Wolfpack upends Kats in tight game

Unable to hit key shots down the stretch, the Glacier Wolfpack treed Columbia Falls last week 46-40 in a rivalry that has grown to be one of the best girls basketball tilts of the regular season.

The Wildkats led by as many as five points in the third quarter of the Jan. 15 home game, but they could only muster three points in the fourth quarter while the Pack had 14.

The Class AA Wolfpack is the first team Columbia Falls has faced this season that was actually bigger and taller than the Kats. Glacier had a five-point lead at the break, but Columbia Falls outscored the Wolfpack 14-4 in the third. Down the stretch, however, Columbia Falls couldn’t buy a basket. The Kats didn’t score a field goal the last three minutes of the fourth and went just 1 for 6 from the free throw line.

Peyton Kehr came off the bench to lead the Kats with 12 points. Ciera Finberg had 10. The Kats shot poorly from behind the three-point arc, going 4 for 20. Hailee Bennett led the Wolfpack with 16.

“For three quarters we competed pretty hard,” coach Cary Finberg said. “But in the fourth quarter, we fell apart.”

The Kats are still a young team — at times they had three sophomores on the floor. And still, they matched up well against the older and bigger Wolfpack girls.

Finberg said the squad needs more games like that. particularly if they learn from the experience. The Kats exacted a bit of revenge two days later at home, hammering the Whitefish Lady Bulldogs 72-23.

The game was all but over after the first quarter, as the Kats outscored Whitefish 27-2. They outrebounded the Lady Dogs 36-13 and forced 28 turnovers. The Kats are now 10-1.

Ciera Finberg led the squad with 16. Cydney Finberg and Peyton Kehr had 10 apiece. All told, 10 girls scored.

The Kats are on the road Friday against Flathead and travel to Frenchtown on Saturday. Game times are 6 p.m. and 4 p.m. respectively.

 

Glacier 13 15 4 14 — 46

Columbia Falls 8 15 14 3 — 40

GLACIER — Taylor Salonen 1 0-1 3, Brielle Bumgarner 4 1-2 9, Hailee Bennett 5 4-4 16, Katie Wiley 2 3-4 7, Tessa Krueger 2 0-2 4, Nikki Krueger 1 0-2 2, Ali Williams 1 3-6 5. Totals 16 11-21 46.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Ciera Finberg 3 2-6 10, Cydney Finberg 1 1-2 3, Ellie Johnson 1 0-0 2, Peyton Kehr 3 5-6 12, Winter Kemppainen 3 0-4 7, Miranda Livingston 1 0-2 2, Kiara Burlage 2 0-0 4. Totals 14 8-29 40.

3-point goals — Glacier 3-12 (Bennett 2) Columbia Falls 4-20 (Ci. Finberg 2). Rebounds — Glacier 38 (Bumgarner 10), Columbia Falls 39 (Kemppainen 8). Turnovers — Glacier 14, Columbia Falls 15. Fouled out — None.

 

Whitefish 2 9 8 4 — 23

Columbia Falls 27 20 16 9 — 72

WHITEFISH — Dani Douglas 5, Allie Schulz 3, Katie Fyall 2, Mariah Drown 2, Anna Peterson 3, Haley Nicholson 2, Makenna Benbrook 2, Cailyn Ross 4.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Summer Burlage 3, Ciera Finberg 16, Sydney Grilley 5, Cydney Finberg 10, Ellie Johnson 2, Peyton Kehr 10, Winter Kemppainen 9, Miranda Livingston 7, Kiara Burlage 8, Allyson Gimble 2.

Unable to hit key shots down the stretch, the Glacier Wolfpack treed Columbia Falls last week 46-40 in a rivalry that has grown to be one of the best girls basketball tilts of the regular season.

The Wildkats led by as many as five points in the third quarter of the Jan. 15 home game, but they could only muster three points in the fourth quarter while the Pack had 14.

The Class AA Wolfpack is the first team Columbia Falls has faced this season that was actually bigger and taller than the Kats. Glacier had a five-point lead at the break, but Columbia Falls outscored the Wolfpack 14-4 in the third. Down the stretch, however, Columbia Falls couldn’t buy a basket. The Kats didn’t score a field goal the last three minutes of the fourth and went just 1 for 6 from the free throw line.

Peyton Kehr came off the bench to lead the Kats with 12 points. Ciera Finberg had 10. The Kats shot poorly from behind the three-point arc, going 4 for 20. Hailee Bennett led the Wolfpack with 16.

“For three quarters we competed pretty hard,” coach Cary Finberg said. “But in the fourth quarter, we fell apart.”

The Kats are still a young team — at times they had three sophomores on the floor. And still, they matched up well against the older and bigger Wolfpack girls.

Finberg said the squad needs more games like that. particularly if they learn from the experience. The Kats exacted a bit of revenge two days later at home, hammering the Whitefish Lady Bulldogs 72-23.

The game was all but over after the first quarter, as the Kats outscored Whitefish 27-2. They outrebounded the Lady Dogs 36-13 and forced 28 turnovers. The Kats are now 10-1.

Ciera Finberg led the squad with 16. Cydney Finberg and Peyton Kehr had 10 apiece. All told, 10 girls scored.

The Kats are on the road Friday against Flathead and travel to Frenchtown on Saturday. Game times are 6 p.m. and 4 p.m. respectively.

Glacier 13 15 4 14 — 46

Columbia Falls 8 15 14 3 — 40

GLACIER — Taylor Salonen 1 0-1 3, Brielle Bumgarner 4 1-2 9, Hailee Bennett 5 4-4 16, Katie Wiley 2 3-4 7, Tessa Krueger 2 0-2 4, Nikki Krueger 1 0-2 2, Ali Williams 1 3-6 5. Totals 16 11-21 46.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Ciera Finberg 3 2-6 10, Cydney Finberg 1 1-2 3, Ellie Johnson 1 0-0 2, Peyton Kehr 3 5-6 12, Winter Kemppainen 3 0-4 7, Miranda Livingston 1 0-2 2, Kiara Burlage 2 0-0 4. Totals 14 8-29 40.

3-point goals — Glacier 3-12 (Bennett 2) Columbia Falls 4-20 (Ci. Finberg 2). Rebounds — Glacier 38 (Bumgarner 10), Columbia Falls 39 (Kemppainen 8). Turnovers — Glacier 14, Columbia Falls 15. Fouled out — None.

Whitefish 2 9 8 4 — 23

Columbia Falls 27 20 16 9 — 72

WHITEFISH — Dani Douglas 5, Allie Schulz 3, Katie Fyall 2, Mariah Drown 2, Anna Peterson 3, Haley Nicholson 2, Makenna Benbrook 2, Cailyn Ross 4.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Summer Burlage 3, Ciera Finberg 16, Sydney Grilley 5, Cydney Finberg 10, Ellie Johnson 2, Peyton Kehr 10, Winter Kemppainen 9, Miranda Livingston 7, Kiara Burlage 8, Allyson Gimble 2.