Wildkats open the season with two looses

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team opened the season with two losses at the Western A Tip-Off tourney, but coach Dan Fairbank said he saw some nice progress between the first and second games.

The Wildkats dropped the first game against Stevensville 49-39 last Friday and the second game against Hamilton 60-50 last Saturday.

In the Stevi game the girls were down by just three points in the fourth quarter when Kayla DeWit fouled out. Point guard Danielle Gilley was also in foul trouble most of the game, said Fairbank.

Stevi was able to put together a nice run after that to seal the Kats’ fate.

Against Hamilton Fairbank said the girls played much better, but Hamilton went 11-of-24 from the three point line. Fairbank said the idea was to make the Lady Broncs shoot the trey, but he didn’t expect them to hit almost half of them.

Still, he said the girls played much better against the Broncs. DeWit notched 29 points in the loss. Kayla Stratton and Jonna Werner each had seven apiece.

The girls face Flathead at 6 p.m. Thursday away and Sentinel at home Saturday at 4 p.m.

Fairbank said the team has to play better defense.

“We need to box out better,” he said. “We’re just letting opponents have too many second shots.”

Stevensville 9 15 14 11 - 49

C. Falls 7 12 12 8 - 39

Stevi - Bailey Vercruyssen 3, Mckenzie Sebastian 1, Alycia Sims 23, Lindsay Thorstad 5, Alexa Omlid 2, Britney Chilcott 2, Blaire Brookshire 11, Kyla Paulsen 2.

C. Falls - Kayla Stratton 2, Dani Gilley 5, Kayla DeWit 12, Allie Lampman 2, Hope Burlage 9, Jonna Werner 9.

C. Falls 16 12 9 13 - 50

Hamilton 17 14 13 16 - 60

C. Falls - Kayla Stratton 7, Dani Gilley 4, Kayla DeWit 29, Allie Lampman 2, Hope Burlage 1, Jonna Werner 7.

Hamilton - Rebecka Hood 1, Presley Chadwick 7, Casey Shifflett 2, Kaurie Albert 33, Kara Wetzsteon 7, Mary Conwell 9.