The Columbia Falls girls basketball team turned on the jets when they needed to last week and extended their record to 12-1 for the season.

In two away games, the Wildkats hammered Flathead 72-34 on Jan. 22 and then held off Frenchtown 61-44 on Jan. 24.

The Kats scored 22 against the Bravettes in the first quarter alone and were up 41-15 at the break as they played a great game of transitional basketball.

Ciera Finberg led the Kats with 22 points. Winter Kemppainen had 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Kats outrebounded the Bravettes 41-23 and outshot them 48 percent to 27 percent. They had 19 assists as a team.

Against the Lady Broncs, the Kats were up 37-18 at the break. Frenchtown responded with a big third quarter, however, scoring 23 points to Kats’ eight. At one point, the Lady Broncs cut the margin to just three points.

But the Kats rallied, tightening down the defense a notch and holding Frenchtown to just three points in the fourth quarter while scoring 16.

Finberg led the team again with 17 while sister Cydney had 10 points, six rebounds and five assists and Kemppainen had 13 points and 11 boards. The girls also had 19 assists as a team.

“I thought we competed hard,” said coach Cary Finberg. “Both Flathead and Frenchtown were athletic and physical and that’s what we needed.”

Frenchtown hit four treys in the third during their scoring barrage, Finberg noted, but the girls responded to the Lady Broncs’ charge.

“It forced our girls to respond and it was good to see they did,” he said.

The Kats are on the road this week in an away game against Eureka on Thursday night.

Columbia Falls 15 22 8 16 — 61

Frenchtown 11 7 23 3 — 44

COLUMBIA FALLS — Ciera Finberg 17, Sydney Grilley 2, Cydney Finberg 10, Ellie Johnson 7, Peyton Kehr 7, Winter Kemppainen 11, Kiara Burlage 5, Allyson Gimbel 2.

FRENCHTOWN — Haley Cyr 2, Laci Willett 3, Krista Hebnes 1, Alli Moe 3, Brooke Yarnall 6, Lacey Hochhalter 12, Megan Delaney 8, Alivia Williams 9.

Columbia Falls 22 19 23 8 — 72

Flathead 11 4 10 9 — 34

COLUMBIA FALLS — Ciera Finberg 8 4-7 22, Sydney Grilley 1 1-1 3, Cydney Finberg 3 1-2 7, Ellie Johnson 3 0-0 8, Peyton Kehr 2 0-0 6, Winter Kemppainen 8 0-1 16, Kiara Burlage 3 3-4 9, Allyson Gimbel 0 1-2 1. Totals: 28-52 10-17 72.

FLATHEAD — Kylee Meredith 3 2-2 9, Janae Moon 2 0-0 5, Stephanie Wilson 1 0-0 2, Kelsey Gillespie 2 0-0 6, Sierra Siblerud 1 0-0 2, Mary Heaton 1 0-1 2, Lauren 1 0-0 2, Jessica Simmons 0 2-2 2, Taryn Gutierez 2 0-0 4. Totals: 13-41 4-5 34.

3-point goals—CF 5-14 (Ci. Finberg, Johnson, Kehr 2), Flathead 4-9 (Gillespie 2). Rebounds — CF 27 (Kemppainen 11), Flathead 15 (Gutierez 3). Total fouls — CF 7, Flathead 13. Fouled out — none.