Wildkats start season with losses at NW-SW tourney

A young Columbia Falls girls basketball team did a pretty good job of running plays in its first action of the season last week.

But good plays have to end up with the ball dropping through the net, and that simply didn't happen enough, as the girls lost to Hamilton, 56-35, and then to Stevensville, 54-39, the next day at the Northwest-Southwest Tip-Off Tournament on Dec. 9-10.

The Wildkats had 30 turnovers against Hamilton, but cut that to 21 against Stevi. They also had a tough time at the free throw line, shooting just 4-for-41.

Sophomore Haley Belgarde led the Kats in both games with eight and 13 points respectively. She also had 11 rebounds in each game. Finberg said Belgarde was his player of the week.

The team played better than the scores would suggest. Against Hamilton, the Kats held an 8-0 advantage in the first quarter and led 10-7 at the end of the stanza, but Lady Bronc Taylor Goligoski knocked in four 3-pointers in the second quarter to lead the Broncs with 26 points.

"The girls worked hard," coach Cary Finberg said. "It's going to take time."

The Kats also led Stevensville 10-9 in the first stanza and were down by just one point at the half, 25-24. But the Yellowjackets made some adjustments and poured in 21 points in the third quarter alone to pull away from the Kats.

The team is learning a new system with a lot of young players. Even with the messiness, they're still fun to watch, and they're playing hard.

"It's going to be a process with these girls," Finberg said. "We need to keep the big picture in mind."

Guards Cortney White and Tori Price also improved their play in the Stevi game, Finberg noted, reducing their turnovers.

The road won't get any easier. The girls face Flathead High School at home Friday at 6 p.m. and then Frenchtown at home Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Both teams should be tough.