Valkyries bounce back, take third

WHITEFISH — The Valkyries came out hot early and didn’t let up.

Bigfork closed out their second win of Saturday with a 52-32 showing against Columbia Falls after both teams earned state berths earlier in the day. 

“These girls gutted it out,” Bigfork coach Courtnee Gunlock said. “They showed how mentally tough they were with how physically exhausted they were. They laid it all out on the line last night and came up short, but they came back and proved they are a real good team.” 

The Valkyries clinched the West’s No. 3 seed at the State A Tournament in Billings March 13-15. Columbia Falls takes the No. 4 seed. 

In the championship, Dillon jumped out quick and weathered a furious Frenchtown comeback to take a 47-40 win and the top seed in the West for state. 

Bigfork 52, Columbia Falls 32 

Keni Wade led Bigfork with 18 points — including five 3-pointers — as the Valkyries jumped out to a 12-0 lead after the first quarter in their third game in 24 hours. 

“We just had to motivate them,” Gunlock said on having three games in a short span. “They play a lot of travel ball, so this isn’t new to them, they play two-to-three games a day. That helps.” 

Things went from bad to worse early for the Wildkats as junior Maddy Barker went down injured after a drive to the hoop; she was helped off the court and did not return to the game. She rejoined the team after the half on the bench with her right knee wrapped. 

The Wildkats didn’t roll over, as Onnikka Lawrence helped Columbia Falls score the first six points of the second quarter.  

A triple from Kierra Kemppainen put Columbia Falls within four at 16-12. Kemppainen led the Wildkats with nine points. 

“I’m proud of the girls and the way they competed this week,” Wildkats coach Jeremy Grilley said. “They had three tough games and they battled in all three. The big thing is, we are going to state with the opportunity to do something.” 

The Valkyries offense was too much as Paeten Gunlock hit a triple a few possessions later and Bigfork was ahead 21-12. The Vals led 23-15 at the half. 

Out of the break Columbia Falls tried to keep it close, but two more triples from Wade helped the Valkyries go back up double digits. 

Gunlock knocked down a triple early in the fourth to put Bigfork up 42-26 — part of a 14-2 run. She finished with 15 points and sister Braeden Gunlock added 11. 

“I like where we are going in (to state) this year,” Gunlock said. “My oldest daughter (Braeden Gunlock) said, ‘It’s kind of nice not being the No. 1 seed.’ Sometimes taking that pressure off is helpful.”  

Bigfork     12    11    16    13    -    52 

C-Falls    0    15    11    6    -    32 

BIGFORK — Keni Wade 5 3-4 18, Payton DeSpain 1 0-0 2, Braeden Gunlock 2 7-8 11, Somer Campos 3 0-1 6, 4 5-10, Keegan Campbell 0 0-0 0, Leah Bibb 0 0-0 0, Chloe Norred 0 0-0 0, Desi Dell 0 0-0 0, Millie Hall 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 15-23 52 

COLUMBIA FALLS — Onnikka Lawrence 1 4-6 6, Addy Bowler 1 0-0 3, Taryn Borgen 3 0-0 7, Kierra Kemppainen 3 0-0 9, Ava Schulz 1 0-0 2, Rylee Sweeney 2 1-2 5, Alexa Friske 0 0-0 0, Riley Byrd 0 0-0 0, Madison Yerian 0 0-0 0, Alanis Peterson 0 0-0 0, Maddy Barker 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 5-8 32. 

3-point goals — Bigfork 7 (Wade 5, P Gunlock 2), Columbia Falls 5 (Kemppainen 3, Borgen, Bowler). Fouls — Bigfork 11, Columbia Falls 16. Fouled out — none. 

Dillon 47, Frenchtown 40 

Kenleigh Graham scored a game-high 22 points for Dillon , which got the early jump with a 10-1 run to start the game — including a triple from Graham. 

“Our team did exactly what they needed to do to win the game,” Dillon coach Josh Graham said. “We came out and won the first five minutes of pretty much every quarter, we put it on them.” 

The second frame continued much like the first as Dillon led by as many as 19 at 23-4. 

Frenchtown found its legs late in the quarter, going on a 6-0 spurt into the half. 

Out of the break the Broncs continued their comeback, extending the run to 19-3 — including Mason Quinn knocked down all three free throws after being fouled on a shot from deep. Quinn finished with 19 points to lead the Broncs. 

Cassie Keller ended the run as she got inside for a layup and sparked another Beavers spurt. She hit again from three at the third quarter buzzer to cap off an 8-0 run to end the frame and give Dillon a 34-23 advantage. 

Heather Haskins pulled the Broncs back to within five with eight seconds to go, but the Beavers held on to take the crown. Haskins finished with 10. 

The Beavers take on Lewistown in the first round at the state tournament. 

“It’s an opponent that we have seen before,” Keller said. “They are well-coached, we had some success against them the last time ... It’s going to be one of those games where you have to come into it really well prepared.” 

Dillon    10    13    11    13    -    47 

Frenchtown    1    9    13    17    -    40 

DILLON — Cassie Keller 1 2-4 4, Kena Sampson 0 0-0 0, Zandri Hartman 1 0-0 3, Tess Tash 0 0-0 0, Kinzy Craeighton 0 0-0 0, Josie Robbins 1 0-0 3, Quincy Hansen 0 0-0 0, Kylie Konen 2 2-2 6, Kenleigh Graham 5 9-11 22, Sage Tash 4 1-2 9. Totals 14 14-19 47. 

FRENCHTOWN — Mason Quinn 3 12-13 19, Jezzy Palmer 0 0-0 0, Ryan Lucier 1 1-2 3, Bailey Hansen 0 0-0 0, Blake Hardy 2 0-0 4, Heather Haskins 3 4-7 10, Maya Skinner 2 0-0 4, Macey Smith 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 17-22 40. 

3-point goals Dillon 5 (Graham 3, Robbins, Hartman), Frenchtown 1 (Quinn). Fouls — Dillon 19, Frenchtown 19. Fouled out — none. 

    Columbia Falls' Taryn Borgen (15) shoots in the first half against Bigfork in the consolation game of the Western A Divisional Basketball Tournament at Whitefish High School on Saturday, March 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Bigfork's Paeten Gunlock (23) drives to the basket between Columbia Falls' defenders Rylee Sweeney (32) and Taryn Borgen (15) in the consolation game of the Western A Divisional Basketball Tournament at Whitefish High School on Saturday, March 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Columbia Falls' Onnikka Lawrence (5) drives to the basket in the first half against Bigfork in the consolation game of the Western A Divisional Basketball Tournament at Whitefish High School on Saturday, March 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Bigfork's Keni Wade (12) drives to the basket against Columbia Falls in the consolation game of the Western A Divisional Basketball Tournament at Whitefish High School on Saturday, March 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Bigfork's Braeden Gunlock (21) shoots against Columbia Falls in the consolation game of the Western A Divisional Basketball Tournament at Whitefish High School on Saturday, March 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Columbia Falls' Onnikka Lawrence (5) shoots in the first half against Bigfork in the consolation game of the Western A Divisional Basketball Tournament at Whitefish High School on Saturday, March 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Bigfork's Paeten Gunlock (23) shoots against Columbia Falls in the consolation game of the Western A Divisional Basketball Tournament at Whitefish High School on Saturday, March 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider