High School Basketball: Wildcats blow out Big Sky

COLUMBIA FALLS - Nick Emerson turned in a game-high 19 points and Parker Johnson added 12 as the top-ranked team in Class A improved to 4-0 against Class AA teams this season, rolling past Missoula Big Sky 74-49 on Saturday night.

The Wildcats now enter the teeth of the Northwestern A conference schedule with a 13-0 record.

"I think defensively right now we're playing very good," Columbia Falls head coach Cary Finberg said. "Offensively we seem to be getting better every game. We still need to get better and have some things to work on. We want to be playing our best ball at the right time."

Kaleb Johnson had nine points and 15 rebounds and Austin Barth had nine points and eight rebounds for Columbia Falls, which jumped ahead 34-12 at halftime.

The Wildcats forced 22 turnovers while committing 15, including just six in the first half.

"We had a very solid first half of basketball," Finberg said. Columbia Falls made six of nine shots from 3-point range, led by Parker Johnson's 3-for-3 shooting and Emerson going 2-for-2.

With five games remaining before the divisional tournament in Ronan, Columbia Falls hosts Libby next Friday and then plays at Polson Saturday.

Missoula Big Sky 8 4 25 12 - 49

Columbia Falls 13 21 17 21 - 74

Big Sky - RJ LaValley 3, Cole Baker 15, Jason Neibergs 3, Jay Owens 6, Nico Graham 1, Aaron Koster 15, Matt Ethridge 6.

Columbia Falls - Devyn Rocker 2, Alex Presnell 2, Jared Trinastich 2, Nick Emerson 19, Chris King 11, Anthony Correa 3, Cale Vukonich 2, Parker Johnson 12, Austin Barth 9, Kaleb Johnson 9, Jacob Calderwood 3.

Whitefish 42, Libby 31

LIBBY - Gage Vasquez scored a game-high 18 points, Cooper Olson had 11 and the Bulldogs won their second Northwestern A game in a row.

Mac Roche added seven points for Whitefish (7-5, 2-3).

Cree Maloney scored nine points and James Hare chipped in six for Libby (7-6, 2-2).

Whitefish 8 8 14 12 - 42

Libby 10 6 9 6 - 31

WHITEFISH - Mac Roche 7, Gage Vasquez 18, Cooper Olson 11, Drew Galbraith 3, Alex Duroche 3.

LIBBY - Reese Jensen 2, Cree Maloney 9, Kelly May 5, Garrett Craig 3, Dan Webster 4, Alex Cislo 2, James Hare 6.

Polson 51,

Stevensville 44

STEVENSVILLE - Vince DiGiallonardo had a game-high 18 points and Louis Mohr followed with 14 as Polson edged the Yellowjackets in nonconference action.

The Pirates (8-4, 3-1) rallied back from a five-point halftime deficit and outscored Stevensville 27-15 in the second half.

Polson 14 10 15 12 - 51

Stevensville 16 13 6 9 - 44

POLSON - Tyler Krell 9, Vince DiGiallonardo 3, Kyle Bagnell 18, Zach Camel 2, Louis Mohr 14, Sheldon Fisher 3, Cody Fischer 2.

STEVENSVILLE -Brendan Jones 7, Austin Lords 6, Josh Schultz 9, Tyler Gavlak 14, Zach Gavlak 4, Caleb Vance 4.

Bigfork 85,

Thompson Falls 51

THOMPSON FALLS - Bigfork won its third straight game and improved to 8-0 in District 7B play by defeating Thompson Falls.

Bigfork (11-4 overall) jumped on top 27-6 and never looked back.

It was the second-straight game for the Vikings where they had more assists (14) than turnovers (nine).

Christian Ker tossed in 25 points and pulled down seven rebounds for Bigfork.

Jackson Boese blocked four shots for Bigfork.

Bigfork finishes league play this weekend, at Plains on Friday and at Troy on Saturday.

The regular-season finale is Feb. 11 at Class A Whitefish.

Bigfork 27 11 21 26 - 85

Thompson Falls 6 21 9 15 - 51

BIGFORK - Carter Sorensen 11, Ian Lorang 6, Colter Trent 2, Cody Dopps 6, Evan Jordt 9, Ryan Gembala 3, Travis Knoll 11, Christian Ker 25, Kyle Hauns 4, Jackson Boese 8.

THOMPSON FALLS - Kevin Hagedorn 3, Jaron Laws 13, Josh Hojem 2, Cody Phillips 6, Garrett Reinschmidt 9, Guy Hall 3, AJ Pavlik 1, Chalis Wilson 14.

Girls

Bigfork 62,

Thompson Falls 21

THOMPSON FALLS - Caitlin Charlebois scored a game-high 16 points, Mallery Knoll added 12 and Melissa VanDerveer had 10 as Bigfork improved to 8-0 in District 7B after cruising past Thompson Falls.

The Valkyries jumped ahead 22-4 in the first quarter and went on to win their 13th game of the season.

Quinci Paine and McKinze Schults each had six points and Kate Lamm added five.

Bigfork plays at Whitefish on Tuesday in a nonconference contest.

Bigfork returns to 7B play hosting Plains on Friday and playing at Troy on Saturday.

Bigfork 22 9 17 14 - 62

Thompson Falls 4 4 6 7 - 21

BIGFORK - Mallery Knoll 12, Quinci Paine 6, Taylor Peck 3, Melissa VanDerveer 10, Caitlin Charlebois 16, Kate Lamm 5, Jessica Killian 2, McKinze Schults 6, Mariah Bradstreet 2.

THOMPSON FALLS - Kelsey Fitchett 7, Makayla Becker 6, Allison Vaught 6, Hope Reid 2.

Stevensville 41,

Polson 36

POLSON - A slow start plagued Polson as Stevensville held off the Pirates in a nonconference contest.

Riley Kenney scored a game-high 15 points for the Polson (7-5, 4-0), which trailed 19-8 at halftime.

Breanne Kelley chipped in seven and Heidi Rausch, Mariah Hamel and Mackenzie Banner each added four.

Stevensville 11 8 8 14 - 41

Polson 2 6 7 21 - 36

Stevensville - Blaire Brookshire 14, Alycia Sims 12, Kayla Paulsen 9, Britany Chilcott 4, Bailey Vercruyssen 2.

Polson - Riley Kenney 15, Breanne Kelley 7, Heidi Rausch 4, Mariah Hamel 4, Mackenzie Banner 4, Nina Orozco-Charlo 2.

Libby 44, Whitefish 15

LIBBY - Jaime Gilden scored 24 points to lead Libby to a Northwestern A victory over Whitefish.

Taylor Barton chipped in eight and Alysha Martin added six.

Whitefish 3 2 4 6 - 15

Libby 14 13 6 11 - 44

WHITEFISH - Olivia Nagler 4, Ashley Millard 3, Olivia Curtiss 1, Shannon Craft 2, Ashlee Brewer 3, Simone Craft 2.

LIBBY - Alysha Martin 6, Jaime Gilden 24, Logan Best 2, Taylor Barton 8, Tara Wilson 4.

Big Sky 54,

Columbia Falls 34

MISSOULA - Missoula Big Sky had two girls score in double figures and held off Columbia Falls.

Hope Burlage paced the Wildkats with 16 points.

Columbia Falls 9 10 8 7 - 34

Big Sky 10 15 6 13 - 54

COLUMBIA FALLS - Dani Gilley 4, Hope Burlage 16, Jonna Werner 8, Cedar Jordt 2, Madi Sandefer 2, Shaun Rowe 2.

BIG SKY - Kristen Daugherty 13, Emily Griffith 4, Lauryn Drobrouski 4, Elle Tinkle 18, Dani Sheridan 8, Kelsey Donnelly 2, Dani Baker 2, Mackensie Freeman 2, Jenna Sedgwick 1.

3-point goals - Columbia Falls 0, Big Sky 1 (Daugherty). Totals fouls - Columbia Falls 15, Big Sky 24. Fouled out - Werner, Griffith.