BUTTE — Top-ranked Columbia Falls was its own worst enemy.

The Wildkats totaled 11 turnovers in the opening quarter and a whopping 33 for the game in falling to Billings Central 61-49 in the first contest of the Class A state girls basketball tournament Thursday afternoon at the Butte Civic Center.

Billings Central used the Wildkat miscues to jump out a 17-5 lead and then outscored Columbia Falls 38-18 in the final half.

When Columbia Falls did take care of the ball, which was the second quarter, the Wildkats put up a healthy 26 points to take a 31-23 halftime lead.

Haley Belgarde topped Columbia Falls offensively with 19 points. Winter Kemppainen pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds for the Wildkats.

Alli Lucas tallied 25 points for Billings Central. She was 11 of 13 shooting from the free- throw line.

Justyn Juhl added 12 points and Sammy Elliott netted 10.

In the other afternoon contest, Browning rolled by Butte Central 57-41.

Columbia Falls and Butte Central play today at 12:30 p.m. in a loser-out contest.

Billings Central and Browning face off in a semifinal game at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday

First-round games

Billings Central 17 6 19 19 — 61

Columbia Falls 5 26 9 9 — 49

BILLINGS CENTRAL (15-7) — Allie Lucas 7 11-13 25, Sammy Elliott 4 2-3 10, Erika Kuehn 2 2-2 6, Justyn Juhl 5 2-4 12, Melissa Koerber 1 0-0 2, Mariah Wittman 1 2-6 4, Baylee Hadley 1 0-0 2, Skylar Rockwell 0 0-0 0, Sarina Aamold 0 0-0 0, Morgan Lucas 0 0-0 0, Allison Walter 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 21 19-28 61.

COLUMBIA FALLS (17-5) — Haley Belgarde 7 5-7 19, Hope Burlage 1 4-7 6, Winter Kemppainen 4 0-2 8, Cierra Finberg 0 0-2 0, Tori Price 0 2-2 2, Andrea Getts 4 0-0 8, Shannon Hay 3 0-0 6, Ellie Johnson 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 19 11-20 49.

3-point field goals: Central 0, C-Falls 0; Rebounds: Central 28 (Juhl 7), C-Falls 37 (Kemppainen 14); Assists: Central 9 (Lucas 7), C-Falls 3 (Price 2); Blocks: Central 2 (Juhl 2), C-Falls 2 (two players with 1); Steals: Central 17 (Lucas 9), C-Falls 5 (Kemppainen 2); Total Fouls: Central 14, C-Falls 19; Fouled Out: Burlage; Turnovers: Central 15, C-Falls 33.

Butte Central 13 4 6 18 — 41

Browning 9 19 13 16 — 57

BUTTE CENTRAL (16-5) — Hannah Stojcar 2 2-6 6, Mariah Cooney 3 8-14 14, Alysea Pica 6 0-2 13, Annie Ossello 0 4-4 4, Danika Neumann 0 1-3 1, Shawnee Hjelt 0 1-2 1, Aleesha LaBreche 0 0-0 0, Teressa Piazzola 0 0-0 0, Sierra Pica 0 0-0 0, Chandra McCurdy 1 0-0 2, Shelby Paffhausen 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 12 16-31 41

BROWNING (12-10) — Rachel Heptner 4 0-0 8, Ashley Burd 2 0-0 4, Tiara Gilham 3 0-1 7, Courtney Little Dog 4 0-0 8, Marti Eagle Feathers 8 5-7 22, Brooke Carlson 2 2-2 6, Jessica Magee 1 0-0 2, Shelsey St. Goddard 0 0-0 0, Cyndi Sharp 0 0-0 0, Brittany Wolf Tail 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 24 7-10 57.

3-point field goals: Central 1-11 (A. Pica 1-4), Browning 2-13 (Gilham 1-2, Eaglefeathers 1-5); Rebounds: Central 35 (Cooney 15), Browning 43 (Magee 12); Assists: Central 4 (Stajcar 2), Browning 10 (Eaglefeathers 5): Blocks: Central 1 (Cooney 1), Browning 2 (two players with 1): Steals: Central 13 (Stajcar 3, A. Pica 3), Browning 12 (Little Dog 3, Eaglefeathers 3): Total Fouls: Central 13, Browning 22: Fouled Out: Gilham; Turnovers: Central 25, Browning 16.

Frenchtown 11 5 8 18 — 42

Laurel 11 15 17 10 — 53

FRENCHTOWN (16-5) — Abby Indreland 2 2-4 8, Holly Jacobs 2 0-0 0, Larissa Berg 3 2-6 8, Kayla Blood 0 0-0 0, Vanessa Stavish 1 4-8 6, Shaela Wallen 2 1-2 6, Alli Moe 1 0-1 2, Haley Cyr 1 0-0 2, Kenzie Reid 0 0-0 0, Keegan Wickman 0 0-0 0, Lacey Hochhalter 0 0-0 0, Brooke Yarnall 1 4-7 6. TOTALS: 13 13-28 42.

LAUREL (17-6) — Jayde LeFevre 7 7-10 26, Leslie Gappa 1 0-0 2, Emily Smarsh 0 0-0 0, Bailey Love 0 0-0 0, Lexi Budge 2 0-0 5, Dalayna Christenson 3 0-0 6, Hailey Spitzer 0 0-0 0, Abbie Lohof 5 0-0 10, Allie McGrath 2 0-0 4. TOTALS: 20 7-10 53

3-point field goals: Frenchtown 3-13 (Indreland 2-5, Wallen 1-1), Laurel 6-14 (LeFevre 5-9, Budge 1-2); Rebounds: Frenchtown 28 (Indreland 6, Berg 6), Laurel 28 (Gappa 6, Lohof 6, Christenson 6); Assists: Frenchtown 11 (Blood 3), Laurel 8 (Gappa 5); Blocks: Frenchtown 3 (Stavish 2), Laurel 3 (Christenson 2); Steals: Frenchtown 14 (Stavish 3, Blood 3, Yarnall 3), Laurel 7 (LeFevre 2, Gappa 2, McGrath 2); Total Fouls: Frenchtown 18, Laurel 13; Fouled Out: None; Turnovers: Frenchtown 23, Laurel 27.

Havre 2 13 10 15 — 40

Stevensville 3 10 5 18 — 36

HAVRE (14-7) —Brandy Lambourne 4 3-4 11, Peyton Filius 1 3-4 6, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 2 3-6 9, Lacey Waid 1 0-0 2, Neya Bischoff 4 2-4 10, Tori Mazurkiewicz 0 2-2 2, Haley Ohm 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 12 13-19 40

STEVENSVILLE (13-10) — Kyla Paulsen 4 1-2 11, Kayla Peterson 1 1-4 3, Bailey Vercruyssen 0 0-0 0, Carly Vercruyssen 0 0-0 0, Alycia Sims 5 14-17 24, Carly Sebastian 0 0-0 0, Courtney Tvedt 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 9 16-23 36.

3-point field goals: Havre 3-14 (Morgan Mazurkiewicz 2-8, Peyton Filius 1-1), Stevi 2-9 (Paulsen 2-5); Rebounds: Havre 20 (Bischoff 7), Stevi 25 (Sims 10); Assists: Havre 2 (two players with 1), Stevi 4 (four players with 1); Blocks: Havre 1 (T. Mazurkiewicz 1), Stevi 5 (Sims 4); Steals: Havre 9 (M. Mazurkiewicz 5), Stevi 3 (B. Vercruyssen 2); Total Fouls: Havre 16, Stevi 19; Fouled Out: Waid, B. Vercruyssen); Technicals: Havre Bench; Turnovers: Havre 13, Stevi 24.