Girls split, but still look to make a run in final stretch

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team split the bill last week at home, thumping Ronan 60-17 Thursday, but they had a tough time against Bigfork Saturday, losing 51-34.

Against the Maidens, Taryn Borgen led the squad with 15, while Emalee Alton had 11 and Ellie Stutsman had 12.

The girls outscored Ronan 21-5 in the second and 19-3 in the third.’

Against Bigfork the Valkyries shot out to an 18-4 lead in the first and the Kats couldn’t recover.

Hope McAtee led the squad with 10 points.

Coach Cary Finberg said the problem is the team isn’t approaching the tougher opponents like Bigfork with the same intensity. He noted Bigfork out-rebounded the Kats  44-24. He said they did play with good intensity in the third quarter against Bigfork, but they need that same effort throughout a game.

Having said that, the girls have a good stretch of six regular season games where they can make a mark and head into the divisional tourney with some momentum. Four teams from the West get to state and Finberg said the girls are capable of doing that.

Bigfork 18 17 12 4 - 51 

C-Falls 4 6 7 17 - 34 

BIGFORK — Keni Wade 15, Afton Lambrecht 5, Braeden Gunlock 13, Paeten Gunlock 10, Callie Gembala 6, Chloe Norred 2.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Onnika Lawrence 4, Hope McAtee 10, Taryn Borgen 2, Kierra Kemppainen 2, Emalee Alton 4, Maddie Moultray 3, Rylee Sweeney 2, Ellie Stutsman 7.

Ronan 2 5 7 3 - 17 

C-Falls 7 21 19 13 - 60 

RONAN — Maddy Illig 5, Lauryn Buhr 3, Ariana Zepeda 1, Zailee Henriksen 1, Kaitlyn Marengo 4, Kylee Kelch 2, Emie Tapia-Torosian 1.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Hope McAtee 8, Taryn Borgen 15, Kierra Kemppainen 2, Emalee Alton 11, Ellie Stutsman 12, Maddie Moultray 7, Onnika Lawrence 5.