Rams tame Wildkats

by The Daily Inter Lake
| March 12, 2010 2:00 AM

HAMILTON — Jackie Elliott scored a game-high 32 points to help Billings Central pull away from Columbia Falls for a 64-52 victory in opening-round action at the Class A state girls basketball tournament on Thursday.

Billings Central (16-6) outscored Columbia Falls 11-6 in the second period to take a 27-20 advantage into the locker room at the half. Columbia Falls (14-7) slipped to within four points in the second half before Billings Central pulled away.

Kayla DeWit and sister Kelsey accounted for the bulk of the Wildkats scoring. Kayla, who was 11-for-24 shooting from the field and 3-for-3 at the charity stripe, finished with 25 points. Kelsey tallied 16 points.

Only five players scored for the Wildkats.

Elliott was 9-for-17 from the field and went 12-for-15 at the free throw line.

Austin Hanser tossed in 15 points for the Rams.

Columbia Falls drops into loser-out action today at 12:30 p.m. versus Frenchtown. Butte Central defeated Frenchtown in Thursday’s other afternoon first-round game, 49-34.

Columbia Falls and Frenchtown opened the season on Dec. 5 in Frenchtown with the Wildkats rolling to a 55-37 victory.

Billings Central 16 11 18 19 — 64

Columbia Falls 14 6 19 13 — 52

BILLINGS CENTRAL — Jackie Elliott 9-17 12-15 32, Brenna Chilton 1-7 0-0 3, Austin Hanser 5-12 3-6 15, Maggie Powell 0-1 4-4 4, Marissa Stanton 1-5 4-4 6, Shae Chilton 1-6 1-2 4, Morgan Seeley 0-0 0-0 0, Miranda Rabold 0-1 0-0 0, Katie Cummins 0-0 0-0 0, Rayanne Frazier 0-1 0-0 0, Kayla Lucas 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor Hanser 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-50 24-31 64.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Dani Gilley 1-2 2-4 4, Ashli Fairbank 1-1 2-4 4, Kayla DeWit 11-24 3-3 25, Shay Grilley 1-5 0-0 3, Kelsey DeWit 5-11 6-19 16, Brooke Cady 0-3 0-0 0, Jonna Werner 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-46 13-20 52.

3-point goals: Billings Central 6-22 (Elliott 2-3, A. Hanser 2-7), Columbia Falls 1-4 (Grilley 1-4). Total fouls: Billings Central 15, Columbia Falls 21. Fouled out: Billings Central 17, Columbia Falls 15.

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Butte Central 8 12 13 16 — 49

Frenchtown 6 11 9 8 — 34

BUTTE CENTRAL (13-8) - Kacie McKeon 1-6 2-2 4, Ashley Kasperick 0-0 0-0 0, Taylure Svejkovsky 0-0 0-2 0, Kourtney Kambich 1-2 0-0 2, Brynne Kambich 4-7 3-4 11, Breanne Krzan 0-0 0-0 0, McKenzie Doherty 0-0 0-1 0, Lexie Murphy 6-16 0-1 12, Hannah Stajcar 0-3 2-4 2, Quinn Peoples 4-9 6-6 14, Mariah Cooney 0-0 0-0 0, Theresa Banks 1-4 2-2 4. Totals 17-47 15-22 49.

FRENCHTOWN (12-11) - Jaylynn Garrison 0-2 0-1 0, Keller Leishman 0-2 0-0 0, Angel Lowry 0-1 0-0 0, Sarah Lester 4-8 2-4 13, Shelby Jutila 2-6 1-2 5, Kelsey Fallis 0-4 0-2 0, Emma Oostdyk 0-0 0-0 0, Jesse Tucker 0-0 0-1 0, Brittany Belker 4-14 6-6 14, Brittnee Richardson 1-2 0-0 2, Abby Indreland 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 11-39 5-12 30.

3-point goals — Butte Central 0-10 (McKeon 0-4, K. Kambich 0-1, Peoples 0-4, Banks 0-1), Frenchtown 3-11 (Lester 3-5, Leishman 0-2, Belker 0-2, Richardson 0-1). Rebounds - Butte Central 29 (Peoples 8, Murphy 5, B. Kambich 4), Frenchtown 33 (Fallis 6, Lester 6, Belker 6, Jutila 4). Assists — Butte Central 6 (Murphy 2), Frenchtown 3 (Fallis 2). Steals — Butte Central 12 (Banks 4, Murphy 3), Frenchtown 8 (Jutila 5). Blocks — Butte Central 1 (Cooney), Frenchtown 1 (Lester). Total fouls - Butte Central 16, Frenchtown 19. Fouled out - none. Turnovers — Butte Central 19, Frenchtown 28.