Kats advance to divisional final with close win over Libby
Ryley Kehr pulls up for a jumper in the second quarter against Libby Friday. (Jeremy Weber photo)
Josie Windauer looks for room to operate against Libby's Taylor Holm Friday. (Jeremy Weber photo)
Josie Windauer goes up for a tough shot over Libby's McKenzie Profitt Friday. (Jeremy Weber photo)
Trista Cowan battles Libby's Jayden Winslow for a rebound in the third quarter Friday. (Jeremy Weber photo)
Madysen Horner battles Libby's Jayden Winslow for lose ball in the second quarter. (Jeremy Weber photo)
For the second day in a row, the Wildkats survived a tough test at the Western A Divisional Tournament in Hamilton, defeating Libby in the semi-finals Friday, 37-33.
After trailing by as many as four in the second quarter, the Kats took a narrow 15-14 lead into the break.
Josie Windauer and Trista Cowan sparked the offense as Columbia Falls scored the first 11 points of the third quarter to go up 26-14, but the Lady Loggers answered with a 15-4 run and cut the lead 32-31 on a Jayden Winslow free throw with 3:56 to play in the third.
The battle continued in the fourth quarter as Alli Collins cut the Wildkat lead to 35-33 with 57 seconds to play, but steal by Cowan and two free throws from Ryley Kehr in the final seconds helped secure the win as the Kats held on for a four-point victory.
Kehr led the Wildkats with 17 points in the win while Cowan scored 10, Windauer had seven and Savvy Ellis scored three.
Collins led Libby with eight points.
With the win, the Wildkats advance to take on the winner between Browning and Butte Central in the Divisional Title game Saturday at 6:30 p.m.