Bulldog girls bound back in NE district start at WV

Colfax girls bounced back Tuesday with a 50-26 win over Wilbur/Creston in the first-round action for NE district action at West Valley. The Bulldogs posted a 26-10 lead at the half with a balanced scoring attack.

Sophomore guard Anni Cox led the balanced Colfax scoring with 11 points, including three 3-point shots in the mix.

The first-round win advanced the Colfax girls to today's quarter finals, where they will face Northwest Christian.

Northwest Christian is the number-two finisher on the north side of the NE girls race.

Rachel Brown booked four rebounds against the Wildcats, who went into the game as the number-six finisher from the north side.

After posting the 16-point lead at the half, the Bulldogs added another 10 to the gap in the the third quarter.

Colfax landed in the tournament's opening round after sustaining a 37-58 loss to Liberty in the last league round Friday night. The big win for the Lancers put them in the top slot, and they will play their first district round today.

Coach Corey Baerlocher on Friday had to shuffle the player rotation against the Lancers because three of the Bulldogs were recovering from a wave of illness, which knocked three players out of the lineup for last week's Tuesday trip to Pomeroy.

All-out defense, much of it in mid court, turned the game into a free throw derby with 45 total calls during the game. Liberty bagged 23 of their points at the toss line.

Maisie Burnham, who was contained when the Lancers visited Colfax in the first round, finished with a game-high 28 points. Burnham scored 13 points in the first half, and she collected a total of 13 off the foul line.

Colfax got within six points of the Lancers in the third quarter with Asher Cai hitting two quick buckets, but Liberty had an 11-point lead at the end of the frame.

In the last quarter, Colfax didn't score until 4:18 was left with Brown hitting a toss shot.

Cai wrapped the game's toss shot theme by hitting six straight. The freshman led the Bulldog scoring with 22 points.

Colfax 50-Wilbur/Creston 26: 10/7 16/3 16/6 8/10: Shyah Antoine 2 0-1 4, Asher Cai 3 2-3 8, Anni Cox 4 (3-3pt) 0-0 11, Taylre Sakamoto-Howell 2 1-1 5, Perry Imler 0 1-2 1, Kierstyn York 4 2-2 10, Sydney Berquist 2 1-4 5, Rachel Brown 3 0-0 6. Total: 20 7-13 f-17 50. Wilbur /Creston Mackenzie Arden 3 (3 pt) 4-10 11, Faith Bowden 4 3-6 11 , Madi Frazier 1 (3 pt) 0-0 3, Lily Guthrie 0 1-2 l. Total 8 8-17 f-13 26.

Liberty 58-Colfax 37: 16/9 8/6 16/14 18/8: Antoine 0 5-6 5, Cai 6 (3 pt) 7-8 22, T. Sakamoto-Howell 2 (both 3 pt) 0-1 6, Perry Imler 0 1-5 1, Brown 1 1-2 3. Total 9 14-22 f-26 37. Liberty: Emma Holwegner 1 6-8 8, Cheyanne Gleave 2 (both 3 pt) 0-0 6. Maisie Burnham 7 (3 pt) 13-17 28, Aleena Cook 6 4-7 16. Total 16 23-35 f-19 58.