GRAND JUNCTION – The Rifle Bears girls basketball team isn’t going in with a ton of momentum, but the Bears will head to state this week after finishing fourth at the Class 4A District 7 tournament.

Rifle fell to Montrose 33-29 on Friday and lost to Moffat County 54-39 Saturday in the third-place game.

Joining Rifle, Montrose, and Moffat County at state from District 7 are Steamboat and Montezuma Cortez.

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The No. 2 seeded Montrose Indians held No. 3 Rifle scoreless for 4 minutes, 43 seconds and got two critical free throws from Sara Klippert for tight win on Friday.

Rifle’s last lead came with 6:56 left in the third quarter on forward Ashley Gavito’s field goal off a Montrose turnover.

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Klippert, who led all scorers with 15 points, promptly tied the game at 16-all on the next possession.

The Bears tied the game on three occasions in the period, but failed to wrest back the lead from the Indians.

Montrose extended it’s lead to seven on a Klippert basket early in the fourth quarter until a Gavito field goal, followed by two Wagstrom free throws reduced the margin to 30-27.

Gavito had 11 points for Rifle before fouling out in the game’s last minute. Julie McWilliams added seven and Wagstrom had six.

No other information on Saturday’s game was available.

Girls – Montrose 33, Rifle 29

Rifle 3 7 12 6-29

Montrose 4 10 14 5-33

RIFLE – Kristen Nefferdorf 1 0-0 2, Haley Hubbell 0 1-2 1, Nicole Erpestad 0 2-2 2, Julie McWilliams 2 0-0 7, Jessica Stilson 0 0-0 0, Montanah Matthies 0 0-0 0, Renee Laudick 0 0-0 0, Ashley Gavito 5 1-2 11, Krista Wagstrom 1 4-8 6, Megan Burner 0 0-0 0. Totals – 10 8-14 29.

MONTROSE – Jenny Nicholson 1 0-0 2, Whitney Nershi 0 0-2 0, Krista Herr 3 2-2 8, Amy Martinson 1 0-0 2, Jennifer Fellin 2 0-1 4, Anna Fleming 0 0-3 0, Kylee Whitener 1 0-0 2, Katie Craft 0 0-0 0, Sara Klippert 4 7-10 15. Totals – 12 9-18 33.

3-Pointers – McWilliams. Fouled Out – Gavito. Technicals – None.