Colfax boys win two more, hold second

Gazette Editor

Colfax boys came up with the buckets in a big way to carve out two decisive wins last weekend and claim the number-two slot with two more league games left.

Friday on their home court the Bulldogs came out and out-paced Northwest Christian 66-47. The Crusaders had made the trip here with hopes of putting another dent in the Colfax win-loss record before the league slots teams for the district playoff scene.

Saturday at Spangle, Colfax again hammered the hoop for a 64-46 win over Liberty, a team which has picked up steam in the second league round and also sought to improve its stake in the district format. Colfax stacked a 35-22 halftime lead at Liberty.

The Bulldogs are now 9-3 in the league behind St. George’s, who extended their league string Saturday with a win over the Springdale Chargers, the team which will wrap up the Colfax home season Saturday before three weeks of state qualification rounds.

Saturday, the Bulldogs rubbed out the Crusaders’ bid for second with a 25-point quarter after the halftime break. That stretched a 37-25 Colfax halftime lead to 62-33 with one quarter left. Brandon Gfeller hit six three-pointers on the night with most of them going down in the first half. Brady Ellis hit three three-pointers with one of the shots closing out the third quarter.

The Crusaders, who were led by 14 points from veteran Nick Kiourkas, sliced 10 points off the Bulldog lead in the last quarter after Colfax went into a clock burning mode and scored just four points in the last frame.

Saturday against Coach Mike Thacker’s Lancers, Colfax again mixed sharp shooting and solid defense to stack an early lead and make it stick. They pegged a 35-22 margin at the break. Liberty avoided another Colfax third quarter barrage, but couldn’t shave any beans off the Bulldogs’ lead.

Brandon Gfeller finished with 29 points at Liberty with five more treys. That gave him 11 of the long-range shots for 33 points over the weekend. Ellis added two more at Liberty, and Colfax sophomore Kasey Johnson hit six buckets, most of them on the inside.

Ryan Thayer led the Lancers with 19. Match Burnham, who finished with nine, had the lone three-pointer for the hosts.

Brandon Gfeller 9 (6-3pt) 2-4 26, Brady Ellis 4 (3-3pt) 0-0 11, Keith Gfeller 4 (2-3pt) 1-2 11, Kasey Johnson 3 5-8 11, Skylar Simonson 2 1-1 5, Bryce Kramlich 1 0-0 2. Total: 23 9-15 f-11 66. NWC: Jon Morris 3 1-2 8, Austin Friedly 3 1-1 7, Nick Kiourkas 6 2-2 14, Matt Kershnar 2 0-0 4, Kobie Hanson 1 0-0 2, Jeremiah Sander 1 0-0 2, Chris Harris 2 0-0 4, Phillip Bax 1 0-0 2. Total: 21 4-5 f -13 47.

Colfax 64-Liberty 46: 18/17/13 18/16 11/8: Brandon Gfeller 11 (5-3pt) 2-5 29, Brady Ellis (3-3pt) 0-0 11, Bryce Kramlich 2 0-0 4, Keith Gfeller 1 0-0 2, Kasey Johnson 6 3-4 15, Brent Becker 1 0-0 2, Skylar Simonson 1 0-2 2. Total: 26 5-11 f-19 64. Liberty: Match Burnham 4 (3pt) 0-0 9, Austin Sievers 0 4-4 4, Ryan Thayer 8 3-8 19, Aaron Jennen 2 1-3 5, Zach Kunkel 2 1-2 5, McCure 0 2-2 2, Green 1 0-1 2. Total: 17 11-19 f-10 46.