Vals too much for C-Falls
FRITZ NEIGHBOR | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 2 months AGO
Bigfork's Maddie Chappuis plays tight defense on Columbia Falls guard Hope McAtee in Tuesday's matchup in Columbia Falls. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
SPORTS EDITOR Fritz Neighbor is the Sports Editor for the Daily Inter Lake. He oversees sports coverage across the Flathead Valley, including high school athletics, youth sports, and regional competitions. In his leadership role, he helps shape the newspaper’s sports coverage and editorial direction. Fritz’s column, Full Count, taps into his decades’ long career covering Montana sports. You’ll also see Fritz sharing his thoughts and insights on the Big Sky Now podcast. IMPACT: Fritz’s work celebrates the athletes and teams that bring Northwest Montana communities together. | January 24, 2023 11:00 PM
COLUMBIA FALLS — Braeden Gunlock scored 14 points to lead a balanced attack, and the Bigfork Valkyries downed Columbia Falls 58-26 Tuesday to stay unbeaten.
Ava Davey set the tone with seven early points for the District 7-B Vals (13-0), who led 19-3 after one quarter.
Sisters Braeden and Paeten Gunlock hit three 3-pointers each: Braeden Gunlock buried two in the second quarter. Paeten Gunlock and Davey added 11 points each.
Hope McAtee scored 14 points for the Northwest A Wildkats, who fell to 8-4. It was their second loss to Bigfork, which is moving up to Class A in 2023-24.
“They’re a legit basketball team,” Columbia Falls coach Cary Finberg. “Their guards are good, and their posts (Scout Nadeau and Madison Chappuis, who combined for 10 points) are seniors. I think they’d give a lot of AA teams problems.”
Bigfork 19 8 18 13 - 58
C-Falls 3 7 7 9 - 26
BIGFORK — Madison Chappuis 3, Patten Gunlock 11, Ava Davey 11, Braeden Gunlock 14, Scout Nadeau 7, Callie Gembala 5, Afton Lambrecht 3, Anika Ranson 2.
COLUMBIA FALLS — Hope McAtee 14, Ellie Stutsman 4, Ava Duval 3, Taryn Borgen 3, Lexi Oberholtzer 3.
Polson 55, Mission 54
ST. IGNATIUS — Polson’s Mila Hawk scored 12 of her game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter as the Pirates rallied for a non-conference win over Mission Tuesday.
Julia Barnard hit a pair of 3-pointers and added 15 points for Polson, which trailed 46-40 going into the final 8 minutes.
Hawk scored 21 points after halftime for the 8-4 Northwest A Pirates. Kooper Page hit four 3-pointers and poured in 22 points for the District 7-B Bulldogs, also 8-4.
Polson 11 22 18 15 - 55
Mission 17 14 15 8 - 54
POLSON — Julia Barnard 15, Samantha Rensvile 2, Ashtyn Wagner 6, Mila Hawk 25, Grace Simonich 2, Ilyisa Adams 7.
MISSION — Kason Page 12, Gabby Smith 6, Izzy Evans 4, Kooper Page 22, Cora Matt 10.
Whitefish 56, Stillwater Christian 40
WHITEFISH — Brooke Roberts hit three 3-pointers and scored 21 points to lead Whitefish to a non-conference win over Stillwater Christian.
Roberts scored eight points in the second quarter and seven in the fourth, when the Bulldogs (5-6) built most of their lead. Bailey Smith added 14 points for Whitefish.
The Cougars got most of their points, 28, from Zoe Linn. She hit three threes.
Stillwater 15 9 6 11 - 40
Whitefish 14 16 8 18 - 56
STILLWATER CHRISTIAN — B Prewitt 3, Zoe Linn 28, K Paolini 10.
WHITEFISH — Brooke Roberts 21, Madi Gordon 6, Jude Perry 9, Bailey Smith 14, Rya Hirsch 2, Yoli Kraster 4.
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