Wildkats cruise to Western A divisional title

BUTTE — Maddie Robison scored 21 points and the unbeaten Columbia Falls Wildkats held off Ronan 59-54 Saturday to claim the Western A Divisional girls’ basketball championship.

Both teams head to next week’s State A tournament at Great Falls’ Four Seasons Arena. Perennial power Columbia Falls is back after a one-year absence, and for the eighth time in nine seasons; Coach Steve Woll’s Maidens are back for the first time since the 2016 State B tournament.

In the consolation game Hamilton’s Layne Kearns scored 18 points, including the last five of the game to lead the Broncs past Whitefish 31-28.

Whitefish, which ousted Browning 56-48 in Saturday’s morning games, still advances to state. It’s the Bulldogs’ first appearance since 2008.

Hamilton, 14-6, beat Whitefish for the second time in the divisional tournament: The Broncs won a first-round game 45-38.

Columbia Falls 59,

Ronan 54

LaKia Hill added 13 points and Hannah Schweikert 10 for the Kats (19-0), who built a 31-17 lead late in the first half and were up 53-41 on Hill’s 3-pointer with 4:39 left in the game.

Ronan (12-8) scored the next eight points, getting a 3-pointer, then a three-point play from Danielle Coffman, and trailed 53-49.

Two Schweikert free throws put the Kats up 57-49, but in the final minute Areanna Burke hit a three and Jaylea Lunceford had a put-back to cut the gap to 57-54.

Robison’s two free throws with 10 seconds left capped the scoring.

Burke hit three 3-pointers and tied Lunceford for team scoring honors with 11. Olivia Heiner added 10 for the Maidens.

Columbia Falls 13 18 11 17 - 59

Ronan 10 10 18 16 - 54

COLUMBIA FALLS — Maddie Robison 6-10 7-7 21, LaKia HIll 5-11 1-2 13, Grace Gedlaman 3-5 0-4 6, Hannah Schweikert 2-9 6-8 10, Madysen Horner 1-2 0-0 2, Clarissa Erb 2-3 0-0 5, Alexis Green 0-0 0-0 0, Hope McAtee 1-3 09-0 0, Peyton Rhods 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-43 14-21 59.

RONAN — LaReina Cordove 3-13 0-0 6, Danielle Coffman 3-4 2-4 9, Areanna Burke 4-10 0-0 11, Madeline McCrea 0-1 0- 0, Jaylea Lunceford 3-5 5-6 11, Margaret Cordova 1-1 0-0 3, Leina Ulutoa 0-2 0-0 0, Jaeleigh Gatch 0-4 4-7 4, Olivia Heiner 3-6 3-6 10, Adriana Tatukivei 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-46 14-25 54.

3-point goals — C. Falls 5 (Robison 3, Hill 3, Erb), Ronan 6 (Burke 3, Heiner, MCordova, Coffman). Rebounds — C. Falls 31 (Schweikert 10), Ronan 23 (Coffman 6). Fouls — C. FAlls 20, Ronan 16. Fouled out — none.

Hamilton 31, Whitefish 28

The Bulldogs (13-6) fell behind 11-2 but worked back into a 25-24 lead on Ashton Ramsey’s steal and free throw with 5:30 left in the game.

Mya Winkler scored to get Hamilton back in front, but then Taylor Means hit a three — her second of the quarter — to put Whitefish up 28-26.

Those were the Bulldogs’ last points. A lane violation took away a free throw opportunity by Ramsey with 1:07 left, and then Kearns converted a steal into a three-point play with 47 seconds remaining. Hamilton led 29-28.

After Gracie Smyley missed on Whitefish’s next possession, Kearns was fouled and hit two free throws at the 27-second mark. That capped the scoring.

Smyley scored 11 points. Kearns, who had 16 points and nine rebounds in Hamilton’s 48-37 morning win over Dillon, grabbed seven boards against Whitefish and added four steals.

Third-fourth

Whitefish 2 87 10 9 - 28

Hamilton 11 6 5 9 - 31

WHITEFISH — Jadi Walburn 2-6 0-0 4, Ashton Ramsey 0-4 4-5 4, Gracie Smyley 3-12 3-4 11, Mikenna Ells 0-0 0-0 0, Brook Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Erin Wilde 0-2 1-2 1, Taylor Means 2-5 0-0 6, Jenny Patten 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 8-31 8-11 28.

HAMILTON — Kylee Brackman 2-5 0-0 5, Morgan Brenneman 0-1 0-0 0, Layne Kearns 6-13 3-4 18, Magdalena Ringer 0-2 2-2 2, Katelyn Dickemore 1-4 0-0 2, Mya Winkler 2-4 0-4 4, Amanda Wilson 0-0 0-0 0, Maddie DuVall 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 11-30 5-10 31.

3-point goals — Whitefish 4 (Smyley 2, Means 2), Hamilton 4 (Kearns 3, R.Brackmann 1). Rebounds — Whitefish 13 (Smith 4), Hamilton 25 (Ringer 9). Turnovers — Whitefish 16, Hamilton 17.

Whitefish 56, Browning 48

Smyley hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points to lead the Bulldogs, while Smith checked in with 13 points and 10 boards, and Jadi Walburn had 12 points and eight rebounds.

A 15-7 second-quarter surge helped Whitefish to a 10-point halftime lead.

Tatum Running Crane’s 16 points led Browning, which ended up 10-7.

Loser out

Browning 17 7 9 15 - 48

Whitefish 12 15 11 18 - 56

BROWNING - Chalissa Kipp 12, Mecca Bull Child 2, Amari Calf Rope 3, Tatum Running Crane 16, Arena Matt 2, Alena Burdeau 1, Walker Running Crane 5, Abby Bull Calf 7.

WHITEFISH - Jadi Walburn 12, Ashton Ramsey 3, Mikenna Ells 7, Gracie Smyley 16, Brook Smith 13, Taylor Means 5.

Loser out

Dillon 4 9 3 21 - 37

Hamilton 8 12 11 17 - 48

DILLON - Ainsley Shipman 15, Madalen Shipman 3, Lauryn Petersen 65, Eve Hansen 2, Jorydyn Walker 4, Sydney Petersen 2, Halle Fitzgerald 5.

HAMILTON - Kylee Brackman 5, Layne Keams 14, Magdalena Ringer 7, Katelyn Dickemore 5, Maddie DeVall 4, Mya Winkler 11.