Gar/Pal girls start off 2-1

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Dec 19, 20190

The Garfield/Palouse girls and their four returning starters have begun the season with wins over Potlatch and Tekoa/Rosalia, and a loss to Pomeroy.

Back for 2019-20 for the Vikings are Paige Collier, now a junior point guard; Lexi Brantner, a senior guard; Kenzi Pederson, sophomore post, and Macy Brantner, another sophomore post (Lexi’s sister). In the fifth spot is Madi Cloninger, a sophomore guard, who filled in last year when Lexi Brantner was injured.

The team is coached by Garrett Parrish, in his sixth year.

“We’ll be a pretty good team in a competitive league,” Parrish said. “We could beat anyone and we could lose to anyone.”

The young team finished sixth last year, graduating only guard Jaedan Askins.

To prepare for the new year, players scrimmaged against alumni during the summer two nights per week.

Back on the floor this winter, the Gar/Pal girls play next at Colton (2-3, 1-0) Friday for a league game, followed by a return trip Dec. 26-28 for the Wildcats’ Christmas tournament – in which Gar/Pal will play Waterville, Wahkiakum and Curlew.

Colton 54

Touchet 27

The Colton girls picked up a Southeast 1B league win at Touchet last Saturday, with three players scoring in double figures. Taylor Thomas had 14 points, Maggie Meyer 13 and Rylee Vining 12. The game marked Colton’s first win of the year, putting their record at 1-3 overall, 1-0 in league.

Pomeroy 27

Garfield/Palouse 19

Maddy Dixon and Pomeroy pushed their record to 4-0 overall, 2-0 in league last Saturday with a low-scoring win at Palouse.

Dixon led the Pirates with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Kenzi Pedersen led Garfield/Palouse (2-1, 0-1) with 14 of the team’s 19 points.

“I thought we played pretty well,” said Viking Coach Garrett Parrish. “We just couldn’t get many shots to fall.”

Pomeroy 57

St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse 27

Playing at Pomeroy Dec. 13, Drew Curtis-Brewer scored 16 points to lead the Eagles in the loss, while Maddy Dixon paced Pomeroy with 14 points and Keely Maves 12.

Oakesdale 65

SJEL 34

At St. John Dec. 14, Oakesdale bolted to a 19-2 lead on their way to a league win, putting their record at 4-1 overall, 2-1 in league. Senior forward Julie Baljo led with 25 points on a night which Oakesdale forced 25 turnovers. Lizzy Perry scored 19 points with five assists.

First-year coach Heidi Perry cited freshman Jessie Reed’s on-ball defense for setting the tone early.

Oakesdale 52-

Touchet 30

At home last Friday, Oakesdale led by six at halftime before taking control for a league win. Lizzy Perry scored 16 points and Julie Baljo 10. LouEllen Reed added nine points and nine rebounds while Jesse Reed got 10 rebounds.

The team had 18 total assists.

“As a team, we’re really sharing the ball,” said Coach Perry.

Oakesdale-Pomeroy meet Friday

Oakesdale was set to play next on Thursday at Asotin (whom they beat Dec. 3 at home) followed by a key early-season league game at home Friday against Pomeroy (5-0, 2-0). Game time is 6 p.m.

“Everybody’s ready to go and really looking forward to it,” said Coach Perry.

Could they win?’

“It would be a nice early Christmas present,” Perry said. “We wouldn’t ask for anything else for Christmas.”