GIRLS BASKETBALL: Sentinel hands Wildkats first loss of season

COLUMBIA FALLS — Columbia Falls hung close with undefeated Missoula Sentinel on Saturday afternoon, but fell behind quickly behind a cold shooting performance in a 45-28 nonconference girls basketball loss.

The Wildkats (10-1) came out of the gate playing tight, swarming defense against the Spartans (10-0), each team firing and missing often while hurrying shots. The teams combined to make one field goal each in the first five minutes and closed the first quarter with Sentinel hanging on to a 6-4 lead.

It was again nearly midway through the period before each team woke up on offense in the second quarter, Columbia Falls tying the game at 6-6 with 4:49 in the frame only for Sentinel’s Jordan Schweyen to answer the next trip down the floor with a 3-pointer.

Schweyen’s shot was the start of a 7-0 run for the Spartans that opened the score to 13-6, and the first of 10 points for the sophomore guard in the quarter. By halftime, Sentinel led 20-10 and had forced Columbia Falls’ normally patient offense into 12 turnovers, limiting it to just three field goals.

Columbia Falls shot just 3 for 23 in the first half, 13 percent from the field.

The Wildkats tried to climb back in the third quarter but Sentinel found an answer for every run. A quick 3-pointer to cut the lead to 22-15 was answered immediately with a layup on the other end and an 8-1 run.

Sentinel led 35-20 after the third quarter and opened the fourth with a 6-2 run in the first two minutes. The Spartans led by 20 with 3:20 to play before pulling their starters.

The Wildkats finished the game shooting 21 percent, a shooting performance that couldn’t keep them in the game despite holding the Spartans to just 39 percent.

“The only real positive out of this game was that defensively for about a quarter and a half we played pretty well,” Wildkats coach Cary Finberg said. “Not a lot of things went our way. We weren’t shooting the ball well. Our defense kept us in it for about a quarter and a half. The girls got frustrated and our defensive intensity slowed down and it got worse from there.

“Moving forward we have to use this as a positive and learn from it, get better because of it.”

Schweyen had a game-high 17 points for the Spartans and junior Shannon Worster had nine points and a game-high seven rebounds.

Kiara Burlage had 10 points and seven rebounds to lead the Wildkats.

Sentinel out rebounded Columbia Falls 35-22 in the contest.

The Wildkats get back into conference play on Thursday at Frenchtown before a Saturday home game against Stevensville.

Sentinel 6 14 15 10 — 45

Columbia Falls 4 6 10 8 — 28

SENTINEL­—Brittany Delridge 2 1-4 5, Shelby Schweyen 3 0-0 6, Kylie Frohlich 2 2-6 6, Jordan Schweyen 7 1-2 17, Shannon Worster 3 2-2 9, Lauren Bingham 1 0-0 2, Kayla Daily 0 0-2 0. Totals: 18 6-16 45.

COLUMBIA FALLS—Sydney Grilley 0 1-2 1, Hannah Gedlaman 2 0-0 4, Ellie Johnson 1 0-0 3, Peyton Kehr 3 0-0 7, Ryley Kehr 0 1-2 1, Kiara Burlage 3 3-4 10, Allyson Gimbel 0 2-6 2. Totals: 9 7-14 28.

3-point goals—Sentinel 3 (J. Schweyen 2, Worster), Columbia Falls 3 (Johnson, P. Kehr, Burlage). Rebounds—Sentinel 35 (Worster 7), Columbia Falls 22 (Burlage 7). Total Fouls—Sentinel 15, Columbia Falls 8. Fouled out—none.