Wildkats' title hopes head to Hamilton

There are no more easy games.

That’s the mantra for the Columbia Falls girls as the Wildkats get prepared for the Class A state basketball tournament this weekend in Hamilton. Columbia Falls (19-1) opens play at 2 p.m. today against Butte Central (17-5), the second seed from Southwestern A.

After a season of domination that saw Columbia Falls enter the tournament with a 10-game win streak and its second straight Northwestern A divisional tournament title, the Wildkats are well aware of the rise in competition.

That was evident even in their last game. Columbia Falls came out shooting cold against Frenchtown in the divisional championship and led by just three points at halftime. The Wildkats instead focused on defense to hold onto a lead and eventually began to pull away in the third quarter.

It was a reminder that the 40- and 50-point victories of the regular season aren’t going to be available for the rest of the season.

“I thought that Frenchtown game was a good game for us,” Columbia Falls coach Cary Finberg said.

“We did a lot of right things, we just didn’t shoot the ball very well. For us to find a way to grind out a win with us not shooting the ball very well was a good sign.”

Frenchtown played the Kats physical, which is a gameplan Finberg said he expects to see a lot of at state. While boasting a roster with five girls that are at least 5-foot-10, Columbia Falls doesn’t have a wealth of low post strength.

“We’ve got some height and we’ve got some athletic girls, but we don’t have a lot of physicality as far as our size,” Finberg said.

“The teams that are going to give us problems are going to be the teams that are physical with us. If we can handle that, I like our chances.”

The Wildkats are led by seniors Ciera Finberg, the leading scorer at 13.6 points per game, and Winter Kemppainen, who is averaging 10.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

Columbia Falls has dominated the Northwestern conference, winning its games by an average of 36 points against league opponents. Overall this season, the Wildcats are winning by an average of 27 points and have allowed an opponent to score 40 points just six times in 20 games this season.

They should expect much tougher from Butte Central, which has been in a three-team fight all season in the Southwest, maybe the state’s most competitive conference.

Butte Central had to fight back into the tournament after losing to Southwestern champion Hamilton (15-6) in the first round of divisionals last week. The Maroons won three straight games to close out the tournament, topping Dillon 55-48 in a challenge game on Monday.

Butte Central is led by the trio of Emily St. John, Mollie Peoples and Kloie Thatcher, each averaging at least 9.7 points per game.

“They have three very good guards,” Cary Finberg said.

“They’re very sound in what they do. Overall they don’t have great size but the handle the ball well, they shoot the ball well. They’ve been 1-2 down in that Southwest conference all year long. It’s a game that we need to get ready for. It’ll be a good opening test.”

Billings Central (10-11) and Lewistown (8-13) occupy the same side of the bracket and will face Columbia Falls in the next round.

Along with the Wildkats, defending state champions Havre (16-4) and host squad Hamilton are favorites to win it all this year.

Hamilton is led by the state’s leading scorer, future Montana Grizzly Taylor Goligoski, who is averaging 23.8 points per game this season.

Havre, like Columbia Falls, hasn’t lost in Class A this season. The Blue Ponies, led by the state’s second leading scorer in Morgan Mazurkiewicz (16.5 ppg), only losses have come to perennial Class B powerhouses Fairfield and Malta and Class AA’s Great Falls C.M. Russell. Havre swept Class AA Great Falls and gave CMR a loss while cleaning house in the Central A.

Hardin (12-9) and Darrelynn Left Hand, the state’s third leading scorer (16.24 ppg), open against Havre. Frenchtown (13-7) will represent the Northwest as the second seed against Hamilton.

“We have to go down there with the attitude that if we play well and take care of our side of things, we’re going to have a great chance to win against anybody,” Cary Finberg said.

“If we do the right things at the state tournament, give ourselves a chance, sometimes that’s all you can ask for.”