Spikers win Class A Northwest divisional

The Columbia Falls volleyball squad is headed to the state tournament for the third year in a row after it swept the Northwest Class A divisional tournament last week in Libby.

The Kats opened the tournament with a win over Polson Nov. 7 in the first round, 25-16, 25-21, 25-13. In the semifinals they knocked off Frenchtown 23-25, 26-24, 25-17, 25-13.

On Saturday, they faced the Lady Broncs again and punched their ticket to state in a tight match, 23-25, 26-24, 25-17, 25-13.

The Kats went 11-0 in conference play this year and have just one loss to an A school this season. Corvallis beat them in their season opener. But the Kats have beat the Lady Blue Devils since.

The girls will face Lewistown in the opening round of the state tournament in Bozeman on Thursday. Game time is 4 p.m. If they win that match and Corvallis wins its opening round match, they’ll face off against each other in the next round at 8 p.m. Games are played at the Brick Breeden Field House on the Montana State University campus.

“I have more confidence in this team than any I’ve ever coached,” said coach Josie Brown. But make no mistake, Lewistown is a tough draw. The Golden Eagles have won five of the last 12 state A titles.

Last year the Kats went 2-2 in the state tournament and lost to Lewistown in the quarterfinals, eventually taking fourth.

In the divisional tournament it was a complete team effort. In the final against Frenchtown, four players were in the kill column. Ciera Finberg and Carla Nicosia had nine, Kiara Burlage had seven and Winter Kemppainen had six.

Finberg had a whopping 18 kills in the semifinal against the Broncs.

“They’re doing a great job,” Brown said. “They’re just now beginning to click.”

The last time the girls won the state tournament was in 1996. That year they took third in the divisional tournament and opened the state tournament with a loss, only to roar back with six straight wins to take the championship in the double elimination tournament. Back then, volleyball was a winter sport. The win gave then coach Christy Harkins her first state title. Harkins is now the coach for the top-ranked Kalispell Glacier team. The state volleyball tournament is held under one roof at the Fieldhouse and all classes compete in the one venue.

Columbia Falls def. Frenchtown, 23-25, 26-24, 25-17, 25-13

Kills — Columbia Falls 36 (Ciera Finberg 9, Carla Nicosia 9, Kiara Burlage 7, Winter Kemppainen 6); Polson 27 (Haley Fyant 7, Chadelle Smith 6); Blocks — Columbia Falls 8 (Ciera Finberg 2, Cydney Finberg 2, Kemppainen 2, Nicosia 2), Polson 2 (Smith 1, Jaiden Toth 1); Assists — Columbia Falls 33 (Cydney Finberg 28), Polson 23 (Toth 23); Digs — Columbia Falls 35 (Kemppainen 8, Cydney Finberg 7, Shaylene Fishel 7), Polson 52 (Libby Clay 19, Sarah Rausch 10); Aces — Columbia Falls 11 (Cydney Finberg 4, Burlage 3), Polson 1 (Toth 1).

 Columbia Falls def. Frenchtown, 25-23, 19-25, 25-23, 26-24

Kills — Columbia Falls 47 (Ciera Finberg 18, Carla Nicosia 10), Frenchtown 44 (Maura Wear 12, Morgan Ray 11); Blocks — Columbia Falls 12 (Finberg 4, Winter Kemppainen 4), Frenchtown 11 (Ray 4): Assists — Columbia Falls 43 (Cydney Finberg 40), Frenchtown 39 (Haley Cyr 36); Digs — Columbia Falls 49 (Shaylene Fisher 20, Kemppainen 10), Frenchtown 87 (Lacey Hochhalter 22; Aces — Columbia Falls 14 (Kiara Burlage 6), Frenchtown 8 (Ray 3).