C-Falls drops Dillon in boys basketball opener
COLUMBIA FALLS - Austin Barth scored 12 points and pulled down 10 rebounds and the Columbia Falls Wildcats rallied from a four point halftime deficit to defeat Dillon 44-34 on Friday in a rematch of last year's Class A state championship game at the NWA/SWA Tip-off Tournament.
Anthony Correa added seven points and eight rebounds (seven in the second half) as Columbia Falls outscored the Beavers 26-12 in the second half.
"I think we came out with a different mentality in the second half. The first half we were a little tentative. Our aggressiveness changed a little bit," said Columbia Falls coach Cary Finberg.
The Wildcats trailed in rebounding at halftime by four - they wound up winning that stat by seven.
"That's a good win. (Dillon) is a quality team. Nothing is easy against Dillon. We've got some new starters and some kids in different spots - and I thought they responded really well," Finberg said.
"Defensively (Barth) owned the key," he said.
The coach also complimented the effort of Luke Kazlauskas and Correa.
"For his first meaningful varsity minutes, he came in and made a big difference," Finberg said of Kazlauskas.
The Wildcats play Southwestern A Stevensville at 1 p.m. today in Whitefish.
Dillon was the preseason pick to win Southwestern A while Stevensville was picked second.
"They're very dangerous. They're real similar to Dillon. They've got a bunch of shooters. We've got to get out on their shooters."
"We're playing as good a teams this weekend as we'll see. This will be another good test for us," Finberg said.
Dillon 13 9 7 5 - 34
Columbia Falls 9 9 15 11 - 44
Dillon - Austin Williams 9, JT Linder 5, Ben Folsom 1, Chevy Reed 5, Wes Knox 11, Troy Scott 3.
Columbia Falls - Alex Presnell 3, Austin Martin 3, Luke Kazlauskas 8, Anthony Correa 7, Parker Johnson 3, Brian Marcille 6, Austin Barth 12, Jared Trinatich 2.
Ronan 55, Libby 54
Edmond Dupuis scored 13 points and Brady Oakland added 12 as Ronan rallied past Libby in the final moments.
Jarred Winslow scored 20 points, including six 3-pointers, to pace the Loggers.
Ronan 14 8 17 16 - 55
Libby 8 11 22 13 - 54
Ronan - Dallas Jore 2, Robbie Gauthier 3, Edmond Dupuis 13, Marcus Hungerford 9, Robert Fasa 6, Zach Wagner 4, Marley Tanner 6, Brady Oakland 12.
Libby - Chichon Hubbard 4, Phil Nelson 1, Micah Germany7, Elias Lapka 10, Jarred Winslow 20, Nolan Braden2, Kraig Nelson 8, Sawyer Zimmerma 2.
Frenchtown 51,
Hamilton 43
Frenchtown scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to rally past Hamilton.
Frenchtown's Mark Lebsock scored eight of his game-high 12 points in the final frame.
Eli Rogers paced Hamilton with 11 points.
Hamilton 8 15 12 8 - 43
Frenchtown 14 9 8 20 - 51
Hamilton - Jeremy Johnson 6, Brad Palin 9, Eli Rogers 11, John Ryter 1, Reese Isherwood 4, Jesse Bartels 6, Seth Mason 4, Josh Bauder 2.
Frenchtown - John Chapman 3, Mark Lebsock 12, Daniel Lebsock 6, Jackson Mahlum 8, Kyle Cyr 6, Matt Price 5, Austin Blank 11.
Corvallis 78,
Whitefish 74
Gage Vasquez scored 24 points and Cooper Olson added 20, but Whitefish's valiant effort fell just short as it lost to Corvallis.
The Bulldogs trailed 45-27 at the half, but outscored the Blue Devils 28-12 in the third period.
Corvallis 26 19 12 21 - 78
Whitefish 15 12 28 19 - 74
Corvallis - Luke Lagerquist 2, Emmett Stoker 4, Colby Henderson 25, Jansen Jessop 4, Beau Mays 23, Riley Bradshaw 16, Chase Walker 4.
Whitefish - Christopher Forrest 10, Jake Slaybaugh 9, Bryce Wehrli 5, Logan Harwood 4, Gage Vasquez 24, Cooper Olson 20, Jace Kalbfleisch 2.
Polson 67,
Anaconda 47
Polson opened with a pair of 20-point quarters in blowing out Anaconda.
Polson led 21-11 and 44-20 after the first two quarter stops.
Vince DiGiallonardo scored 19 of his game-high 21 points in the first three periods.
Polson teammate Cody Fischer added 15.
Jackson Wagner led Anaconda with 18 points.
Polson 21 23 8 15 - 67
Anaconda 11 9 15 12 - 47
POLSON - Tyler Krell 3, Vince DiGiallonardo 21, Ian Laimbeer 9, Zach Camel 9, Dylan Kelley 2, Cody Fischer 15, Brady Hislop 2, Riley Sampson 6.
ANACONDA - Dennis Stanberry 9, Eli Mathias 7, Jayce Barclay 2, Jade Green 5, Jackson Wagner 18, Bobby Smollack 3, Joey Orrino 1, Jon Allick 2.
Stevensville 64,
Bigfork 56
Four Bigfork Vikings scored in double figures, but it wasn't enough to overcome Jared Schultz and the Stevensville Yellowjackets.
Schultz scored 21 points (14-for-16 from the line) and the Yellowjackets dumped Bigfork.
Austin Jordt, Ian Lorang, Cody Dopps and Jackson Boese scored 10 points each for Bigfork.
The Yellowjackets were 32-of-45 from the free throw line.
Stevensville 15 16 16 7 - 64
Bigfork 8 18 13 17 - 56
Stevensville - Jared Schultz 3 14-16 21, Austin Kelling 1 4-5 6, Zach Gavlak 2 1-6 5, Jessie Sims 2 8-11 12, Josh Schultz 4 3-3 14, Tyler Gavlak 2 2-4 6. Totals 14 32-45 64.
Bigfork - Austin Jordt 3 2-4 10, Ian Lorang 4 0-0 10, Chris Landon 1 0-0 2, Cody Dopps 4 1-1 10, Connor Coleman 2 2-3 6, Tyler Kirby 2 0-0 4, Jackson Boese 5 0-1 10, Dillon Fraley 1 2-2 4. Totals 18 7-11 56.