Kats 15-1 after picking up wins over Polson, Libby

By JEREMY WEBER

Hungry Horse News

The Wildkats basketball team saw a couple of individual highlights last week as the team moved a little closer to another regular-season conference title with convincing home wins over Polson and Libby.

Senior guard Ryley Kehr matched a 32-year-old state record Tuesday as she collected 16 steals against the Lady Pirates in the Kats’ 70-18 win over Polson. Kehr’s 16 steals tied the Montana single-game mark set by Chinook’s Stacey Shockley in 1987.

Sophomore guard Hannah Schweikert hit five threes and scored a career-high 18 points to lead the Kats Thursday as they downed Libby, 62-41.

The Kats got out to quick starts in both contests as Polson never led and Libby’s only lead of 3-2 came early in the opening quarter.

“I was happy how we started in both games,” head coach Cary Finberg said. “We knew we wanted to come out strong against Polson, and we did, and we wanted a good start against Libby and their strong defense. I thought we did a good job of setting the tone and getting going early against them.”

Kehr had 10 steals at the half and finished the game two assists shy of a triple-double Tuesday as the Kats cruised past Polson. Kehr scored 10 of her game-high 18 points in the first quarter and Josie Windauer added eight as the Kats jumped out to a 21-7 lead after eight minutes of play. The Kats kept the pressure on, picking up 36 steals en route to the blowout win.

Kehr did not know it was a record-setting night until Finberg informed her Monday morning.

“I never expected to hold a state record, but it feels pretty good,” she said. “We always start out our games pressing and trying to get after it with aggressive defense. We’ve had slow starts at most of our home games, so we wanted to be aggressive and force more turnovers and we were able to do that.”

Kehr finished with 18 points, 16 steals, eight assists, four rebounds and two blocked shots while Trista Cowan also had a big game with 16 points, eight steals, seven rebounds, three assists and a block.

Windauer also scored in double figures with 14 points and added eight rebounds while LaKia Hill added 10 points.

Schweikert hit three of her triples against Libby in the second quarter Thursday to break open a close game. The Kats led 12-6 after one quarter of play, but Schweikert’s nine points in the second helped spark a run that put Columbia Falls up 31-17 at the half.

The Kats continued to add to their lead in the second half as they pulled away to win by 21.

“We’ve been waiting for Hannah to have that kind of game. We know she is more than capable of doing it,” Finberg said. “For her to break out the way she did, especially from three-point range, is nice to see. She knows how to score and she showed that.”

Schweikert’s 18 points led the way for the Kats as she also added five rebounds and three steals. Kehr was also in double figures with 16 points.

The Kats will finish out the regular season at home this week as they honor seniors Kehr, Cowan and Savvy Ellis against Whitefish Thursday before hosting Browning in what promises to be an exciting game Saturday. The Kats’ only loss of the season came in overtime at Browning Jan. 17.

“The only thing different that we want to accomplish against Browning this time is having more points then they do at the end of the game,” Finberg said about his game plan against the Lady Indians. “I thought we played a solid game against them last time. They are a top team and I thought we played them well on the road last time. We just want to take care of the ball a little better and play with confidence at home.”

Thursday’s game against Whitefish is scheduled for 6 p.m. while the Browning game will be at 4 p.m. Saturday.

For full stats on the Polson and Libby games, see this story online at www.hungryhorsenews.com.

Polson 7 6 5 0 - 18

Columbia Falls 21 24 16 9 - 70

SCORING - C-FALLS: Ryley Kehr 18, Trista Cowan 16, Josie Windauer 15, Savvy Ellis 9, LaKia Hill 9, Graceanne Sevesind 2, Peyton Rhodes 1. POLSON: Karly Lawson 7, Mahala Buffalo 5, Natasha Gravelle 2, Sharmaine Zempel 2, Olivia Perez 2. REBOUNDS – C-FALLS: (30) Windauer 8, Cowan 7, Kehr 4, Grace Gedlaman 3, Hannah Schweikert 2, Ellis 1, Lauren Falkner 1, Hill 1, Madysen Hoerner 1, Maddie Robison 1, Taylor Weaver 1. POLSON: NA. STEALS – C-FALLS: (37) Kehr 16, Cowan 8, Ellis 5, Hill 3, Falkner 1, Hoerner 1, Rhodes 1, Robison 1, Windauer 1. POLSON: NA. ASSISTS – C-FALLS: (19) Kehr 8, Hill 4, Cowan 3, Windauer 2, Ellis 1, Robison 1. POLSON: NA. BLOCKS – C-FALLS: (7) Ellis 2, Hoerner 2, Kehr 2, Cowan 1. POLSON: NA. TURNOVERS – C-FALLS: (17) Kehr 5, Windauer 3, Cowan 2, Ellis 1, Falkner 1, Gedlaman 1, Hill 1, Hoerner 1, Schweikert 1, Sevesind 1. POLSON: NA. SHOOTING – C-FALLS: 28-57 (49%) FG, 13-24 (54%) FT, 1-6 (17%) 3PT. POLSON: NA.

Libby 6 11 11 13 - 41

Columbia Falls 12 19 16 15 - 62

SCORING – C-FALLS: Hannah Schweikert 18, Ryley Kehr 16, Trista Cowan 8, LaKia Hill 7, Maddie Robison 5, Madysen Hoerner 4, Josie Windauer 4. LIBBY: Jayden Winslow 14, Samantha Miller 8, Alli Collins 7, Emma Gruber 4, Mackenzie Proffitt 3, Elsie Erickson 2, Olivia Smith 2, Sammee Bradeen 1. REBOUNDS – C-FALLS: (35) Cowan 8, Windauer 8, Hoerner 5, Schweikert 5, Savvy Ellis 4, Kehr 4, Hill 1. LIBBY: (17) Winslow 6, Bradeen 4, Taylor Holm 2, Miller 2, Smith 1, Gruber 1, Profitt 1. STEALS – C-FALLS: (11) Schweikert 3, Kehr 2, Cowan 1, Ellis 1, Hill 1, Hoerner 1, Robison 1, Windauer 1. LIBBY: (5) Bradeen 2, Profitt 1, Walker 1, Winslow 1. ASSISTS – C-FALLS: (14) Hill 4, Kehr 3, Schweikert 2, Windauer 2, Ellis 1, Hoerner 1, Robison 1. LIBBY: (10) Gruber 2, Miller 2, Profitt 2, Collins 1, Syd Gier 1, Walker 1, Winslow 1. BLOCKS – C-FALLS: (2) Lauren Falkner, Hoerner. LIBBY: none. TURNOVERS – C-FALLS: (13) Cowan 3, Robison 2, Ellis 1, Hill 1, Hoerner 1, Kehr 1, Peyton Rhodes 1, Schweikert 1, Graceanne Sevesind 1, Windauer 1. LIBBY: (18) Bradeen 5, Collins 4, Miller 3, Profitt 3, Winslow 2, Gier 1. SHOOTING – C-FALLS: 25-55 (46%) FG, 6-17 (35%) FT, 6-17 (35%) 3PT. LIBBY: 14-38 (37%) FG, 6-10 (60%) FT, 7-17 (41%) 3PT.