Wildkats extend streak to 5-0
The Columbia Falls girls basketball team dropped conference rival Frenchtown 58-49 at home last Thursday and then beat AA Flathead 57-42 on the road Saturday.
The Wildkats are now 5-0 on the season.
Against Frenchtown, the Kats shot out to a 22-2 lead in the first quarter on a flurry of treys and then held off the Lady Broncs for the win. Kiara Burlage led the squad with 17 and Dani Douglas had 11, including two steals that resulted in easy points in the first half. Douglas had four steals for the game.
Cydney Finberg had 10 and Peyton Kehr had 11. Frenchtown outscored the Kats in the other three quarters. They were without starter Alivia Williams, who has an ankle injury. Finberg also had 11 rebounds, and seven assists. She had three treys in the first quarter.
Burlage had nine rebounds.
Against Flathead, the girls had a big second quarter, scoring 20 against the Bravettes to lead 29-22 at the break. In the third, the defense held the Bravettes to just eight points.
Burlage had 17 to lead the Kats, Douglas and Kehr were in double figures with 11. Burlage had 11 rebounds, Sydney Hovde had nine boards and Douglas had four steals again.
Against Frenchtown, coach Cary Finberg said the girls shot the ball well early and defended well early, too. But then let off the gas.
“Sometimes it’s hard to play with a big lead,” he said.
Against Flathead, Finberg said the girls played a solid four quarters and had a strong defensive effort. They held Flathead to just 32 percent shooting and forced 22 Flathead turnovers. The Kats had 17 turnovers, but about a half dozen of them came in the final minutes when the game was all but over.
The girls travel to Bigfork Thursday. The Kats will look to go into the Christmas break 6-0.
Frenchtown 2 12 21 14 — 49
C. Falls 22 10 14 12 — 58
FRENCHTOWN — Meg Delaney 5, Lexi Statelen 2, Kylie Willett 9, Shannon Worster 10, Emilie Hinrichs 8, Allison Hochhalter 13, Sydney Channer 2.
COLUMBIA FALLS — Dani Douglas 11, Hannah Gedlaman 2, Cydney Finberg 10, Peyton Kehr 11, Ryley Kehr 2, Kiara Burlage 17, Trista Cowan 3, Sydney Hovde 2.
Col. Falls 9 20 16 12 — 57
Flathead 9 13 8 12 — 42
COLUMBIA FALLS — Dani Douglas 4 1-3 11, Cydney Finberg 3 0-0 9, Peyton Kehr 4 2-2 11, Kiara Burlage 7 3-3 17, Trista Cowan 1 0-0 2, Sydney Hovde 2 3-4 7. Totals: 21 9-12 57.
FLATHEAD — Kylee Meredith 1 0-0 3, Mary Heaton 2 1-2 5, Kelsey Gillespie 2 0-0 4, Taylor Henley 1 0-0 2, Tiana Johnson 9 6-8 28. Totals: 15 7-10 42.
3-point goals—CF 6 (Finberg 3, Douglas 2, Kehr 1), Flathead 5 (Johnson 4, Meredith 1). Total Fouls—CF 11, Flathead 15. Fouled out—none.