Spikers win Western A crown
Keavyn Baker with a spike against the Bulldogs.
KJ Schweikert with a spike against Dillon.
Cydney Finberg, right, slaps the ball over the net against Whitefish.
Morgan Stenger swats the ball over the net against Dillon.
From left, Caitlyn Casazza, Cydney Finberg and Kiara Burlage celebrate a point with Morgan Stenger, out of frame.
Anna Nicosia, left and Kiara Burlage meet for a dig.
The Columbia Falls volleyball team lost just one set en route to a Western A divisional championship over Whitefish Saturday at home, 25-22, 25-19, 21-25, 25-14.
The girls didn’t celebrate much after they won the crown. They know they still have work to do this week as they look to bring home a second consecutive state A title.
“Winning the (divisional) title at home was a really big goal for us,” said senior setter Cydney Finberg.
The team has had that even keel all year long. They don’t get down much when they lose. They don’t get too excited at wins. It will be that way at state as well. When asked who the team to beat at state was, Finberg put it in perspective, noting it didn’t really matter.
“We need to focus on ourselves and take care of business,” she said.
The Wilkats have yet to lose to a Class A opponent and have a 18-0 mark. Whitefish put up a good fight, taking the third set in the championship round. But this Columbia Falls team just seems to have another gear when the going gets tough.
They built a big lead in the fourth set and then hammered home the win. Morgan Stenger led the squad with 16 kills, Finberg had 42 assists.
“They played solid all the way around,” said coach Jessy Matthews. She said the control of the team is partly the players and their senior experience and partly coaching.
“We stay even and positive,” she said.
The squad has seven seniors. If one player is a bit off, someone else steps up. They never get down on a bad play or an error.
The Kats opened the tournament Thursday with a win over Stevensville, 26-24, 25-17, 25-18, then beat Dillon in straight sets 25-12, 25-15, 25-12 Friday. Saturday, the Kats dropped the Lady Bulldogs 25-19, 25-21, 25-20 in the semifinal.
They’ll open play Thursday at 10 a.m. against Sidney at the Brick Breeden Field House on the Montana State University campus in Bozeman.
On the other side of the bracket is familiar foe Belgrade, the No. 1 seed in the east. If both teams get through the bracket, they’d first face each other at 6 p.m. Friday.
The teams have a history. Two years ago Belgrade beat the Kats in the state tournament. The Kats lost the first game to the Panthers, battled their way back through the bracket, then beat the Panthers in the first championship game, but lost in the second game.
Columbia Falls def. Stevensville
26-24, 25-17, 25-18
Kills — Columbia Falls 36 (Kaitlyn Casazza 12, Kiara Burlage 9), Stevensville 22 (Mariah Hinson 10); Blocks — Columbia Falls 10 (Morgan Stenger 5), Stevensville 7 (Mikayla Newman 2, Angel Richards 2); Assists — Columbia Falls 29 (Cydney Finberg 26), Stevensville 19 (Quinn Larson 19); Digs — Columbia Falls 51 (Kaevyn Baker 12, Casazza 11), Stevensville 45 (Cassi Kopsa 15); Aces — Columbia Falls 4 (KJ Schweikert 2), Stevensville 6 (Quinn Larson 2, Mariah Hinson 2).
Columbia Falls def. Dillon
25-12, 25-15, 25-12
Kills — Dillon 23 (Brynley Fitzgerald 10), Columbia Falls 42 (Morgan Stenger 14, Kaitlyn Casazza 10). Blocks — Dillon 0, Columbia Falls 6 (Stenger 3). Assists — Dillon 20 (Bailey Berriochoa 19), Columbia Falls 37 (Cydney Finberg 37). Digs — Dillon 23 (Kylie Chirstiansen 7), Columbia Falls 48 (Casazza 13, Anna Nicosia 11). Aces — Dillon 2, Columbia Falls 11 (Nicosia 4).
Columbia Falls def. Whitefish
25-19, 25-21, 25-20
Kills—Whitefish 28 (Nina Thew 7, Kate Doorn 7), Columbia Falls 38 (Kaitlyn Casazza 10, Kiara Burlage 10). Assists—Whitefish 23 (Libby Nagler 19), Columbia Falls 29 (Cydney Finberg 28). Blocks—Whitefish 4 (Cailyn Ross 3), Columbia Falls 10 (Burlage 3, Morgan Stenger 3). Digs—Whitefish 43 (Serena Hemmingson 15), Columbia Falls 70 (Keavyn Baker 15). Aces—Whitefish 9 (Nagler 4), Columbia Falls 6 (Burlage 3).
Championship
Columbia Falls def. Whitefish
25-22, 25-19, 21-25, 25-14
Kills—Whitefish 35 (Cailyn Ross 10), Columbia Falls 52 (Morgan Stenger 16). Assists—Whitefish 32 (Libby Nagler 31), Columbia Falls 42 (Cydney Finberg 42). Blocks—Whitefish 4 (Mirielle Kruger 3), Columbia Falls 6 (Stenger 2, Kaitlyn Casazza 2). Digs—Whitefish 42 (Serena Hemmingson 18), Columbia Falls 68 (Casazza 14). Aces—Whitefish 6 (Ross 2), Columbia Falls 8 (Finberg 3).