Vals, Kats clinch state with morning wins

Divisional morning games are at their most important these days in the Western A, and it was Bigfork and Columbia Falls that clinched berths in the State A tournament with loser-out wins Saturday.

At Columbia Falls High School, the Bigfork Valkyries built a big lead and held off Browning 58-44; at Whitefish High School, the Wildkats of Columbia Falls fought off Ronan for a 68-65 victory. 

The Wildkats and Vals moved into the consolation game Saturday afternoon. The top four teams in the Western A advance to next week’s State A tournament in Billings. 

Bigfork 58, Browning 44 

In Columbia Falls, the Valkyries held a 44-21 lead on two Braeden Gunlock free throws midway through the third quarter and still led 48-31 on a Keni Wade free throw early in the fourth. 

Browning surged, getting three 3-pointers from Amani Yellow Owl. The last two cut Bigfork’s lead to 48-40 and 51-43.   

In the final 3:38, though, the Lady Indians managed just one point. Paeten Gunlock helped seal things with three free throws in the final 2:27.  

Braeden Gunlock had a game-high 26 points for Bigfork (18-3), while Keni Wade poured in 20.  

Shaylee Heavy Runner hit five 3-pointers and scored 15 points for Browning, which ended up 12-11. Yellow Owl had 13. 

Browning    6    9    16    13    -    44 

Bigfork    14    14    18    12    -    58 

BROWNING — Josephine Michael 1 5-8 7, Shaylee Heavy Runner 5 0-0 15, Tashlyn Lazy Boy 1 1-2 4, Teslin Trombley 2 0-0 5, Amani Yellow Owl 3 4-6 13, Zoey Valandra 0 0-0 0, Krenda Lotary 0 0-0 0, Petyon Eagle Feathers 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 10-16 44. 

BIGFORK — Keni Wade 5 8-10 20, Paeten Gunlock 11 2-2 26, Braeden Gunlock 1 7-9 10, Somer Campos 0 0-0 0, Chloe Norred 1 0-0 2, Keegan Campbell 0 0-0 0, Leah Gibb 0 0-0 0, Miller Hall 0 0-0 0, Peyton DeSpain 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 17-21 58. 

3-point goals — Browning 10 (Heavy Runner 5, Yellow Owl 3, Lazy Boy, Trombley), Bigfork 5 (Wade 2, B. Gunlock 2, P. Gunlock). Fouls — Browning 19, Bigfork 14. Fouled out — Michael.  

Columbia Falls 69, Ronan 65 

In Whitefish, Kierra Kemppainen knocked down five 3-pointers and scored 20 points to lead the Wildkats. 

After Kemppainen hit a three to put her team up 60-52 with 2:00 left, Ronan scored seven points in the span of 20 seconds — Arianna Zepeda bracketed a bucket and two free throws around a Maddy Illig trey — to draw to 61-59 in the final minute. 

The Wildkats then shot 10 free throws in the final 30 seconds, making seven. Zepeda scored again to draw the Maidens to 64-61 with 22 seconds remaining, but Maddy Barker hit one free throw and Emalee Alton hit two for a 67-61 Wildkat lead. 

Barker, a 73 percent shooter from the line, hit 7 of 8 free throws in the final quarter to finish with 15 points; Alton had 11 points and Onni Lawrence 10 for the Kats (12-9), who are headed to state after starting the season 2-6.  

Zepeda and Illig had 16 points each for the Maidens, who ended up 12-9.  

Illig came off the bench and hit four 3-pointers, two in the fourth quarter. Zepada had nine points in the final frame. Zailee Hewankorn added 11 points for Ronan. 

Ronan    15    15    13    22    -    65 

C-Falls    14    15    16    24    -    68 

RONAN — Kailyn Marengo 2 0-0 4, Lauryn Buhr 0 0-0 0, Ally Luedtke 1 0-0 2, Arianna Zepeda 6 3-5 16, Nevaeh Perez 2 4-6 9, Natalie Adams 1 2-3 4, Kylee Kelch 1 1-2 3, Maddy Illig 6 0-0 16, Zailee Hewankorn 5 1-5 11. Totals 24 11-21 65. 

COLUMBIA FALLS — Onni Lawrence 4 1-2 10, Tayrn Borgen 2 0-0 5, Kierra Kemppainen 7 1-2 20, Emalee Alton 2 7-8 11, Rylee Sweeney 1 2-2 4, Maddy Baker 3 9-11 15, Alanis Peterson 0 0-0 0, Alexa Friske 1 0-0 3, Addy Bowler 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 20-25 68. 

3-point goals — Ronan 6 (Illig 4, Perez, Zepeda), Columbia Falls 8 (Kemppainen 5, Borgen, Lawrence, Friske). Fouls — Ronan 16, Columbia Falls 16. Fouled out — Borgen.