Huge first half carries Wildkats over Bulldogs

WHITEFISH — The showdown became a bit of a meltdown for the Whitefish Bulldogs Friday, who dropped a 52-34 Northwestern A girls’ basketball game to rival Columbia Falls.

The first half doomed the hosts, who led the unbeaten Wildkats 3-2 after Gracie Smyley’s fast-break basket, before Columbia Falls scored 30 of the game’s next 32 points.

The previous Kat-Dog matchup had ended 48-47 Columbia Falls; at halftime of this one it was 32-7 and the Wildkats (11-0 overall, 7-0 in league) pretty much coasted.

“I knew we were ready,” Columbia Falls coach Cary Finberg said. “I didn’t expect to be up that big at halftime, but I felt going into this that we were going to play a good game. The kids were ready that first half.”

Hannah Schweikert, who ended up with 26 points, scored seven in a 25-0 run that bridged the first and second quarters. She had help: Maddie Robison’s three put the Wildkats up for good, 5-3; Grace Gedlaman came off the bench for six second-quarter points, including a basket that made it 27-3.

A put-back by Smyley stopped the run. But by half the Bulldogs (7-3, 3-2) had missed 29 of 32 shots.

“That’s not going to win very many halves, shooting like that,” third-year Whitefish coach Bob Bolam said. “They did some things to take away some stuff, too. I thought they had a good game plan against us, to limit some stuff. We didn’t adjust well, and then we started forcing some shots, and missing wide-open shots.”

The third quarter was much better for Whitefish. Smyley got untracked and ended up with 15 points. Jadi Walburn hit her last four shots before fouling out late, and had 10 points for the Bulldogs.

“We have a scrappy group and have played really well. That’s our worst half of the season. We’ve played well, as far as being in every game,” Bolam said. “We just questioned ourselves at halftime– how we want to be as a team moving forward. That’s what we’re going to carry, the second half, moving forward.”

Columbia Falls’ lead shrank to 39-24 after three quarters, and baskets from Walburn, then Ashton Ramsey cut the gap to 39-26, then 42-28.

Each time, Schweikert answered with a three. She ended up with five.

“Sometimes when you build a lead the intensity drops a little bit and you get away from what worked,” Finberg said. “But that first half I’m real happy with the way we played.

“This team’s getting better. I’m happy with some of the things we’re doing. But the good part is, I think we still have room to grow and get better in some areas. If we can do that, we give ourselves a chance to get some trophies at the end of the year.”

Gedlaman ended with eight points. Mady Hoerner’s 11 rebounds led the Wildkats to a 42-36 advantage on the boards. Schweikert and LaKia Hill had six rebounds each as well.

Col. Falls 9 23 7 13 - 52

Whitefish 3 4 17 10 - 34

COLUMBIA FALLS — Maddie Robison 2-7 0-2 6, LaKia Hill 3-6 0-1 6, Peyton Rhodes 0-1 0-0 0, Hannah Schweikert 8-15 5-8 26, Laura Falkner 0-1 2-2 2, Mady Hoerner 1-3 0-0 2, Clarissa erb 0-3 0-0 0, Grace Gadlaman 3-5 2-2 8, Alexis Green 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 18-42 9-15 52.

WHITEFISH — Jadi Walburn 4-14 1-3 10, Ashton Ramsey 1-10 1-3 3, Mikenna Ells 0-9 0-0 0, Gracie Smyley 5-11 4-4 15, Brooke Smith 2-5 1-2 5, Erin Wilde 1-3 0-7 2, Taylor Means 0-2 0-0 0, Jenny Patten 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-58 6-12 34.

3-point goals - C. Falls 7-16 (Schweikert 5-7, Robison 2-4, Hill 0-2, Erb 0-3), Whitefish 2-25 (Smyley 1-6, Walburn 1-3, Ramsey 0-5, Ells 0-5, Wilde 0-5, Means 0-1). Rebounds - C. Falls 44 (Horner 11), Whitefish 36 (Smyley 9, Smith 8). Fouls - C. Falls 13, Whitefish 12. Fouled out - Walburn. Steals - C. Falls 4 (Rhodes 2, Schweikert 2), C. Falls 9 (Wilde 4). Blocks - C. Falls 3 (Robision 2, Hoerner), Whitefish 0. Turnovers - C. Falls 21, Whitefish 15.