Kats drop a close one to the Pack, wallop 'Dogs

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, but it happened in dramatic fashion against a tough Class AA Glacier High School squad.

The Wolfpack dropped the Wildkats 53-51 with about four seconds left after the Pack’s Katie Thomas hit a game-winning three-pointer in a Jan. 16 clash in Kalispell.

The Kats were out of timeouts and time expired before they could get the ball down court for a last-gasp shot. Even with the loss, it was one of the best girls basketball games Columbia Falls has played in years against a tough Class AA opponent.

The Kats were down by as many as 10 points in the first quarter as the Wolfpack shot out to a 20-10 lead. But the Kats kept their composure and cut the lead to six at the break, 29-23. The Kats came out strong in the second half, going on a 9-2 run to take the lead 32-31 late in the third.

The game was a back-and-forth affair in the fourth. The Wolfpack had no answer for Haley Belgarde in the paint, and Winter Kemppainen was hot shooting from inside and outside to maintain the Kats’ lead.

Columbia Falls was up 52-51 in the closing minute but had a tough time with their possessions. The Wolfpack put on the press and had several fouls to give. The physical play kept the Kats out of rhythm, and they had a tough time getting the ball up the court and an even tougher time trying to score.

Coach Cary Finberg chalked it up as a learning experience.

“Those are the type of games we need to learn from and get better because of it,” he said.

Finberg said other than the last minute in the fourth and a lull in the first, the Kats played a solid game. Kemppainen led the team with 17 points. Belgarde had 14, and Ciera Finberg had eight.

Against Whitefish it was all Columbia Falls from the get-go. The Kats put on the press against the hapless Bulldogs and shot out to a 28-2 lead after the first quarter en route to a 70-13 victory. Everyone played and only one player from Columbia Falls didn’t score. The Kats were led by Andrea Getts with 16.

The Wildkats travel to Flathead High School on Friday night and then face Frenchtown at home Saturday. Game times are 8 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively.

Frenchtown is a good shooting club, and the last game against Flathead was a physical affair.

Both opponents should be tough.

Columbia Falls is now 7-1 overall and 3-0 in conference play.

Columbia Falls 10 13 15 13 — 51

Glacier 20 9 13 11 — 53

COLUMBIA FALLS — Ciera Finberg 4-7 0-1 8, Cydney Finberg 0-5 0-1 0, Ellie Johnson 2-4 0-0 5, Winter Kemppainen 7-10 0-2 17, Haley Belgrade 6-11 1-2 13, Andrea Getts 1-5 0-0 2, Kiara Burlage 3-5 0-0 6, Miranda Livingston 0-0 0-0 0, Allyson Gimbel 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-47 1-6 51.

GLACIER — Hannah Atlee 0-3 3-6 3, Katie Wiley 0-5 0-0 0, Cassi Hashley 6-12 3-6 15, Hailee Bennett 5-12 0-0 13, Taylor Loomis 3-9 1-1 7, Taylor Salonen 2-5 0-0 4, Katie Thomas 2-4 2-2 8, Tessa Krueger 1-5 0-0 2, Ali Williams 0-4 1-2 1. Totals 19-59 10-17 53.

Whitefish 2 3 6 2 – 13

Col. Falls 28 20 10 12 – 70

WHITEFISH – Katie Fyall 1, Simone Craft 3, Ceveana Lawshe 2, Anna Peterson 2, Makenna Benbrook 2, Victoria Buls 3.

COLUMBIA FALLS – Summer Burlage 1, Ciera Finberg 5, Cydney Finberg 3, Ellie Johnson 8, Andrea Getts 16, Winter Kemppainen 12, Miranda Livingston 4, Kiara Burlage 7, Allyson Gimbel 4, Haley Belgarde 8, Peyton Kehr 2.