Wildcats win clash of the B champions

Colton girls poured on the steam in the second half Tuesday night at Colfax to roll out a 47-37 win over the hosts in a battle of last year’s two B division state champions. After a seesaw game in the first quarter, Colton opened the lead in the second quarter and then roared in the second half with junior Zoe Moser finishing with 29 points.

"I thought it was an awesome game," Colton Coach Clark Vining said. "It was a great pre-league game with a playoff atmosphere.”

Colton extended their win string to 46 with the 10-point edge at Colfax. The Wildcat visitors took their sixth straight title in the 1B division last year at Spokane, and the Colfax girls took the 2B title after spinning out of the state finals for the previous three years.

Colton girls extended their streak to 45 games Friday with a 63-37 win over Grangeville in their season opener.

Tuesday, Colton cracked a 23-19 lead at the half despite hitting 1-6 at the toss line in the closing minutes of the second quarter. The Colfax offense stalled out after Andra Hamilton hit a pair of toss shots.

Colton started the second half with Savannah Chadwick hitting the first bucket and Moser adding four points.

Colfax didn’t score in the half until Carmen Gfeller, who led the Bulldogs with 10, hit an inside shot with 2:58 left in the quarter. Amara Huber then hit two shots to bring Colfax within five points, but Colton’s Courtney Kimberling hit a three-pointer for a 33-25 Colton lead going into the last quarter.

Moser then ran a string of three buckets, one of them for three points, and Haley Meyer hit a three. Moser hit it again for 14-point Colton edge, 45-31. Moser finished with 11 beans in the last quarter.

Colton’s speed and tenacity on defense played a big part in the win. Vining credited his Wildcats with getting a little more aggressive with the bigger Colfax team in the second half.

Colton Friday is booked to host a touring team from Australia.

The Bulldog girls opened the season Saturday night here against Deer Park with the 56-23 win.

Bulldog starters hammered out 27 points in the first quarter over the smaller Deer Park team, allowed the visitors just six points in the first quarter and then froze them out with zero in the second quarter.

Deer Park didn't score again until 7:16 of the third quarter when Savanna Sitton put up a hook shot. At that time the Bulldogs had posted a 41-8 lead.

Hamilton scored 10 points to lead a long roster of Colfax scorers. Huber and Kori Goodwin, also returning seniors each scored eight points, along with Ashtyn Aune, a junior in her first varsity game and Taylor Garcia, a returning sophomore.

.Colton 47-Colfax 37: 10/11 13/8 10/6 14/12: Savannah Chadwick 3 (2-3 pt) 0-0 8, Zoe Moser 9 (2-3ot) 8-12 29, Haley Meyer 1 (3pt) 0-0 3, Winnie Schultheis 1 0-0- 2, Rachel Meyer 1 0-2 2, Courtney Kimberling 1 (3pt) 0-0 3, Total 16 8-20 f-16 47. Colfax: Amara Huber 3 (3pt) 0-0 7, Andra Hamilton 1 2-2 4, Kori Goodwin 0 2-2 2, Ashtyn Aune 1 1-1 3, Scout Cai 1 (3pt) 1-2 4, Carmen Gfeller 3 4-4 10, Taylor Garcia 2 0-0 4. Total: 12 11-15 21 37.

Colfax 56-Deer Park 23: 27/6 10/0 13/7 6/10: Amara Huber 3 2-2- 8, Andra Hamilton 3 (3pt) 3-3 10, Kori Goodwin 1 6-6 8, Ashtyn Aune 3(2-3pt) 0-0 8. Scout Cai 1 (3pt) 0-0 3, Olivia Mellor 1 2-3 4, Carmen Gfeller 2 1-2 5, Sidney Sheer 1 3-3 5, Taylor Garcia 4 0-0 8 total: 19 15-19 f-14 56. Deer Park: Savanna Sitton 2 1-2 5, Jael Guske 1 3-5 5, Damaris Guske 1 (3pt) 0-0 3, Joslyn Hallauer 2 1-2 5, Callie Bostic 1 0-0 2, Destanne Sunchild 1 1-3 3. Total 8 6-12 f-15 23.