Colfax derailer energizes league’s last week

Bulldog sophomore Brandon Gfeller goes up for a shot over the block of Davenport's Josh Likkel in the Friday league game at Colfax. Gfeller hit seven threebies Saturday night at Colbert and booked 30 points in the Colfax derailment of the top-rated Northwest Christian Crusaders.

Colfax boys jacked up the energy level of the Bi-County league Saturday night by going into the confines of the Northwest Christian gym at Colbert and knocking off the state’s top 2B team 63-48. The verdict left the two clubs tied at 12-1 going into the final rounds of the league campaign.

The standings bumped to 13-1 Tuesday when Colfax took another north end road game with a 51-31 edge over St. George’s and Northwest Christian dropped Davenport 76-46.

Two league rounds remain. Colfax faces a tough assignment Friday night when they travel to Springdale to face a tough Chargers team which rattled the Bulldogs with their speed game four weeks ago.

After the Springdale stop, the Bulldogs will have their last home game when they host Liberty Saturday for senior night.

If Colfax and NWC remain tied in the league top slot, the Crusaders will get the top seed for the two-week district playoff by virtue of a placing draw conducted by league officials early in the season. Teams draw cards which are used to resolve ties. NWC holds the number-three card; Colfax holds number seven.

Saturday night’s blaster at Colbert saw sophomore Brandon Gfeller hit 30 points with 21 of those from seven three-point shots.

Colfax led the green team 14-10 after the first quarter, lost ground and trailed by three at the half. They then came out and clobbered the Crusaders 24-10 after the break to take control.

The 63-48 win came after the Crusaders dominated the first round game at Colfax with a 26-point margin. The NWC veterans booked some sharp shooting and out-boarded the Bulldogs in the first round.

One difference in the second round was the return of Justin Berarducci to the Colfax lineup. Berarducci bagged 10 rebounds Saturday at Colbert to help keep Colfax to within two snags of the big NWC team which is topped by 6-8 Reuben Clark and 6-6 Kwinn Hanson.

JJ Robinson backed Gfeller with 18 points in the Colbert upset with two three-pointers.

Hanson led NWC with 22 Saturday. Crusader senior Cole Ramey, who hit 19 during the Colfax visit, was held to just two points Saturday.

Colfax made the trip to Colbert after fighting off Davenport on the home boards Friday. Davenport, who arrived at Colfax with an 8-6 league mark for the number-three slot, posted a 28-26 lead at the break while the Bulldogs struggled to plug in their perimeter shooting game. Colfax exploded for 24 beans after the break to take control.

Kyle Johnson zapped three of his low-arch trey shots in the quarter to fuel the Bulldog breakout.

Alex Teade led Colfax with 20 points with most of his nine buckets on the inside.

Tuesday at St. George’s the Bulldogs booked a 51-31 win with strong defense against the Dragons. Colfax offense seemed a little off after the big win over NWC three days earlier.

Gfeller and Johnson dropped another seven threebies Tuesday at St. George’s.

After the season’s home wrapper Saturday against Liberty, the Bulldogs will be off duty until the start of a two-week district show at Mead and Mt. Spokane. The district round will start with 10 teams and finish with three contenders for the regional battles which will be a week before the state finals.

Republic, which played as an independent after the Panorama merged into the Bi-County, will get the number-10 card at district.

Colfax 51-St. George’s 31: 15/9 12/4 15/98 9/9: Brandon Gfeller 7 (4-3pt) 0-0- 18, Kyle Johnson 3 (all -3pt) 0-0 9, JJ Robinson 2 2-3 6, Andy Scholz 1 0-0 2, Alex Teade 3 0-0 6, Kellen Morgan 1 0-0 2, Justin Berarducci 3 2-4 8. Total 20 4-9 f-18 51. St. George’s: Mark Kenney 0 1-2 1, Karl Muelheims 1 4-8 6, Bruce Culbertson 2 0-0 4, Will Tender 1 1-2 4, Lincoln Clark 4 0-0 8, Dexter Sienko 3 2-4 8: Total: 11 8-9 f-9 31.

Colfax 63-Northwest Christian 48: Brandon Gfeller 9 (7-3pt) 5-8 30, JJ Robinson 6 (2-3pt) 4-7 18, Andy Scholz 1 0-0 2, Alex Teade 2 3-6 7, Justin Berarducci 2 (3pt) 1-2 6. Total: 20 13-23 f-11 63. NWC: Don Williams 2 1-2 5, Cole Ramey 1 0-1 2, Jack Shannon 1 (3pt) 2-4 5. Dakota Winard 1 0-0 2, Kwinn Hanson 10 2-3 22, Rueben Clark 5 2-3 12. Total; 20 7-15 f-18 63.

Colfax 59-Davenport 47: 6/15 10/13 24/13 9/6: Gfeller 6 0-0 12, Johnson 4 (3-3pt) 1-2 12, Teade 9 2-2 20, Robinson 4 (3pt) 2-4 12, Berarducci 1 1-2 3. Total 24 7-10 f-11 59. Davenport: Ryan Zeller 2 0-0 4, Shane Hopkins 3 (all 3pt) 1-2 10, Austin Telford 1 0-0 2, Joey Gunning 6 (2-3pt) 7-9 21, Cole Evers 1 0-1 2, Josh Likkel 4 0-0 8. Total: 17 8-11 f-15 47.