Spartans top Colton to nail SE top spot before playoffs

Spartan hustler D.J. Brown wrestles a rebound out of the air in front of Colton forward Steve Eacker in Rosalia's league-clinching 67-46 win Saturday night at Colton.

Rosalia clinched its second straight SE 1B title Saturday with an impressive 67-46 win over second-place Colton. The Spartans have a three-game lead on the rest of the pack with just two rounds left before playoffs.

Inspired by a fiery home court crowd, the Wildcat defense held down the powerful Spartan attack in the first quarter. Rosalia went to the hoop hard in the second quarter, taking advantage of foul shots to extend a three-point first quarter lead to 14 at the half. The Spartans cruised to the win from there.

Spartan Nathan Richards won the post scoring battle with Colton center Dustin Patchen, putting up 24 to Patchen’s 20.

Rosalia kept its league mark unblemished with a win in a 43-35 slugfest with visiting St. John/Endicott Friday. Rosalia’s defense set the margin early, giving up only two first quarter points to the Eagles. Damien Loucks had a game high 13 points. Ben Harrison led SJE with 12.

Colton’s big two set a fast pace Friday night when the Wildcats rolled to a 73-57 road win over Tekoa/Oakesdale. Helped by point guard Josh Straughan’s 16 assists, Dennis Patchen hung 36 points and 20 rebounds on the Nighthawk defense. Straughan added 16 points. Joseph Tampien paced TO with 23.

Ben Harrison went to the free throw line to shoot a one-and-one with no time left on the clock, sinking the first toss and giving St. John/Endicott a thrilling 50-49 home win over LaCrosse/Washtucna Saturday night. Evan Raynor had 14 points to top the Eagles. Jeff Zimmer’s 16 were tops for the Tigercats.

SE 1B Boys Standings

Rosalia 12-0 17-1

Colton 9-3 11-7

Garfield/Palouse 7-5 9-8

St John/Endicott 6-6 8-8

Touchet 4-8 5-12

Pomeroy 4-8 5-12

LaX/Washtucna 3-9 6-12

Tek/Oakesdale 3-9 4-14

Garfield/Palouse stayed solidly in third place thanks to scorching guard play in a 71-51 home win over Pomeroy Saturday night. Blake Slocum hit 28, including 6-of-8 from behind the arc, to lead the Vikings. As a team, GP sunk 9 of 15 treys, putting the game out of reach with a 24-5 second quarter. J.B. Lange chipped in 16 for the Vikes. Justin Ruark paced the Pirates with 21.

Touchet booked a couple of wins to move up the SE ranks.

Friday night, Touchet dug out of an early hole to top LaCrosse/Washtucna with a 52-45 win. Following Jeff Zimmer’s 17 points, the Tigercats jumped out to a quick 12-5 first quarter lead. The Indians, led by Matt Kates’ 21, rallied

Joseph Tampien put up a running 3-pointer that bounced away at the buzzer as Tekoa/Oakesdale fell 54-53 at Pomeroy Saturday night. Free throw shooting sunk TO; the Nighthawks hit on only 12-of-25 from the stripe. Earl Gaines’ 14 points were best for TO, and Joe Gaines added 13.

SATURDAY SCORING

Rosalia 67- Colton 46: 10/7 27/16 16/11 14/12: Richards 24, D.J. Brown 12, Jared Hereford 9, Flash Hodges 9, Casey Brown 5, Tom Carrothers 4, Damien Loucks 2, Scott Eberle 2. Colton: Dustin Patchen 20, Josh Straughan 14, Steve Eacker 6, Jake Straughan 4, Taylor Spence 2.

St. John/Endicott 50- LaCrosse/Washtucna 49: 16/14 9/16 10/9 15/10: Evan Raynor 14, Joey Kucklick 12, Mason Van Lith 7, Kyle Raynor 6, Ben Harrison 5, Levi Schlomer 5, Evan Jones 1. LW: Jeff Zimmer 16, Jed Zimmer 11, Austin Summers 10, Chris Wargo 6, Justin Wargo 4, Sam Harder 2.

Touchet 38- Garfield/Palouse 36: 8/11 7/6 15/10 8/9: Jake Hodenfield 15, Eric Hines 10, Matt Kates 9, Joey Weber 2, Will Huesby 2: GP: Race Martin 13, Nathan Cocking 11, Blake Slocum 4, Steven Griffin 3, Wyatt Mitchell 2, Jon Kuehner 2, J.B. Lange 2, Chad Redman 1.

Pomeroy 54- Tekoa/Oakesdale 53: 13/9 15/11 16/20 10/13: Mitch Ruchert 15, Justin Ruark 11, Shawn Beale 7, Tanner Feider 6, Matt Fitzgerald 5, Cody LaMunyan 4, Jesse Koller 2, Mac Wolf 2. TO: Earl Gaines 14, Joe Gaines 13, Joseph Tampien 10, Cory Schulz 6, Sicha Tallman 5, Riley Schell 2, Lance Lindgren 2, Trevor Renstrom 1.

FRIDAY SCORING

Rosalia 43- St. John/Endicott 35: 12/2 12/12 9/11 10/10: Loucks 13, D.J. Brown 8, Hodges 7, C. Brown 7, Carrothers 3, Eberle 3, Hereford 2. SJE: Harrison 12, McCanna 6, E. Raynor 6, Van Lith 4, Jones 3, Kucklick 2, Schluneger 2.

Colton 73- Tekoa/Oakesdale 57: 18/8 15/8 24/12 16/29: Dustin Patchen 36, Josh Straughan 16, Spence 10, Eacker 8, Jake Straughan 3. TO: Tampien 23, Tallman 9, Gaines 7, Gaines 5, Lindgren 4, Pluff 3, Renstrom 2.

Garfield/Palouse 71- Pomeroy 51: 13/20 24/5 19/16 15/10: Slocum 28, Lange 16, Griffin 11, Martin 8, Cocking 4, Lopez 2, G. Redman 2. Pomeroy: Ruark 21, Ruchert 8, Beale 7, Feider 4, LaMunyan 4, Koller 4, Wolf 3.

Touchet 52- LaCrosse/Washtucna 45: 5/12 10/12 19/11 18/10: Kates 21, Hines 12, Hodenfield 11, Preciado 4, Huesby 2, Weber 2. LW: Jeff Zimmer 17, Stubbs 7, Summers 5, Jed Zimmer 2, Wargo 1, Chris Wargo 13.