Rosalia wraps Spartan title to bring 9-0 string to Colton

Rosalia’s Spartan girls last Thursday broke open a close game in the second half to defeat Davenport 55-41 and take the girls side of the Spartan holiday classic. The win over the Bi-County big-B club bumped the Spartan’s season string to 9-0 prior to their Friday trip south to face the undefeated Colton Wildcats.

Colton girls upped the ante in their lone holiday outing Tuesday with a 66-23 win at Grangeville. Coach Clark Vining activated the bench while the Wildcats took off for a 31-16 lead at the half. Paige Vincent led the Wildcats 17 points.

That bumped the Wildcats mark to 8-0 to set the scene for the battle of the early undefeateds Friday at Colton.

Rosalia’s fast-moving team Wednesday cracked an early lead and rebuffed an early Gorilla charge when their ace, Miranda Mielke, hit two three-point shots. That set the scene for a close race in the first half with the Spartans clinging to a 26-24 edge at the break. They expanded the gap by four more in the third quarter and then dropped the hammer on the Gorillas with an eight-point edge in the last quarter.

Briann Maley finished with 22, and Mackenzie Reddish hit 14. Mielke led the Gorillas with 18.

Rosalia advanced to the title round with a 52-29 crunch over Wilbur/Creston in the first round Wednesday. Maley hit 20 in the opener against the Wildcats and Reddish hit 17.

Other non-league action last Thursday saw the SJE Eagles drop a struggling Liberty club 51-34 on the Eagles home court. Rachel Gfeller hits 15 to lead the Eagles on their home court. Gfeller was also credited with eight rebounds.

The Eagles resume play by hosting LaCrosse/Washtucna on Friday. The Tigercats sustained a rough holiday entry at the Dayton tourney where they were downed by Wahkiakum 63-35 in the first round and by Dayton 51-16 in the second round Friday.

SCORING

Rosalia 55-Davenport 41: 11/8 15/16 16/12 13/5: Maddie St. John 3, Taylor Nelson 8, Stacey Carrothers 2, Briann Maley 22, Mackenzie Reddish 14, Kristin Pauilson 6. Davenport: Maranda Brandley 2, Miranda Mielke 18, Allison Johnson 6, Kylie Hudkins-Shelton 4, Sami Kaiser 2, Natalee Hayes 7, Sidney Cole 2.

Rosalia 52-Wilbur/Creston 29: St. John 4, Nelson 2, Hannah Sims 3, Maley 20, Reddish 17, Paulson 6. Wilbur/Creston: Brianne Goodlake 2, Elizabeth Brudevold 1, Emily Starzman 2, Lauren Leyva 4, Alex Potts 5, Mason Jaeger 7, Kaelee Reed 8.

Colton 66-Grangeville 23: 15.5 16/11 21/7 14/0: Jenna Moser 12, Haley Moser 12, Payton Meyer 6, Grace Druffel 2, Paige Vincent 17, Kaitlin Druffel 5, Erin Weber 3, Raylynn Smith 9. Grangeville: Megan Sullivan 6, Sheyenne Stewert 5, Addiie Lutz 2, Taylor Canaday 6, Madeline Schwartz 4.

St. John/Endioctt 51-Liberty 34: 10/10 20/9 11/10 10/3: Sami Bailey 5, Jade Porubek 1, Rachel Gfeller 15, Gretchen Van Lith 6, Michal Schuster 2, Devan Bafus 11, Emily Johnes 4, Porubek 2, Heather Siegel 4, Morgan Anderson 1. Liberty: Kate Nelson 5, Brittany Breidenbach 3, Courtney Crosby 4, Aly Tee 10, Mikayla Cornwell 2, Macy Commesser 3, Lynnzie Paulson 2, Jenna Galler 5.

Wahkiakum 63-LaCrosse/Washtucna 35: 16/7 12/11 15/7 20/10: Jena Goude 3, Lindsey Miller 2, Anne Fleming 8, Logan Harder 16, Brooklyn Hostetler 4, Kadie Whinery 2. Wakiakum: Helms 8, B. Olsen 16, Stanley 5, Washington 1, budd 2, Br. kOlsen 26, Boyce 5.

Dayton 51-18: 5/1 14/4 12/6 11/3: Fleming 6, Harder 2, Hostetler 7, Hopkins 3. Dayton: Tate 2, Fuller 4, Miller 8, Bickelhaupt 9, Lambert 10, Smith 11, Phillilps 2, Ramirez 5.