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Northwestern A Divisionals: Top-Seeded Columbia Falls Advances to Title Game

By Beacon Staff

Senior guard Alyssa Ladenburg scored 18 points in leading Columbia Falls to a 54-33 victory over Whitefish in the Northwestern A girls divisional semifinals on Friday evening at Glacier High School.

Columbia Falls led only 25-20 at halftime, but broke the game open in the second half, outscoring the Bulldogs 29-13 in the final two quarters. The Wildkats, the No. 1 seed, advance to the title game to face the winner of No. 2 Libby and No. 3 Bigfork, who play this evening at 8 p.m.

Whitefish, the No. 5 seed, kept pace with the Wildkats step for step in the first quarter. Columbia Falls took a 16-15 lead into the second quarter. Senior Kate Klundt, who had 32 points in a first-round win over Polson, had eight points in the first quarter but only scored four in the next three quarters.

Klundt finished with a team-high 12 points and Jessie Slaybaugh added six on two three-pointers.

Ladenburg controlled the pace of the game on offense for the Wildkats, getting her team into the halfcourt set when necessary and pushing the ball when available. Her aggressiveness on drives was rewarded with 12 trips to the free-throw line. She made 10.

Junior forward Shay Grilley scored 14 points, including two three-pointers, for the Wildkats, while sophomore Kayla DeWit chipped in 10.

The girls championship game will be held tomorrow at 8 p.m. at Glacier High School. Whitefish moves on to face Ronan in a loser-out came at 10:45 a.m. on Saturday morning at Glacier High School.