Wildkats, and senior guard Mary Nolan added nine.
Karper and Spencer both entered the game averaging about 10 points per contest, but Karper said there is no scoring rivalry between herself and Spencer.
"Not at all, not at all," Karper said. "I love to just share it, and everyone does."
Columbia Falls coach Kris Salonen said Friday's balanced scoring effort was satisfying to watch because of the problems it poses for future opposition.
"Who can you guard?" Salonen said. "If you're anybody coming to scout the Wildkats, who do you key on? You just can't do it. What I told the girls right now is they are the most unselfish team I've coached, and I really believe that."
Junior guard Jessica Buckless scored nine points to pace the Lady Pirates (3-6, 2-3), whose offense came to life in the second half with 24 points, outscoring Columbia Falls 16-15 in the final quarter.
"I think we just started playing with a little more confidence," said Polson coach Bruce Thomas. "I think (the Lady Pirates) got more afraid of me at halftime than they were of the Wildkats - I kind of tore into them at halftime a little bit. And I thought our defense picked up in the second half and that helps our offense - we get a little more confidence going that way."
Sophomore post Sarah Newton scored seven points for Polson, followed by sophomore forward Cali Hislop, who added five.
Ten Polson athletes scored, but the Lady Pirates didn't find their offensive rhythm until the game was out of reach.
"(The Wildkats) really did a nice job of pressure defense," Thomas said. "We didn't have the opportunity to stand around and throw to who we wanted. They made us work for every offensive set that we had and every offensive opportunity. We hadn't seen that kind of man-to-man pressure yet this year."
Karper said the Wildkats faired well defensively by keeping Polson off balance. Columbia Falls forced 22 Polson turnovers and won the rebound battle, 27-13.
"We did some different things," Karper said. "We worked on our man tonight and tried a little bit of our zone. We just tried a couple things."
The Lady Pirate defense attempted to press Columbia Falls as well, but struggled against the Wildkats' speedy guards.
"We tried to press them and found out we couldn't press them," Thomas said. "They're a very good ball-handling team and they shoot the ball very well, and they're very aggressive to the hole."
The Wildkats may have been too aggressive at the start as Salonen said most of their turnovers were unforced and came from forcing passes into the wrong spots. According to Salonen, the Wildkats composed themselves in the second quarter and committed just five turnovers over the last three quarters, allowing their depth, poise and talent to take over.
"Offensively, I really think that I started subbing a lot, and we went a lot deeper, and they got in a little foul trouble," Salonen said. "And Polson - they're a young team, and they're going to be tough, but right now you take advantage of a young team, and that's kind of what we did."
Columbia Falls attempted 21 free throws, draining 13 (61.9 percent).
Thomas said he treats the first half of conference play as a learning experience more than anything else.
"We probably should have gotten out of our press a little bit sooner that first half and we wouldn't have given up so many points," Thomas said. "But winning is not the most important thing right now - it's trying to figure out what you can and can't do against another team so by the time you get to the tournament, you kind of have a better game plan than you do the first time of the year."
And while the Wildkats are on a roll, Salonen said they are still a work in progress.
"You always have to get better," Salonen said. "Tonight we didn't get back on defense a couple times, we didn't find our man. We left some shooters open for shots, and those are things that you've got to work on, obviously."
Columbia Falls visits Eureka at 6:30 p.m. today before battling Class AA Missoula Hellgate and Flathead next week. Salonen said playing AA schools will make the Wildkats better, whether they win or lose.
Karper said the Wildkats are striving to play their best basketball as they hit the middle of their season.
"We just keep working real hard, and I think if we just keep improving each time that we'll just keep playing our best and we'll get there," Karper said.
The Lady Pirates entertain Libby today at 4:30 p.m.
Polson 6 5 8 16 - 35
Columbia Falls 9 19 12 15 - 55
POLSON (3-6, 2-3) - Brittany Gardner 1 1-2 3, Amanda James 0 1-2 1, Jessica Buckless 4 0-1 9, Merilee Mowbray 1 0-2 2, Jaelin Vandeberg 1 0-0 2, Lela Clairmont-Perez 1 0-0 2, Lisa Mathias 1 0-0 2, Rochelle Woods 1 0-0 2, Sarah Newton 3 1-1 7, Cali Hislop 2 0-0 5. Totals 15 3-8 35.
COLUMBIA FALLS (6-3, 4-1) - Callie Spencer 5 4-4 14, Jessica Boyer 4 0-2 9, Mary Nolan 3 2-2 9, Alyssa Ladenburg 1 1-2 3, Beth Karper 5 4-7 14, Sarah Marcille 0 1-2 1, Sam Ladenburg 1 1-2 3, Kelsey DeWitt 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 13-21 55.
3-point goals - Pol. 2 (Buckless 1, Hislop 1), CF 2 (Boyer 1, Nolan 1). Rebounds - Pol. 13, CF 27. Assists - Pol. 5, CF 8. Steals - Pol. 8, CF 8. Turnovers - Pol. 22, CF 14. Total fouls - Pol. 18, CF 14. Fouled out - none.