Wildkats roll to Western A volleyball title

COLUMBIA FALLS — Columbia Falls made no doubt about how strong it is entering the state volleyball tournament, dominating the Western A divisional on the way to a four-set win in the championship match on Saturday afternoon at Larry Schmautz Memorial Gym.

The Wildkats (18-0) dropped just one set in the tournament, in the championship match to Whitefish 25-22, 25-19, 21-25, 25-14.

The Bulldogs (13-6) were scrappy after playing their way back into the championship after a three-set loss to Columbia Falls in the semifinals (25-19, 25-21, 25-20) earlier in the day. Whitefish beat Dillon 3-1 (25-16, 25-20, 22-25, 25-18) in the following match, to get another shot at the defending state champions and took its best effort into the match.

Whitefish made a habit of rallying back in the final few points of a set, beginning with the first when it made up a significant gap before Columbia Falls middle hitter Morgan Stenger closed it out with a kill to give the Wildkats a 25-22 win.

Columbia Falls pulled out to a 14-8 lead in the second set, after four straight points finished in an ace from KJ Schweikert. The lead was 17-12 after another Stenger kill when Whitefish started its second set rally. The Bulldogs scored three straight points thanks to a pair of Columbia Falls errors and an ace from Serena Hemmingson, then brought the score to 18-17 after the Wildkats couldn’t get two straight spikes in bounds.

After the sides traded points, Columbia Falls would pull away, winning four straight points, capped by kills from Kaitlyn Casazza and Kiara Burlage to set up game point. Burlage finished the match with her third kill of the set to send the Wildkats to a 25-19 win and a 2-0 lead.

Needing a win to extend the tournament, Whitefish rallied earlier in the third set, shaking off a 8-4 deficit to score five of the next six points and pull the set to a draw. The Bulldogs pulled ahead later in the match, getting three straight kills followed by an ace from Annisa Brown to take a 20-17 lead. Columbia Falls tried to rally back, but a trio of errors closed the set with a 25-21 Whitefish victory.

After the first dropped set of the tournament, Columbia Falls made no doubt about the fourth. The Wildkats scored six of the first seven points, dropping the only other on a serving error. Columbia Falls dominated the rest of the set, building a 24-9 lead for match point when Whitefish kicked back to life.

Cailyn Ross buried a kill to win the serve back and Columbia Falls hit a pair of balls long and garnered two net errors in the next four points for Whitefish to fight back to 24-14.

On the next point, however, Wildkats setter Cydney Finberg didn’t give Whitefish any more chance to rally, feinting a set only to dip the ball over the net into an empty space between defenders gearing up for a heavy spike, ending the match with a 25-14 win in the fourth set.

“We knew we needed to take care of business, we didn’t want to have to go to a fifth game,” Finberg said.

“We knew they were tired but they are a good battling team, so we just wanted to get it done as fast as we could.”

Finberg finished with 42 assists and three aces in the championship match. Stenger had a team-high 16 kills and two blocks and Casazza had 14 digs and two blocks for the Wildkats.

“They were fired up to play Whitefish again, solid performances out of all of them,” Wildkats coach Jessy Matthews said. “When we play our game it looks like the fourth set.”

Columbia Falls, despite winning the state tournament last year, didn’t capture the divisional trophy, something that became a point of emphasis for the coach and the team’s seven seniors.

“It’s definitely something we’ve talked about all season, having no regrets like we did last year with that,” Matthews said. “That was goal No. 1, now we have goal No. 2 next week.”

Ross led Whitefish with 10 kills and two aces in the championship match and Hemmingson had a match-high 18 digs. Libby Nagler had 31 assists and Mirielle Kruger had three blocks for the Bulldogs.

“We had a group of kids on the floor that had no fear and were not gonna back down, walk away and let it be over,” Whitefish coach Jackie Fuller said. “I’m really proud of what I saw and of our younger kids stepping up and going after it. Mirielle Kruger came alive in that third game. That helps us. My middles have got to be a force if we’re going to be successful.

Columbia Falls carries the top seed into the state tournament, where it will host Eastern fourth seed Sidney. Whitefish is the second seed and will open state against third-seeded Lewistown. Dillon captured the third seed by beating Corvallis earlier in the day. Dillon will play Billings Central in the first round and Corvallis will play Eastern champion Belgrade.

The tournament runs Thursday to Saturday at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse on the campus of Montana State University in Bozeman.

Western A Volleyball Tournament

Saturday

Columbia Falls HS

Semifinal

Columbia Falls def.

Whitefish 25-19, 25-21, 25-20

Kills—Whitefish 28 (Nina Thew 7, Kate Doorn 7), Columbia Falls 38 (Kaitlyn Casazza 10, Kiara Burlage 10). Assists—Whitefish 23 (Libby Nagler 19), Columbia Falls 29 (Cydney Finberg 28). Blocks—Whitefish 4 (Cailyn Ross 3), Columbia Falls 10 (Burlage 3, Morgan Stenger 3). Digs—Whitefish 43 (Serena Hemmingson 15), Columbia Falls 70 (Keavyn Baker 15). Aces—Whitefish 9 (Nagler 4), Columbia Falls 6 (Burlage 3).

Fourth Place Match

Dillon def. Corvallis 26-24, 25-23, 23-25, 26-24

Kills—Corvallis 52 (Genesis Keith 15), Dillon 48 (Kylie Christiansen 17). Assists—Corvallis 50 (Kate Hurlburt 49), Dillon 41 (Bailey Berriochoa 38). Blocks—Corvallis 10 (Mareen Jessop 5.5), Dillon 8 (Christiansen 3, Nicole Hritsco 3). Digs—Corvallis 104 (Hurlburt 29), Dillon 78 (Christiansen 21). Aces—Corvallis 6 (Keith 3), Dillon 9 (Kyndall Petersen 4).

Corvallis finishes in fourth place

Third Place Match

Whitefish def. Dillon 25-16, 25-20, 22-25, 25-18

Kills—Dillon 35 (Brynley Fitzgerald 14), Whitefish 41 (Kate Doorn 13). Assists—Dillon 30 (Bailey Berriochoa 26), Whitefish 36 (Libby Nagler 36). Blocks—Dillon 4 (Paige Rouse 2), Whitefish 4 (Cailyn Ross 2). Digs—Dillon 41 (Kylie Christiansen 18), Whitefish 41 (Serena Hemmingson 18). Aces—Dillon 6 (Kyndall Petersen 3), Whitefish 6 (Nagler 2, Ross 2).

Dillon finishes in third place

Championship

Columbia Falls def.

Whitefish 25-22, 25-19, 21-25, 25-14

Kills—Whitefish 35 (Cailyn Ross 10), Columbia Falls 52 (Morgan Stenger 16). Assists—Whitefish 32 (Libby Nagler 31), Columbia Falls 42 (Cydney Finberg 42). Blocks—Whitefish 4 (Mirielle Kruger 3), Columbia Falls 6 (Stenger 2, Kaitlyn Casazza 2). Digs—Whitefish 42 (Serena Hemmingson 18), Columbia Falls 68 (Casazza 14). Aces—Whitefish 6 (Ross 2), Columbia Falls 8 (Finberg 3).