Bulldogs can't stop Cats in rival rematch
It was a tough week on the court for the Whitefish Bulldogs, as they fell to both Columbia Falls and Ronan in Northwest A boys basketball action. With those pair of losses, Whitefish’s league record drops to 2-6 and the Bulldogs will look to regroup and finish strong as the regular season winds down.
Columbia Falls 77, Whitefish 52
On Tuesday, the Bulldogs faced off against a strong Columbia Falls squad at home but quickly found themselves trailing. The Wildcats raced out to a 25-10 lead after the first quarter and never looked back, securing a 77-52 win.
Despite the loss, Whitefish’s Will Sisson shined, leading all scorers with 17 points, including four three-pointers. CJ Thew and Cooper Dudley each contributed seven points for the Bulldogs.
Columbia Falls (13-2, 8-1) showcased a balanced offense, with Bjorn Pedersen scoring a team-high 15 points, Easton Brooks adding 14, and Grady Hutton chipping in 10. Both teams hit eight shots from beyond the arc, but the Wildcats’ fast start proved too much for the Bulldogs to overcome.
Ronan 64, Whitefish 55
On Friday, Whitefish hit the road, hoping to bounce back against Ronan. However, the Chiefs’ balanced scoring attack led by Kolby Finley and Chad Higgins, who each scored 12 points, guided Ronan to a 64-55 win.
Ronan battled for a 34-29 halftime lead and then surged in the third quarter to pull ahead of the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs (5-8, 2-6) struggled in the third quarter, scoring only six points, which allowed Ronan to pull ahead. Whitefish made a late push with a 20-point fourth quarter, but the deficit was too large to overcome.
Will Sisson again paced the Bulldogs with 17 points, while Cooper Dudley added 13 and Carson Gulick scored 10. Ronan (10-5, 6-3) had four players reach double figures, including Wade Qualtier with 11 points and Tayen Edmo with 10.
With just a few games left in conference play, Whitefish currently sits sixth in the league standings.
At Whitefish
COLUMBIA FALLS 77, WHITEFISH 52
Columbia Falls - 25 - 19 - 21 - 12 - 77
Whitefish - 10 - 14 - 18 - 10 - 52
WHITEFISH SCORING: Will Sisson 17, Cooper Dudley 7, CJ Thew 7, Carson Gulick 5, Scott Dalen 6, Creed Scott 4, Aiden Rickels 3, Jayke Thew 3.
At Ronan
RONAN 64, WHITEFISH 55
Whitefish - 14 - 15 - 6 - 20 - 55
Ronan - 17 - 17 - 15 - 15 - 64
WHITEFISH SCORING: Will Sisson 17, Cooper Dudley 13, Carson Gulick 10, CJ Thew 6, Reyd Hobart 4, Scott Dalen 2, Jayce Thew 2