Kats pluck Panthers in first round of state tourney

So much the state tournament jitters.

The Columbia Falls girls basketball team hammered the Belgrade Panthers 70-29 on Thursday afternoon, March 13, to open the state Class A tournament at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls.

Haley Belgarde was 6 of 10 from the floor and had 14 points to lead the Wildkats, but the team really spread the scoring around — 10 players were in the scoring column by the end of the first half.

Cydney Finberg had 12, Summer Burlage, Winter Kemppainen and Andrea Getts had six points apiece, and Ciera Finberg had seven.

The Kats shot 59 percent from the field and were a perfect five-for-five from the free-throw line.

Defensively, Columbia Falls held Belgrade to just 21 percent shooting and out rebounded the Panthers 40-20.

The game was never close. The Kats had a 25-6 lead after the first quarter and a 37-9 advantage at the half. Midway through the third quarter, the mercy rule kicked in and the clock kept running.

The Kats will play the winner of the Hamilton-Miles City game tomorrow, Friday, March 14, at 6:30 p.m.

The Kats beat Hamilton 48-34 earlier this year and held the Broncs to just three points in the first half of that game. Columbia Falls is now 20-1 for the season.