Colfax hoop awards wrap up No. 5 trophy year

After winning the fifth-place state trophy at Spokane last week, Colfax basketball players and coaches wrapped up the hoop season with an awards banquet Tuesday night. Seniors completing their varsity hoop careers were Alex Teade, Kellen Morgan and Andy Scholz.

Coach Reece Jenkin noted at first glance the 1-2 run for fifth place at Spokane could be viewed as a disappointment, but overall the Bulldogs booked a highly successful season.

Special award winners at the Colfax basketball banquet Tuesday night, from the left, were JJ Robinson, captain’s award; Justin Berarducci, co-winner of the inspirational award; Skylar Simonson, most improved co-winner; Kyle Johnson, coaches award; Tyler Stevenson, most improved co-winner and Brandon Gfeller, most valuable teammate. Johnson holds a photo placard of Alex Teade, senior team captain and co-winner of the inspirational award. Teade was competing in an Idaho/Washington all-star game on banquet night.

The number-five trophy from the 2B finals at Spokane marks a gain from the number-eight trophy which Jenkin and the 2010 Bulldogs brought home from the Arena last year. He noted last year’s state trophy finish broke a 17-year dry spell for state boys hoop hardware in the Bulldog trophy case.

“Overall, we still had a great year,” Jenkin said, noting the 23-5 record compiled on the season. He added the Bulldogs have a lot of talent coming back from this year’s team and that should bode well for next winter.

Among their achievements, Colfax was the lone team to advance to the state eight in Spokane after compiling back-to-back wins in the regional rounds the previous weekend. The regionals were added this year under the WIAA’s revised format which sent eight teams to the three-day final at the Spokane Arena.

The Bulldogs were also the lone high school team to notch a win over Northwest Christian, the eventual 1B champions.

Alex Teade, veteran senior, and Justin Berarducci, a junior who missed 11 games at the start of the league season because of an ankle injury, were named co-winners of the team inspirational award. JJ. Robinson and Teade shared the captains award.

Teade was not present at the banquet because he had an opportunity to play in the Idaho-Washington All Star game Tuesday night.

Sophomore Brandon Gfeller, winner of the league’s MVP award, was named for the most valuable teammate trophy. Tyler Stevenson, a junior, and Skylar Simonson, a sophomore, were named the team’s most improved players.

Kyle Johnson, the team’s junior outside bomber, was named for the coaches’ Bulldog Award.

Seniors Scholz and Morgan, noted as one of the teams top defenders, and Jay Hart, a junior, also received varsity award.

Coach Jenkin also recognized Brady Cornelius for his outstanding contribution as team statistician.

Before presenting the varsity awards he credited members of the jayvee swing team for contributing to the team’s success with their weekly prep work before game nights.

Jayvee Coach Jeremy Bogle noted his team worked hard and made a lot of progress over the season. Bogle pointed out the improvement made between the first and second rounds of jayvee league action.

Jayvee awards went to Corey Maltone, Cole Klaveano, Ben Campbell, John Mellor, Simonson, Bryce Kramlich, Brady Ellis, Stevenson, Brandon Soncarty and Rick Scholz.

C squad Coach Randy Daniels awarded recognition awards to Devyn Davis, Eli Erickson, Austin Getz, Josh Huber, Nick Johnson, Dalton McNeilly, John Molyneaux, Brock Morgan, Cole Neu, Mark Samitipibool, Brain Scholz, Daniel Tate, Yue Teng, Levi Watson and Landon Wilson.

Davis and Molyneaux played on the C squad as seniors and marked varsity action in the Bulldogs’ last home game. Teng and Molyneaux played on the team as exchange students.

Senior Cheerleaders Emily Ledbetter and Ashlynn Thompson gave a short farewell talk of appreciation. Other members to the cheer squad recognized by Coach Rhonda Pittman were Reagan Lowe, Rachel Napier, Lindsay Webber, Paige Mackleit and Jacee Thompson.

First speaker at the banquet was Coach Corey Baerlocher who thanked the team and players for allowing him a slot on the bench for the state show in Spokane. Baerlocher was picked up by the boys team after the Bulldog girls were stopped in the regionals at University High School.