Valley powers clash in C-Falls

For the second time in a week, the Valley will host a cross-class basketball clash of state powers.

And this time, it’s the girls’ turn to shine.

Class A No. 1 Columbia Falls hosts Class AA No. 2 Glacier tonight in the early game of a doubleheader. The contest follows a highly-anticipated game last Friday between the Class A No. 1 Columbia Falls boys and then-Class B No. 1 Bigfork that ended in a Wildcats rout.

And while each team would take a comfortable victory tonight, neither is preparing for one.

Glacier (6-1) comes into the game having won its last six games and is undefeated in the Western AA conference, leaning on a disruptive pressure defense that has given opponents fits all season.

Columbia Falls (9-0) has been one of the best teams in the state, regardless of class, and has been on fire offensively, averaging more than 61 points per game while winning games by an average of more than 31 points this season.

For each team a win would be a confidence booster heading into the final month of conference basketball. And each is expecting a tall task to earn that victory.

Emphasis on tall.

The Wolfpack has used its spectacular height and length to disrupt defenses this season, making each pass a chore and each shot a potential rejection. Glacier has nine players listed at least 5-foot-10 on its roster and regularly rotates six players listed at 5-11 or taller.

The Wildkats are one of the few teams in the state that can match size with the Wolfpack, with six girls on the roster listed at least 5-10.

That dynamic has intrigued both coaches as they prepare for one of the last strong nonconference battles they’ll see this season.

“This is a type of team that we haven’t seen,” Columbia Falls coach Cary Finberg said. “It will be good to see a team with the type of size that Glacier has to see how we can handle that.”

Columbia Falls’ confident offense is something the Wolfpack is looking to measure itself against after a strong defensive statement in the early season.

“They’re very long, athletic and offensively they’re aggressive,” Glacier coach Kris Salonen said. “They’re not afraid to shoot the ball.”

“When you’re trying to get better every week and prepare for our conference games, these are the nonconference games that are definitely going to make us a better team win or lose.

“It’s a situation where, they’re the top Class A team in the state right now. We can’t ask for a better challenge at this point of the season. They’re going to come out and they’re going to compete.”

Each team is looking to use this game as a measuring stick, with each hoping a game against a top-flight team will help it to stack up to championship aspirations down the road.

“We’re sitting at the mid-point of the season and this is a good opportunity to see where we’re at,” Finberg said.

“This is a challenge that we haven’t seen yet this season with their size and athleticism. We’re going to have our hands full.

“We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now. If we come out with the same level of confidence we have been it should be a good game.”

The crowd is expected to be raucous when the game tips off at 6 p.m. at Larry Schmautz Memorial Gym. With what should be a competitive boys game as a nightcap, the girls are hoping to put on a show worthy of the venue.

“It’s a doubleheader night in the Valley, you know there’s going to be a lot of fans from the Valley coming,” Salonen said.

“The fan support is unbelievable. The whole town of Columbia Falls is going to be there. What is amazing too is how many people from the area come to watch just because people know it’s going to be a great night of entertainment.”

So, get there early and get your popcorn. Two of the best girls teams in the state are on the stage and ready to put on a show.

You may be seeing them again on a Saturday night in March.