Girls basketball: Columbia Falls, Polson play for trip to state

Columbia Falls (16-4) and Polson (9-12) will square off tonight at 7 at the Ronan Events Center in a girls Northwestern A divisional challenge basketball game.

The winner advances to the Class A state tournament, which begins Thursday in Butte.

Top-ranked Columbia Falls lost to No. 3 Frenchtown 49-37 in the divisional championship game Saturday night at the Ronan Events Center.

Polson won the consolation final, beating Libby 48-27 to set up the challenge contest.

Columbia Falls beat Polson 51-32 on Feb. 2 in Polson. Haley Belgarde paced Columbia Falls, which was then ranked No. 3, in scoring with 12 points. Winter Kemppainen added 10.

Anna DiGiallonardo tallied nine for Polson.

The Wildkats outscored Polson 26-11 in the second half to claim that victory.

Then on Feb. 14 in Columbia Falls, the Wildkats claimed a 63-52 victory over the Pirates. Belgarde scored 15 of her game-high 20 points in the final half of that one. Ciera Finberg scored 12 of her 18 points in the first half.

Heidi Rausch had 16 points and Mackenzie Banner 12 for the Pirates.

The challenge game winner opens state tournament play on Thursday at the Butte Civic Center versus Eastern A champion Billings Central (14-7) at 12:30 p.m.

Frenchtown plays Eastern A runner-up Hardin (13-7) or consolation champion Laurel at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at state. Hardin and Laurel (15-6) have an Eastern A divisional challenge game tonight for a trip to state.

Billings Central defeated Hardin 69-54 in the Eastern A divisional title game Saturday night.

It was the second divisional championship in three years for the Rams.