Wildcats roll over Chiefs

COLUMBIA FALLS - Nick Emerson and Kaleb Johnson combined for 33 points and the top-ranked Columbia Falls Wildcats improved to 7-0 with a big win over Ronan on Friday night.

Emerson scored 17 and Johnson had 16 as the Wildcats used a fast start to defeat the Chiefs handily, 74-41 in a physical Northwestern A boys basketball game.

"The kids are starting to trust each other and figure out what their role is," Columbia Falls head coach Cary Finberg said. "We're still a work in progress. We're still getting better but I don't know if we can play much better than we did tonight."

Columbia Falls (7-0, 2-0 league) jumped out to 22-2 lead in the first quarter and went into halftime leading 49-14. The Wildcats shot 17-for-27 from the floor in the first half and went 12-for-18 from the free throw line. Meanwhile, Ronan (4-4, 0-3) struggled mightily on offense and never did find a rhythm until it was too late.

"I don't have any words to describe that," Ronan coach Steve Woll said.

"(The Wildcats) were ready, they came out at us. They didn't surprise us with anything. They're so big and strong and physical and fast and they have an inside-outside game. They're the whole package. They're undefeated for a reason, and they're picked number-one in our conference for a reason."

Austin Barth added 13 points and had four rebounds, Devyn Rocker had eight points and Brian Marcille chipped in six for Columbia Falls. Emerson had a game-high seven rebounds.

Lucas Black led Ronan with nine points and Justin Dustybull had eight.

"Last couple games we've started pretty quick. Earlier in the year that was something we weren't doing, so hopefully we've got that corrected," Finberg said.

"Once we got down quick our kids tried to catch up all at once and pretty soon we're playing horrible defense and all of a sudden we don't play a lick of offense and then we thought it was noon open gym ball," Woll said. "(Columbia Falls) had everything to do with that."

The Wildcats travel to play rival Whitefish tonight at 6:30 p.m. Ronan hosts Bigfork at 6 p.m.

Ronan 10 4 15 12 - 41

Columbia Falls 26 23 19 6 - 74

RONAN (4-4, 0-3) - Jarod Tanner 3 0-0 6, Jackson Jore 1 1-3 3, Marcus Hungerford 3 0-0 6, Lucas Black 3 3-6 9, Justin Dustybull 3 2-4 8, Kevin Wroblewski 1 0-0 3, Marley Tanner 0 2-2 2, Chris Clay 2 0-0 4. Totals 16 8-16 41

COLUMBIA FALLS (7-0, 2-0) - Devyn Rocker 3 1-2 8, Alex Presnell 1 0-0 2, Nick Emerson 6 5-5 17, Cale Vukonich 2 0-0 4, Parker Johnson 1 2-3 4, Brian Marcille 1 4-5 6, Austin Barth 5 3-8 13, Kaleb Johnson 6 2-4 16, Jacob Calderwood 2 0-2 2, Austin Martin 1 0-0 2. Totals 27 17-29 75.

3-pointers - Ronan 1 (Wroblewski), Columbia Falls 3 (K. Johnson 2, Rocker); Rebounds - Ronan 13 (Dustybull 3), Columbia Falls 53 (Emerson 7, K. Johnson 4, Barth 4, Calderwood 4); Turnovers - Ronan 23, Columbia Falls 16; Fouls - Ronan 18, Columbia Falls 16; Fouled out - None.