Browning 4th, C-Falls 5 at Western A girls tourney
RONAN — The Browning Lady Indians are headed to State, and the Columbia Falls Wildkats just might be.
Browning’s 46-37 win over Polson Saturday morning put the Lady Indians in the third-place game at the Western A girls basketball divisional. They lost to Dillon 58-30 to fall to 19-3, but the top four teams advanced to the State A tournament March 9-11 in Bozeman.
Columbia Falls can still go: The Wildkats edged Polson 59-57 in the fifth-place game, and next will play Laurel — the No. 4 team out of the Eastern A — for a spot at State.
The site and time for that game have yet to be determined.
In the championship, Frenchtown beat Hamilton 49-42.
Dillon 58, Browning 30
Dillon jumped out ao 28-12 halftime lead and cruised to the consolation victory.
Sydney Petersen scored a game-high 18 points for the Beavers (20-2).
Lish Spoonhunter led Browning with 11 points.
Dillon 14 14 15 15 - 58
Browning 9 3 9 9 - 30
DILLON — Sydney Petersen 18, Kylie Konen 10, Josie Robbins 9, Halle Fitzgerald 8, Kenliegh Graham 6, Ariel Thomas 6, Leila Stennerson 1.
BROWNING — Lish Spoonhunter 11, Sugar Spoonhunter 5, Jerel White Grass 4, Kalcie connelly 4, Natalee St. Goddard 3, Mecca Bullchild 3.
Columbia Falls 59, Polson 57
Taryn Borgen scored 17 points to lead the Wildkats, who led 17-6 after one quarter, but then had to rally from a 45-42 deficit in the fourth quarter.
Kierra Kemppainen’s 3-pointer put Columbia Falls up 55-54 late, before Nikki Kendall hit one to put Polson back in front, 57-55, with 2:45 left.
The Kats went ahead for good, 58-57, on Hope McAtee’s basket inside with 1:01 remaining. McAtee hit a free throw with 7 seconds left and finished with 13 points.
Mila Hawk had 17 points and Grace Simonich 13 for the Pirates (12-10). Kendall finished with 11.
Polson 6 17 22 12 - 57
C-Falls 17 10 15 17 - 59
POLSON — Julia Barnard 3, Samantha Rensvold 5, Mila Hawk 17, Nikki Kendall 11, Grace Simonich 12, Alysia Adams 9.
COLUMBIA FALLS — Kya West 3, Hope McAtee 13, Taryn Borgen 17, Kierra Kemppainen 8, Emalee Alton 9, Lexi Oberholtzer 2, Demye Rensel 5, Ellie Stutsman 2.
Browning 46, Polson 37
Lish Spoonhunter’s 13 points led the way for the Lady Indians, who pulled away in the fourth quarter.
Jerel White Grass added 11 points for Browning. Mila Hawk had a game-high 16 for Polson.
Browning 10 9 11 16 - 46
Polson 4 15 9 9 - 37
BROWNING — Lish Spoonhunter 13, Jerel White Grass 11, Mecca Bullchild 8, Sugar Spoonhunter 5, Kalcie Connelly 4, Tashlyn Lazy Boy 2, Natalee St. Goddard 1.
POLSON — Mila Hawk 16, Julia Barnard 9, Nikki Kendall 5, Grace Simonich 5, Ilysia Adams 2.
Dillon 65, Columbia Falls 57 OT
Taryn Borgen’s 18 points led three Wildkats in double figures; Hope McAtee and Emalee Alton added 13 each. McAtee hit a free throw with 16 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
On the other side Kenleigh Graham scored 17 for Dillon; one of four Beavers to reach double figures.
C-Falls 10 6 17 19 5 - 57
Dillon 16 7 14 15 13 - 65
COLUMBIA FALLS — Taryn Borgen 18, Hope McAtee 13, Emalee Alton 13, Demye Rensel 7, Lexi Oberholtzer 6.
DILLON — Kenleigh Graham 17, Kylie Konen 12, Leila Stennerson 11, Halle Fitzgerald 10, Sydney Petersen 9, Josie Robbins 3, Ariel Thomas 2, Hailey Powell 1.