Bulldog girls finish third after semi loss to Crusaders

Gazette Editor

Two wins out of the consolation bracket sent the Bulldog girls south to face an SE foe this week in the sub-regional rounds of the state playoff trail.

The Bulldogs posted consolation wins over the same two NE teams they defeated in the last weekend of league play.

They hammered Mary Walker of Springdale 52-27 Saturday and defeated the LRS Broncos 44-20 for third place in the last of four regional rounds at Mt. Spokane.

The Broncos advanced in the fourth-place slot.

Monday’s final NE District 7 qualifiers will follow Reardan and Northwest Christian to play against SE contenders.

Reardan, the league leaders, extended their NE domination with a 65-49 win over the Crusaders in the girls’ championship game at Mead Saturday.

District pivot point for the Bulldog girls in the NE scramble came in the second half of the Friday’s semifinal game when they went off the track in their third clash with the Crusaders. A six-point Colfax halftime lead vanished after they booked just two points in the third quarter and six more in the last quarter.

The NWC girls, who sustained two single point losses to Colfax in the league campaign, roared past the Bulldogs in the semi game 40-28 and faced Reardan in the Saturday championship game at Mead. One of the big factors in the Colfax spinout was a 0-9 clanker from the free throw line.

Colfax Saturday started their consolation recovery with a 52-27 win over a scrappy Springdale team. Colfax stacked a 28-14 lead over the Chargers at the half and finished with the 52-27 win. Taylor Larsen led Colfax with 14 points.

The Saturday win put Colfax against LRS in the Monday 2-3 game, and Colfax prevailed 44-20. Again Monday, Colfax found its offense out of gear when they started the NE finale. They hit just 18 beans in the first half but emerged with a 18-11 lead due to consistent defense against the Broncos.

Colfax began to hit the buckets in the third quarter when they added 15 points to the lead. Nicole Sheer, who hit 6-6 at the toss line, led Colfax with 16.

In the first tourney round Jan. 30 Colfax crunched Davenport 54-23 with a 27-point breakout in the second quarter. Larsen hit 16 against the Gorillas, and Sheer snagged 10 rebounds.

The Bulldogs, who remained in the defensive mode set in their last league games forced 35 Davenport turnovers in the first district round.

Colfax 54-Daven;port 23: 8/5 27/4 6/4 13/10: Scout Cai 1 4-7 6, Bailey Mackleit 1 0-0 2, Nicole Sheer 4 1-2 9, Rachel Robinson 3 (2-3pt) 0-0 8. Amara Huber 2 0-0 4, Amelie Bruya 3 (2-3pt) 0 0-0 8. Total: 18 14-22 f-18 54. Davenport: Kylee Watkins 2 1-1 5, Allie Johnson 2 0-2 4, Mickalia Goering 1 3-4 5, Morgan Halverson 0 2-2 2, Sidney Cole 2 1-3 5. Total: 7 8-7 f-19 23.

Northwest Christian 40-Colfax 28:6/11 11/2 14/6: Hannah Dietzen 2 (3pt) 4-4 9, Maria Guske 4 1-2 9, Courtney Gray 1 2-3 4, Treasure Farmer 0 3-7 3, Chanel Knight 6 (3pt) 2-2 15. Total 13 12-16 f-11 40. Colfax: Kori Goodwin 1 0-0 2, Bailey Mackleit 1 (3pt) 0-0 3, Nicole Sheer 5 0-0 10, Taylor Larsen 3 0-6 6, Rachel Robinson 3 0-3 7. Total: 13 0-9 f-14 28.

Colfax 52-Springdale 27: 14/8 14/8 12/11 12/3: Bailey Mackleit 2 (3pt) 0-0 5, Nicole Sheer 4 (3pt) 2-7 11, Taylor Larsen 3 8-11 14, Rachel Robinson 2 5-5 9, Amara Huber 1 2-2 4, Amelie Bruya 2 3-4 7, Olivia Mellor 0 2-2 2. Total 14 22-31 f-14 52. Springdale: Bailey Brown 2 2-4 6, Ellish Smith 2 (3pt) 1-2 6, Jackie Carr 1 0-0 2, Autumn Hubert m 1 0-0 2, BrittnyBeckman 2 0-0 4, Emily Sulgrove 0 3-4 3, Hamilton 2 0-0 4., Total 10 6-10 f-25 27

Colfax 44-Lind/Ritzville/Sprague 20: 10/7 8/4 20/5 6/4: Kori Goodwin 2 2-2 6, Bailey Mackleit 1 0-0 2, Nicole Sheer 5 6-6 16, Taylor Larsen 4 1-2 9 Amara Huber 2 0-0 4, Amelie Bruya 1 0-0 2. Total 16 11-14 f-12 44. LRS: Jenna Bennett 1 2-8 4, Dalyn Killian 2 (3pt) 1-4 6, Mallory Kessler 1 0-0 2, Brooke Pichette 0 2-2 2, Maya Wahl 1 0-0 2, Sydney Nelson 1 0-0 2. Total 6 7-16 f-17 20.