Colfax advances to subregional semis

Gazette Editor

Colfax boys hammered DeSales in Dayton’s gym Saturday afternoon to advance to the semi-final round of the eight-team sub-regional basketball playoff this weekend at Walla Walla.

The 69-39 Colfax win over the Irish was part of an SE sweep by the NE teams who will pair off in semi-final rounds Friday with a title game Saturday and elimination games Friday and Saturday.

The boys’ side of the playoff will move to Whitman College, and the four semi qualifiers will require zero introductions.

Colfax will play Northwest Christian at 7:30 and top-ranked St. George’s will play the LRS Broncos at 6 p. m. The all- NE lineup in the semis emerged after Northwest Christian topped Walla Walla Valley Academy 73-46, St. George’s crunched Reardan 70-35 and the Broncos dropped Asotin 80-57.

Reardan broke into the Saturday matchups by topping Tri-Cities Prep in a play-in game Thursday night at Colfax.

Colfax this time faces a different semi foe, NWC, because the NE teams third and fourth-place finishers reversed out of the district campaigns two weeks ago.

Against DeSales Saturday afternoon in Dayton’s gym, Colfax roared to a 15-4 lead in the first four minutes. They posted a 22-6 lead after the first quarter.

Brandon Gfeller and Brady Ellis ignited the fuse on the three-point option. Each senior drilled four of them before it was over.

Colfax took to the court without sophomore starter Kasey Johnson who has been sidelined with a knee injury. Freshman Keith Gfeller was assigned the slot.

DeSales, led by Luke Fazzari, booked their best offensive spurt at the end of the half, but failed to shave anything off the points margin.

Bulldog Coach Reece Jenkin began to activate his bench early in the action, and subbed out with just over four minutes left.

Brandon Gfeller finished with a game-high 24 beans, and Ellis finished with 20. Fazzari and Adam Eskil each had eight points to lead the Irish.

After Colfax posted the first NE win at Dayton, fans watched St. George’s dominate Reardan in the next first-round game at Dayton. The Dragons pegged a 20-7 lead in their first quarter on their way do their 70-35 doubler over the Indians. Senior Erik Muelheim led the Dragons with 22. Top scorer for Reardan, was Grant Wagner with nine.

Colfax 69-DeSales 39: Brandon Gfeller 10- (4-3pt) 0-0 24, Brady Ellis 7 (4-3pt) 2-2 20, Bryce Kramlich 2 1-1 5, Mark Webber 1 (3pt) 0-0 3, Keith Gfeller 4 0-2 8, Josh Brown 1 0-0 2, Skylar Simonson 1 2-2 4, Garrett Burke 1 1-2 3. Total: 27 6-9 f-13 69. DeSales: Reilly Roach 1 0-0 2, Travis Haen 3 (3pt) 0-0 7, Luke Fazzarri 3 2-2 8, Adam Eskil 3 (3pt) 0-5 8, Cameron Richman 2 2-2 6, Emile LaConte 1 1-2 3, Sergio Pena 1 0-0 2, Daryl Galloway 0 1-2 1, Connor Richard 1 0-2 2. Total 15 6-16 f-13 39.