Bulldogs drop Gorillas, K-dogs for league start

Colfax boys linked two big league wins Saturday and Monday to wrap up the pre-Yule segment of the season with a 3-1 mark. The lone defeat came in a 46-52 bow to Lakeside’s Eagles Friday in the home opener at the Colfax gym. The loss went into the books after Colfax shooting went south in the second half after they staked a 13-point lead against the Eagles in the first.

Brandon Gfeller and Kellen Morgan of the Bulldogs put the crush on Lakeside's Ryan Gunderson.

“We’re still trying to smooth things out in places,” Coach Reece Jenkin said. He noted the football converts on the varsity logged just seven practices while playing the three games.

Colfax will take a holiday break and then head to Yakima for the SunDome shootout. They are booked to play Connell, an A division school next Wednesday, Dec. 29, and North Mason, a double-A school, Dec. 30. Both games are at 3 p.m.

In a return to Kettle Monday for the first league game in three years, the Bulldogs roared to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter against a young K club which is in a rebuilding mode. It ended at 59-19.

After posting an early lead, Colfax kept up the pace for a 40-7 lead at the half. They backed the pace down in the last quarter when they scored just two points.

Kyle Johnson led the Bulldogs with 12, including two three pointers. Alex Teade booked a no-miss night with 4 for 4 from the field and 2 for 2 off the line.

Saturday in the league opener at Davenport, Colfax again ripped to a big lead in the first quarter, 17-4 on the way to a 69-37 win.

“We have been working on getting a big lead in the first quarter and keeping it,” Coach Jenkin said. They cranked up the pressure on defense and didn’t allow the Gorillas to get into their offensive sets.

On the home court Friday, the Bulldogs booked another fast launch with a 10-point lead after the first quarter against the Eagles, also an A division club. Teade and Justin Berarducci, both playing their first game after the grid season, led the early charge.

Colfax advanced to a 13-point lead, 34-21, at the half, but after that the shooting went clank. Coach Jenkin said the chart showed Colfax hit 5-33 in the second half.

Part the problem was foul trouble. Andy Scholz, Brandon Gfeller and Teade all picked up a fourth foul in the third quarter and had to sit down. They went back on line in the last quarter and all exited with five fouls before it was over.

Ryan Gunderson, Lakeside’s 6-5 senior, worked a solid second half and finished with a game-high 24.

After pulling to a 38-38 tie at the end of the third quarter, Lakeside took the lead 45-43 on a three-pointer from the side by Connor Moffatt. Gunderson had a run of six points and the Eagles never looked back.

The Bulldogs shooting freeze finished with six misses going down the chute.

Colfax 59-Kettle Falls 19: 21/0 19/7 17/8 2/4: Brandon Gfeller 4 (3pt) 2-4 11, Kyle Johnson 5 (2-3pt) 0-0 12, Alex Teade 4 2-2 10, Jay Hart 2 0-2 4, JJ Robinson 4 0-0 8, Andy Scholz 1 0-1 2, Justin Berarducci 3 2-2 8, Kellen Morgan 2 0-0 4. Total: 22 6-11 59. Kettle Falls: Morgan 4 1-3 9, J. Dugger 1 0-0 2, L. Beardlee 0 1-2 1, D. Cole 1 0-0 2, J. Vining 1 (3pt) 0-0 3, N. Price 1 0—0 2. Total; 8 2-5 19.

Colfax 69-Davenport 37: 17/4 24/11 21/9 7/13: Gfeller 3 (2-3pt) 2-2 10, Kyle Johnson 1 (3pt) 0-0 3, Rick Scholz 1 0-0 2, Jay Hart 0 1-2 1, JJ Robinson 5 0-0 10, Andy Scholz 3 2-2 8, Alex Teade 5 (2-3pt) 0-1 12, Justin Berarducci 7 4-6 18, Kellen Morgan 1 (3pt) 2-2 5. Total: 20 11-15 f-19 69. Davenport: Shane Hopkins 0 2-3 2, Austin Teller 2 0-0 4, Peter Rustemyer 1 1-1 3, Derek Oliver 1 0-0 2, Mick Halverson 1 0-0 2, Joe Gunning 0 6-7 6, Cole Evers 6 1-3 13, Josh Litke 2 1-3 5. Total: 13 11-17 37.

Lakeside 52-Colfax 46: 7/17 14/17 17/4 14/8: Conner Moffat 2 (both 3pt) 0-2 6, Zach Warlick 1 (3pt) 0-0 3, Kyle Powell 4 (3pt) 0-0 9, Ryan Gunderson 8 8-12 24, Jake Erickson 3 3-7 9, Demetrius Watson 0 1-2 1. Total: 18 12-23 52. Colfax: Brandon Gfeller 1 (3pt) 2-2 5, Kyle Johnson 2 (both 3pt) 0-0 6, Jay Hart 1 0-0 2, JJ Robinson 2 2-2 6, Alex Teade 5 1-1 11, Justin Berarducci 6 2-4 14, Kellen Morgan 0 2-2 4. Total: 17 9-11 46.