Cats cruise over Dogs to take divisional crown

If you’re a Wildcat, it’s always fun to beat the Whitefish Bulldogs. But it’s especially fun to beat them for a championship.

The Columbia Falls boys basketball team did just that at Glacier High School on March 2, hammering the Bulldogs 51-37 to win the Cats’ sixth consecutive Northwest Class A divisional title.

The tougher game was actually against Polson one day earlier when the Cats beat the Pirates 62-48 in the semifinal.

But against Whitefish, the Cats left no doubt who was the better team. They forced a slew of Bulldog turnovers, as the Cats shot out to a 27-13 lead at the half.

The Cats were led by senior Jared Trinastich with 14 points and Alex Presnell with 11. When the game ended, Trinastich carried his point guard off the court in celebration.

“We were loose,” coach Cary Finberg said. “Our quick start early settled us in.”

Against the Pirates, Polson scored 20 in the final frame to make the game interesting, but the Cats responded with 18 of their own to put the game away.

Presnell led the team with 14 points. Trinastich had 13, and Mason Gedlaman, Ty Morgan and Jayce Fagerland had seven points apiece.

Finberg said he likes the way the boys are playing heading into the state tournament Thursday in Great Falls.

“We’ll have a chance of winning every game if we play like we’re capable of playing,” he said.

The Cats will open the tournament Thursday against Havre at 2 p.m. They need to contain the Blue Ponies’ Dane Warp, who is averaging about 24 points a game.

The Wildcats are now 16-4 overall.

Polson 8 9 11 20 — 48

Columbia Falls 16 12 16 18 — 62

POLSON - Cedrick Smith 4 5-6 13, Andrew Weltz 1 6-12 8, Jacob Harrod 1 0-0 3, Andrew Curley 3 0-0 7, Tanner Wilson 3 0-0 8, Matthew Rensvold 3 3-4 9. Totals 15 14-22 48.

COLUMBIA FALLS - Alex Presnell 4 4-6 14, Trevor Houston 1 0-0 2, Grant Stenger 1 1-4 3, Jayce Fagerland 2 2-2 7, Nakia Alexander 3 1-1 7, Ty Morgan 2 3-5 7, Mason Gedlaman 2 3-4 7, Jared Trinastich 5 2-2 13, Grant Wallace 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 16-22 62.

3-point goals - Polson 4 (Wilson 2, Curley, Harrod); Columbia Falls 4 (Presnell 2, Trinastich, Fagerland); Team fouls - Polson 16, Columbia Falls 12. Fouled out - Trinastich, Wilson.

Columbia Falls 15 12 10 14 — 51

Whitefish 7 6 11 13 — 37

COLUMBIA FALLS — Alex Presnell 4 0-2 11, Nakia Alexander 3 2-2 9, Ty Morgan 1 4-7 6, Jared Trinastich 5 4-5 14, Trevor Houston 1 1-1 3, Jayce Fagerland 1 1-3 4, Grant Wallace 1 2-2 4. Totals 16 14-23 51.

WHITEFISH — Keaton Nicholson 0 2-4 2, EJ Havens 4 4-5 13, Arthur Doorn 5 1-2 13, Garrett Anderson 1 0-1 2, AJ Wetsch 3 0-1 7. Totals 13 7-13 37.

3-point goals - Columbia Falls 5 (Presnell 3, Alexander, Fagerland), Whitefish 4 (Doorn 2, Wetsch, Havens); Team fouls - Columbia Falls 15, Whitefish 21. Fouled out - None.