Colton Wildcats boys, girls fall to Gar-Pal

COLTON – The Colton Wildcats boys and girls basketball teams lost a pair of games to the Garfield-Palouse (Gar-Pal) Vikings to start the new year on Saturday, Jan. 4.

The Colton boys lost to the Vikings, 55-22, and the girls fell, 71-22.

For the girls, Gar-Pal gained a 15-5 lead to end the first quarter and held a 35-13 lead at halftime. With the Vikings securing a 60-19 lead in the third quarter, Colton gained three points in the final frame with Gar-Pal adding 11 on the scoreboard for the win.

Colton junior Rori Weber led the Wildcats with seven points with senior Ella Nollmeyer scoring six. Sophomore Mere Bell added four points, senior Clair Moehrle scored three and junior Leah Musson notched two.

For the boys, Gar-Pal led 25-6 to end the first quarter and held a 37-15 lead at halftime. The Wildcats scored six points in the third quarter and Gar-Pal added 11 to the scoreboard. With Colton scoring a free throw in the fourth and the Vikings adding seven points to their tally, Gar-Pal won the game.

Junior Tanner Baerlocher led the Wildcats with seven points, hitting three field goals and going 1-for-2 at the free-throw line. Sophomore Wyatt Baysinger and freshman Jake Moehrle each added four points for Colton. Freshman Silas Nollmeyer scored three points for the Wildcats with senior Ryan Impson and sophomore Ivan Michel each gaining two points.

Next up for the Wildcats will be to take on the Oakesdale Nighthawks in away games on Friday, Jan. 10. The girls game will begin at 6 p.m. with the boys to follow at 7:30 p.m.

The Wildcats will next face the Waitsburg Cardinals on Saturday, Jan. 11, before returning home to Colton on Friday, Jan. 17 to play the Tekoa-Rosalia Timberwolves.