Boys, girls teams return to Southeast 1B play

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Jan 04, 20180

County boys and girls high school basketball teams return to Southeast 1B league play this weekend after a dose of outside experience playing in tournaments over Christmas break.

The Garfield/Palouse boys, which won the four-team Colton tournament Dec. 21, returns to the court Friday for a big game at home against unbeaten Pomeroy. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

The Colton girls and boys teams played at West Valley High School in Spokane Dec. 27-28 in the 48-team East Valley Holiday Tournament. The Wildcat girls ran into 1A Cashmere and went down for their first loss of the year. The boys lost twice and will reconvene Friday with a home game against St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse.

On the girls side, Colton will also play at home against the Eagles and travel to Waitsburg Saturday.

The St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse boys and girls teams will follow the trip to Colton with a home game against Touchet Saturday. Girls games start at 6 p.m. with the boys at 7:30 p.m.

GIRLS

Colton 59, Davenport 41

After the loss to 1A Cashmere the day before in Spokane Valley, Colton dominated, leading 35-13 at halftime for a win in the Eagle Holiday Classic at West Valley High.

Dakota Patchen led with 20 points, including six three-pointers, while Jordyn Moehrle added 10 points and eight rebounds. Abby Kelly and Josie Schultheis delivered eight points and five rebounds.

The win over last year’s 2B state champion completed the tournament for Colton (9-1).

Cashmere 56, Colton 44

Opening the tournament, the Colton girls lost their first game of the year to the 1A team which led by 21 points at halftime.

Colton pushed to get back in the game in the second half and closed to within eight points at 52-44.

Cashmere guard Hailey Van Lith scored 27 points to lead the Bulldogs, draped often by Colton defender Jordyn Moehrle.

Patchen again led the Wildcats with 17 points while Ryle Vining added 15. Off the glass, Georgia Meyer got seven rebounds and Vining six.

BOYS

Colfax 62, Colton 41

Playing in their second game at Spokane Valley Dec. 28, the Colton boys met 2B Colfax and went down in a hail of 11 three-pointers and 23 points from the Bulldogs’ Carson Cloaninger. Colton scored no points in the first quarter.

In the end, Parker Druffel led the Wildcats with 20 points while Reece Chadwick added 16 points.

St. George’s 83, Colton 34

To start the vast East Valley tournament, Colton drew St. George’s and may as well have pulled up a chair, as the 2B St. George’s team showed what could take them deep into the state tournament in March at the higher classification.

“They couldn’t miss,” said Colton coach Nick Simon. “They are a very good team.”

The Dragons led 49-9 at halftime and cruised the rest of the way. Matt Wolf led Colton with 16 points in the effort while Reece Chadwick scored nine.

Colton played the game still without junior guard Luke Vining, their sixth-man from last year, who is expected to be back in the next two to three weeks. He is recovering from a broken leg during football season.

The Wildcats are now 1-9 overall, 0-4 in league heading into the weekend games against St. John/Endicott and Waitsburg.

“Our practices have been much better,” said Simon. “I think we’re starting to play better too. We’re definitely improving.”