Kats have a rough week with starters out, lose to Vals by 20
Hungry Horse News
The Columbia Falls girls basketball team is going through a rough phase with two starters out.
The Wildkats (7-5 overall, 2-2 in the Northwestern A conference) played hard in a 55-33 loss against Bigfork Tuesday and in two non-conference losses against Hellgate and Flathead last week.
The loss of seniors Bekah Stoltz and Lindsay Johnson, who were hurt on Jan. 15, means the team has had to cope without two of its top scorers and rebounders. And on a team that had already struggled to find its offensive groove, these injuries just make it harder for the team to succeed.
After the injuries, coach Kris Salonen told her team they could either move forward or backward. Her team, though it is struggling offensively, is working hard to head in the right direction.
"We obviously miss those kids," Salonen said. "But we've got some kids that are doing a good job for us.."
The Wildkats had a gutsy performance in a 52-50 loss against Class AA Hellgate last Friday in Missoula.
With Hellgate leading by eight points at the start of the fourth quarter, Columbia Falls went on a run and tied the score 47-47 with less than three minutes remaining.
Callie Spencer then made two free throws to give the Wildkats the lead. But Hellgate quickly answered with two free throws.
Kim Pearce made one-of-two foul shots to put Columbia Falls up 50-49 with 45 seconds left. Hellgate then got a put back from one of it's two six-foot-tall players to regain the lead. On the Knights next possession they made a free throw to lead by two.
The Wildkats had a couple shots in their last possession but couldn't convert and finished with a heartbreaking loss.
Jenna Toole led the Wildkats with 16 points.
"It was a good game but we couldn't quite finish it," Salonen said. "The girls just stepped it up in the fourth quarter. I'm just really proud of them."
Salonen said too many unforced turnovers and not enough rebounds put them in a hole.
Columbia Falls also fell behind early against the Bravettes on Jan. 20, except this time they didn't battle back in the end.
Flathead jumped to an 18-5 lead after the first quarter and led 31-15 at the half.
Columbia Falls continued to have trouble scoring in the second half and took their second loss of the season against Flathead.
"You score 39 points, you're not going to win many games," Salonen said.
Senior forward Danielle Herman scored a team-high 20 points.
The Wildkats had offensive woes against Bigfork too. The Kats only put up 33 points and lost by 22. The Wildkats leading scorers, Herman, Toole and Spencer, only had six points each.
Salonen said Stoltz may return next week but she expects Johnson to be out longer, possibly for the remainder of the season. Stoltz dislocated a shoulder and sprained an ankle and Johnson tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee.
Columbia Falls has a conference game against Ronan at 8 p.m. Friday at home.
The junior varsity team lost to Flathead Thursday and Hellgate 45-22 on Friday. The freshmen lost to Flathead 44-22 and Hellgate 33-22 but beat Ronan 28-23 on Monday.
Flathead 55, Columbia Falls 39
Columbia Falls 5 10 15 9 - 39
Flathead 18 13 10 14 - 55
Hellgate 52, Columbia Falls 50
Columbia Falls 10 17 8 15 - 50
Hellgate 12 21 10 9 - 52