Wildkats in girls championship game
<p>Columbia Falls sophomore Sydney Grilley (12), drives the ball down the court under pressure from Polson freshman Lauren Lefthand (50) on Saturday, March 1, at the Northwestern A Divisional Tournament in Kalispell. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Columbia Falls junior Ciera Finberg (10) shoots for two during the game against Polson on Saturday, March 1, at the Northwestern A Divisional Tournament in Kalispell. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
The Columbia Falls Wildkats showed no signs of a slow start after a first-round bye in the Northwestern A Divisional basketball tournamnet, defeating the Polson Lady Pirates 60-18 in the semifinals on Saturday afternoon at Glacier High School.
Wildkat sisters Ciera and Cydney Finberg combined for 29 points and navigated a 14-0 run in the first quarter, shutting out the Polson during the first period of play.
Ciera, a junior, had a game-high 15 points, featuring four 3-pointers while Cydney’s 14 points included two buckets from behind the arc.
Polson (4-16) trailed 27-6 at halftime.
Ellie Johnson added nine points for the Wildkats, and senior post Haley Belgarde tallied eight points in the contest.
Polson was led by senior Jessica Bagnell who scored a team-high 11 points and junior post Peyton Anderson had three points for the Lady Pirates.
Junior Skyla Krantz and freshman Emma Shew had two points each for Polson.
Columbia Falls (18-1) will face Frenchtown in the divisional championship game with tip-off schedule today at 6 p.m.
Polson will await the winner of Libby and Whitefish, who play each other today at 9 a.m. The winner of the consolation game will meet the Lady Pirates in the third-place game. Should Polson come away with the victory, and if Columbia Falls beats Frenchtown, they would face the Trotters in a challenge game on Monday.
Columbia Falls 14 13 18 15 — 60
Polson 0 6 8 4 — 18
COLUMBIA FALLS - Summer Burlage 1 0-0 2, Ciara Finberg 5 1-1 15, Cydney Finberg 6 0-0 14, Ellie Johnson 4 0-0 9, Andrea Getts 2 2-2 6, Winter Kemppainen 1 02-2, Kiara Burlage 1 2-2 4, Haley Belgarde 4 0-0 8. Totals 24 5-7 60.
POLSON - Skyla Krantz 1 0-0 2, Jessica Bagnell 4 2-4 11, Peyton Anderson 1 1-2 3, Emma Shaw 1 0-0 2. Totals 9 3-6 18.
3-pointers - Columbia Falls 7 (Cia. Finberg 4, Cyd. Finberg 2, Johnson), Polson 1 (Bagnell); Team fouls - Columbia Falls 6, Polson 6.
Frenchtown 49, Libby 26
After leading by just three points at halftime, Frenchtown clinched a spot in the Northwestern A Divisional championship game by holding Libby to just 12 second-half points.
Senior forward Vanessa Stavish scored a game-high 15 points for the Broncs (14-5) while sophomore Laci Willet added 10.
The Loggers (7-12) were led by senior Taylor Quinn’s 10-point effort. Junior Shyla Stevenson chipped in six points for Libby.
Frenchtown will face top seeded Columbia Falls in the championship game today at 6.pm.
Libby fell to the consolation bracket and will battle Whitefish at 9 a.m. with the winner advancing to the 3 p.m. third-place game.
Frenchtown 8 9 14 18 — 49
Libby 4 10 5 7 — 26
FRENCHTOWN — Emma Pyron 0 2-2 2, Vanessa Stavish 4 7-10 15, Kayla Blood 0 1-2 1, Alli Moe 3 1-2 7, Brooke Yarnall 2 0-0 5, Keegan Wickman 2 2-3 6, Lacey Hochhalter 5 0-2 10, Laci Willett 1 1-4 3. Totals 17 14-25 49.
LIBBY — Gavy Oliver 1 0-0 2, Shyla Stevenson 3 0-0 6, Taylor Quinn 5 0-0 10, Dayln Germany 2 0-0 5, Devon Gallagher 1 0-0 3. Totals 12 0-0 26.
3-pointers — Frenchtown 1 (Yarnell); Libby 2 (Germany, Gallagher); Team fouls — Frenchtown 8 ; Libby 17. Fouled out — Moe.