Northwestern A basketball: C-Falls girls state bound
RONAN — Top-ranked Columbia Falls earned a trip to the Class A state girls basketball tournament on Monday night by defeating Polson 48-38 in a Northwestern A divisional challenge game at the Ronan Events Center.
Columbia Falls will be the No. 2 seed from Northwestern A at state, which begins Thursday in Butte. The Wildkats (17-4) will face Eastern A champion Billings Central (14-7) at 12:30 p.m. at the Butte Civic Center.
Northwestern A champion Frenchtown plays Laurel (16-6) at 6:30 p.m. Laurel defeated Hardin in an Eastern A challenge game on Monday, 48-26.
The victory for Columbia Falls over Polson was the third straight this season. The Wildkats won the previous two by scores of 51-32 and 63-52.
Columbia Falls, leading 28-25 heading into the fourth quarter, outscored the Pirates 20-13 to win by 10.
Haley Belgarde led Columbia Falls, and all scorers with 20 points. She also had a team-best seven rebounds.
Winter Kemppainen had nine points and five rebounds and Hope Burlage totaled seven points and five boards.
Mackenzie Banner topped Polson (9-13) in scoring with 14 points. Heidi Rausch added nine points and had a team-high six rebounds.
Polson 8 4 13 13 — 38
Columbia Falls 10 10 8 20 — 48
POLSON — Mackenzie Banner 14, Heidi Rausch 9, Malia Hamel 6, Tegan Bauer 5, Hallie Hovenkotter 2, Anna DiGiallonardo 1, Monika Frame 1.
COLUMBIA FALLS — Haley Belgarde 20, Winter Kemppainen 9, Hope Burlage 7, Ciera Finberg 5, Shannon Hay 4, Andrea Getts 3.
Eastern A divisional
Challenge Game
Monday at Billings
Laurel 12 15 8 13 — 48
Hardin 5 11 6 4 —- 26
Laurel (16-6) — Lexi Lewis 0-0 0-0 0, Jayde LeFevre 4-20 6-9 16, Kylie Goodson 0-0 0-0 0, McKenzie Cotter 0-0 1-2 1, Allie McGrath 1-3 1-2 3, Leslie Gappa 3-4 2-3 8, Emily Smarsh 1-4 0-0 2, Dalayna Christenson 2-3 0-1 4, Bailey Love 0-0 0-0 0, Lexi Budge 2-5 0-0 2, Abbie Lohof 3-7 4-4 10. Totals: 16-46 14-21 48. 3-pointers: 2 (LeFevre 2). Rebounds: 38 (Gappa 9). Assists: 10 (McGrath 3, Gappa 3).
Hardin (13-8) — Joire Chavez 0-1 0-0 0, Darla Davison 0-0 0-0 0, Chrissy Don’t Mix 1-7 0-0 2, Adree Shield 1-5 1-3 3, Teonna Little Light 3-8 2-2 9, Kristan Dillon 0-1 0-0 0, Kanani Birdinground 3-8 0-0 6, Alyssa Big Man 1-3 0-0 3, Darrelynn Left Hand 0-1 0-0 0, Hannah Ware 0-3 3-4 3. Totals: 9-37 6-9 26. 3-pointers: 2 (Little Light 1, Big Man 1). Rebounds: 28 (Ware 7). Assists: 8 (Birdinground 3). Turnovers: 25. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Shield.
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Monday’s Scores
BOYS
Eastern A at Billings
Challenge Game
Laurel 41, Glendive 39
Western C at Hamilton
Challenge Game
Arlee 68, Ennis 60
Northern C
Challenge Game
Big Sandy 49, Highwood 47
GIRLS
Northwestern A at Ronan
Challenge Game
Southwestern A
Challenge Game
Stevensville 48, Hamilton 46, OT
Central A
Challenge Game
Browning 62, Livingston 36
Western C at Hamilton
Challenge Game
Twin Bridges 57, Shields Valley 30