Kats hold off Pirates in title game

No doubt about it, the Columbia Falls Wildkats are division champs once again.

With the game on the line and 34 seconds to go, Columbia Falls’ fated free throw shooter, senior Kelsey DeWit, did it once again.

The 6-foot-1 senior made back-to-back free throws to give Columbia Falls a one-point lead that survived a nerve-racking finish in the Northwestern A division title game on Saturday night at Glacier High.

DeWit finished with a game-high 20 points while her younger sister Kayla added 11 as the top-seeded Wildkats held on to defeat No. 3 Polson 48-46 in a spirited girls finale to the three-day tournament.

“I’m so proud of these young ladies and how hard they work,” Columbia Falls coach Dan Fairbank said. “We’re behind the whole game and we stick it out. And how about Kelsey DeWit?”

Indeed. In a scene eerily similar to last year’s Northwestern A title game,

DeWit found herself bearing the burden from the free throw line for a second year in a row. Last year against Bigfork in overtime, DeWit sank two free throws with 3.6 seconds left to break a 53-all tie and lead the Wildkats to their first division title in recent memory.

Any doubt this time around?

“Definitely not. She always makes them under pressure,” Kayla said afterward.

“Not with her,” Fairbank said. “She’s just a clutch kid.”

“I never want it to be that close again,” Kelsey said with a tired smile.

The sister act scored 14 of Columbia Falls’ 17 points in the fourth quarter. The junior DeWit turned in eight of her 11 points in the final frame and Columbia Falls built a 45-41 lead with just over two minutes left.

But that was only the beginning. Polson’s Riley Kenney, who had a team-high 12 points in the game, made a pair of free throws to cut the lead to three with 1:56 left. Less than 30 seconds later, Columbia Falls’ worst nightmare came true as Kayla DeWit, the second leading scorer in the division this season, fouled out.

After Kenney made another free throw, Polson junior Breanne Kelley brought the Columbia Falls fans to a gasping silence with 1:23 left when she swooped in and stole the ball at midcourt and turned in a go-ahead lay-up, 46-45.

But unfortunately for Polson, there was still one DeWit sister left on the court. Kelsey went on to foul out as well moments after her go-ahead free throws and Polson earned a chance at answering back from the line but came up short with 17.1 seconds left. After a desperate foul by Polson, Columbia Falls senior Brooke Cady made one of two from the line and followed with a defensive stop in the final seconds to seal the game and the championship.

“I’ve never been so nervous in my life,” Cady said. “I love them all. They’re amazing girls ... I’ve never been so happy to be on such a great team.”

Kelley finished with 10 points, three steals and eight rebounds, Nicole Davey had 11 points and Polson played through losing starter Sierra Pete in the opening minute to a knee injury.

“It was a great game, that’s how you want high school basketball games,” Polson coach Randy Kelley said. “Give C-Falls all the credit in the world, early in the game when we got on them they battled right back. We knew they were going to but they once again they got the ball down low and made us pay. But I thought our girls battled real hard and played really, really hard.”

Shay Grilley had seven points and five rebounds for Columbia Falls (14-6), who moves on to the state tournament along with Polson (14-6). This year’s tournament is in Hamilton and starts March 11.

For now, it’s another good memory that won’t be forgotten any time soon in C-Town. And especially at the DeWit household.

“I’m starting to realize how much I take it for granted,” Kelsey said of playing alongside her sister. “I realized that this year that I’m probably not going to be able to play with her in college ... I’m trying to remember every moment so I can look back and love it all. I love playing with her.”

Girls Championship Game

Polson    13    8    11    14    —    46

Columbia Falls    5    15    11    17    —    48

POLSON — Mariah Hamel 0 2-2 2, Breanne Kelley 2 6-10 10, Riley Kenney 3 6-9 12, Nicole Davey 4 3-6 11, Kendyall Rochin 1 0-0 2, Kayla Duford 2 4-4 9, Sierra Pete 0 0-0 0, Heidi Rausch 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 21-31 46

COLUMBIA FALLS — Danielle Gilley 2 3-6 7, Kayla DeWit 5 1-4 11, Brooke Cady 0 1-3 1, Shay Grilley 3 0-1 7, Kelsey DeWit 8 4-5 20, Kayla Stratton 0 2-2 2, Ashli Fairbank 0 0-0 0, Jonna Werner 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 11-21 48.

3-point goals — Polson 1 (Duford), Columbia Falls 1 (Grilley); Rebounds — Polson 22 (Kelley 8, Kenney 6), Columbia Falls  25 (Kel. DeWit 6, Grilley 5); Turnovers — Polson 9, Columbia Falls 11; Steals — Polson 6 (Kelley 3), Columbia Falls 2 (Kel. DeWit 2); Blocks — Polson 0, Columbia Falls 2 (Kel. DeWit 2); Team fouls — Polson ; Fouled out — Kel. DeWit, Kay. DeWit