Tigercats pick up pair in SE league start

Riding its veteran shooters, LaCrosse/Washtucna rolled to a pair of big wins as the SE1B league began boys basketball play last weekend.

Anthony Floyd puts one up on a break for the Vikings with Robert Staples in pursuit for the Eagles Saturday at Palouse.

Senior Darcy Stamper’s 16.5 weekend points average led the Tigercats to a 70-43 win over Tekoa/Oakesdale Friday and a 58-28 rout of league newcomer Liberty Christian Saturday.

In Friday’s tilt at LaCrosse, the T-Cats saw four players hit double figures as they rolled off the opening tip to post a 46-21 halftime lead over the Nighthawks.

Justin Wargo put up a team-high 17, while Stamper and Alec Fleming added 16 each. Jed Zimmer tallied 12 beans.

Nighthawk center Max Mueller led all scorers as he picked up 29 points from the inside.

A big first quarter also put the T-cats in the driver’s seat over Liberty Christian Saturday at Washtucna. LW’s defense held the Patriots to just three points in the frame and the ‘cats capitalized on turnovers to put 19 on the scoreboard.

LC showed some fight in the second quarter, posting a 9-6 advantage, but that momentum was wiped out by a 20-4 LW third quarter.

Jed Zimmer’s 19 points were high for the game and Stamper pitched in 17.

Garfield/Palouse used quick freshman Matt Holbrook’s 26 points to sink St. John/Endicott 79-57 Saturday night at Palouse. In the second quarter, the Vikings cracked a 10-point lead, but SJE’s Zach Hollingsworth and Kaleb Simon erased it to put the Eagles up 28-26 at the half.

The Vikings rolled out of the break hot, outscoring the Eagles 51-29 after intermission.

Jesse Lopez added 13 for the Vikes and Tyler Thurman had 11. Zach Hollingsworth’s 24 points were tops for the Eagles, with Dakota White adding 11.

Last year’s SE champ, Colton, got 21 points each from Jake Straughan and forward Dalton Patchen in a 57-48 road win at Touchet Saturday night.

The two squads played to a first quarter tie, but Colton pulled away with a 20-15 second frame that proved to be the difference.

Rosalia, the SE’s other state entrant from last year, also dropped Touchet in its league opener Friday night in Touchet. Craig Nelson’s 23 points led the way for the Spartan offense.

Mueller scorched the nets for 39 points Tuesday night to lead Tekoa/Oakesdale to a 62-60 overtime win in a non-leaguer at Asotin. Led by their center, the Nighthawks jumped out early and booked a 32-21 halftime lead. The Panthers rallied in the second half to force the extra frame, but TO held off in the OT session for the win.

St. John/Endicott dropped its league opener to a big Pomeroy squad Friday, falling 68-78 in the St. John gym. The two squads played a furious final frame, combining for 56 points as SJE tried to close a six point gap to open the fourth.

Guard Kade Snyder led the way for the Pirates with 22 points. Post Riley Bott added 18. Zach Hollingsworth’s 23 points topped the Eagles, with Kaleb Simon throwing down 21.

Pomeroy added a 45-35 non-league win over SE2B foe Dayton Saturday night, with Cole LaMunyan’s 14 points leading the effort.

SATURDAY

SCORING

LaCrosse/Washtucna 58- Liberty Christian 28: 19-3 6-9 20-4 13-12: Jed Zimmer 19, Darcy Stamper 17, Justin Wargo 8, Joey Guske 8, Jared Stark 4, Alec Fleming 2. LC: Brandon Peterson 9, Jared Hoeg 9, Witwer 2, Grown 2, Lundquist 2, Timmy Koglin 2, Conaway 2.

Colton 57- Touchet 48: 15-15 20-15 14-12 8-6: Dalton Patchen 21, Jake Straughan 21, Zack Devorak 7, Austin Meyer 5, Jordan Druffel 2, Dillon Frank 1. Touchet: Rincon 15, Zach Carson 12, Ruben Butler 9, Colter McKeown 4, Colton Goble 4, Elias Martinez 2, Octavio Preciado 2.

Garfield/Palouse 79- St. John/Endicott 57: 14-9 12-19 23-12 28-17: Matt Holbroook 26, Jesse Lopez 13, Tyler Thurman 11, Mitch Jamison 8, Wyatt Mitchell 8, Zach Kuehner 4, Anthony Floyd 4, Matt Dymkoski 3, Hunter Woltering 2. SJE: Zach Hollingsworth 24, Dakota White 13, Robert Staples 10, Kaleb Simon 7, John Quinton 2, Cooper Mills 1.

FRIDAY SCORING

Rosalia 47- Touchet 38: 6-7 15-9 9-13 17-9: Craig Nelson 23, Zane Brown 7, Clay Shelton 5, Josh Roe 5, Micah Pittsley 4, Dalton Jacobs 3. Touchet: Martinez 10, Butler 8, Carson 8, Co. McKeown 4, MecKeown 3, Rincon 3, Preciado 2.

LaCrosse/Washtucna 70- Tekoa/Oakesdale 43: 26-10 20-11 12-12 12-10: Wargo 17, Stamper 16, Fleming 16, Zimmer 12, Summers 5, Stubbs 2, Bedell 1, Stark 1. TO: Max Mueller 29, Marcus Pluff 8, Cooper Angelo 5, Nick Doneen 1.

Pomeroy 78- St. John/Endicott 68: 14-14 22-12 13-15 29-27: Kade Snyder 22, Riley Bott 18, Cole Mayfield 11, Mitch Ruchert 9, Bryan McGreevy 7, Cody Lamunyan 6, Tanner Feider 5. SJE: Hollingsworth 23, Simon 21, Staples 12, Raynor 6, White 4, Mills 2.