Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Colton girls trophy
Colton girls
The Colton girls gather around their ninth consecutive Southeast 1B league trophy last Friday night in Walla Walla. The Wildcats advance to play Lyle/Wishram at Mt. Spokane High School this Saturday at 6 p.m. The winner goes on to the final eight at Spokane Arena.
Colton senior Rachel Meyer looks to the basket in the first half of the Wildcats’ win over Touchet for the Southeast 1B title.
The Colton girls brushed aside their would-be rivals Touchet under the igloo dome at Walla Walla Community College to take their ninth consecutive Southeast 1B championship.
The Wildcats now advance to the state regional round, playing Lyle/Wishram at 6 p.m. Saturday at Mt. Spokane High School.
If Colton wins, they enter the brackets at Spokane Arena as one of the final eight 1B teams in the state. The girls aim for a record-extending eighth consecutive state championship.
Southeast 1B District Championship: Colton 64, Touchet 47
It began with a high-hat three-point attempt from Touchet's Cierra Jo McKeown off of no passes, to no reaction from the Indians' bench.
The game kept close, though McKeown couldn't hit a shot. Colton's Zoe Moser kept driving the lane, faking a pass for a step-aside lay-in off the glass.
Colton led 22-17 with 3:26 left in the second quarter.
Wildcats' junior Kendyl Druffel guarded McKeown as if strung by a rubber band, while McKeown rubber-banded passes to teammates when crowded by the Colton defense.
Nearing halftime, on an inbound, Colton's MaryAnn Jacobs had a hand up to McKeown's face, and the Southeast 1B Player of the Year reached up and batted it away, Druffel right behind her.
The tight defense kept up, and with 1:40 left in the second quarter, Colton led 30-18. After three free-throws from Moser, it was 35-18 at halftime.
In the second half, Colton had control and attention turned elsewhere, to the Touchet junior high band on the second level: Touchet Rockin' Band of Excellence (T.R.I.B.E.).
On the court, Colton's Meghan Devorak hit a three-pointer for 39-18. A pass from Moser to Druffel for three made it 42-20.
On the floor for Touchet, it was improvising and solos.
Charlie Parker live at Birdland this was not.
Missed opportunities and airballs from the Indians continued, and Colton freshman Dakota Patchen hit a three-pointer for 58-34 with 5:57 left in the game.
In the end, Moser led the Wildcats with 27 points while Patchen scored 15 – from five three-pointers. Devorak had six points and eight rebounds.
McKeown led Touchet with 15 points while Caitlin McGreevy scored nine.
The next afternoon, Touchet beat Oakesdale to advance to regionals as well. They will play at Sunnyside High School Saturday against Sunnyside Christian. The winner advances to Spokane Arena.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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