Kats nab conference win against Whitefish

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team extended their conference record to 3-0 last week with a 55-29 drubbing of Whitefish on Jan. 12.

The girls shot out to a 19-6 lead in the first stanza and never looked back. They also played good defense, holding the hapless Lady Bulldogs to just four points in the fourth quarter. Hope Burlage led the squad with 12 points. Haley Belgarde had 11 in the win.

“We got off to a good start,” coach Cary Finberg said. The girls played aggressive and played well defensively, he noted.

The Kats had a much tougher time against Class AA Glacier on Jan. 10, losing 57-35. Glacier had a good inside-out game and forced a number of Columbia Falls turnovers. The Wolfpack had 24 points in the fourth quarter to ice the game. Sophomore Winter Kemppainen led the Kats in scoring with nine points.

Even in the loss, Finberg noted the team hung in there — down by just seven at the end of the third quarter. That’s a good sign for the program. But the girls had a bad night shooting — just 26 percent.

The girls traveled to Flathead on Tuesday after presstime and then will be on the road against Frenchtown on Saturday. They’re now 7-2 overall.

Glacier 14 14 5 24 — 57

Columbia Falls 7 9 10 9 — 35

GLACIER — Hailee Bennett 6 1-1 13, Rachel Chery 5 1-2 11, Cassi Hashley 4 2-2 10, Kailea Vaudt 4 0-0 8, Kirstyn Haugenoe 3 0-1 6, Taylor Loomis 2 1-2 5, Hannah Atlee 0 2-2 2, Kylie Peck 1 0-0 2.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Winter Kemppainen 3 2-2 9, Hope Burlage 2 4-4 8, Haley Belgarde 2 2-2 6, Andrea Getts 2 1-5 5, Ally Gimbel 1 1-2 3, Tori Price 1 0-0 2, Ciera Finberg 1 0-0 2.

Columbia Falls 19 7 12 17 — 55

Whitefish 6 8 11 4 — 29

COLUMBIA FALLS — Summer Burlage 2, Ciera Finberg 8, Tori Price 7, Hope Burlage 12, Andrea Getts 2, Winter Kemppainen 8, Ellie Johnson 2, Haley Belgarde 11, Shannon Hay 2.

WHITEFISH — Ashlee Brewer 8, Simone Craft 16, Maura Kalbfleisch 2, Allie Schulz 1, Shannon Craft 2.