Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The Vikings’ undefeated streak ended in Pomeroy.
After a 14-0 start to the year – including a 23-point home win over Pomeroy Jan. 10 – Garfield-Palouse lost Friday night, 48-42
‘They’re a good team," said Vikings coach Tim Coles. Good guard play, they’re well-coached and they were at home. Our kids did not play well… Our decision-making was really bad. We were playing desperate, trying to penetrate and not taking the shots they were giving us. It was just a very bad night... It’s our own fault. There’s no other way to lay it out."
Pomeroy’s win over Gar-Pal puts the two teams in a tie for first-place in the league standings.
If both teams now win, Pomeroy will get the No. 1 seed to the district tournament, since they took the draw before the season (in the event of a tie).
Last year, after Gar-Pal beat the Vikings twice in the regular season – one on a last-second shot – Pomery beat them handily to take the league championship and first spot into the state tournament.
Gar-Pal then was left to meet Colton to vie for the last spot into the state playoffs.
Colton won to end their season.
This year’s Pomeroy team is without their two big men who graduated, Cody LaMunyan and Riley Bott.
"They lost their height, they didn’t lose their guards," said Coles.
In the last minute and a half of the game Friday, Gar-Pal trailed 41-40 when the Vikings pressed after a missed front end of one-and-one. Pomeroy took the ball up the floor and Cole Mayfield hit a three-pointer from the corner.
With a four-point lead, free throws then sealed the victory, including two by Cade Gingrich in the closing seconds.
Coles lamented about the manner in which his team played.
"They gave us the outside shots, we just weren’t taking them," he said. "Pomeroy did a great job of not letting our guards penetrate."
Gar-Pal now has five games remaining in the league schedule.
"(The loss) gives the kids something to think about at the right time," Coles said. "It lead to some very good conversations afterward."
Those came during a lunchtime film session on Monday.
"Man for man, we failed. Including me," Coles said.
Tyson Fieder led Pomeroy with 21 points in the game. Tyler Thurman led Gar-Pal with 13 while Mitch Jamison scored 11 and Gabe Cocking six. Matt Holbrook scored five points.
Colton 49, Touchet 36
Austin Meyer and Brady Chadwick both scored 13 points for the Wildcats as they beat Touchet at home Saturday. Lane Moore added 11 points.
Colter McKeown led the Indians with 12 points.
Colton 76, St. John-Endicott 58
Austin Meyer scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Colton beat the Eagles at St. John Friday.
The Wildcats (9-6, 7-2) had four scorers in double figures for the fourth consecutive game. They shot 56 percent from the field and forced 20 turnovers.
Additional high scorers for Colton included Grant Kinzer with 20 points and Carter Dahmen with 16.
Adam Blakeley led the Eagles with 17 points while Robert Staples scored 14 and Caleb Hudson had eight.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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