Five Bulldog seniors collect special awards at hoop banquet

Colfax seniors who were honored at the basketball banquet Tuesday, from the left, are Bryce Kramlich, coaches’ award; Brandon Gfeller, most valuable teammate; Skylar Simonson, most improved; Brady Ellis, most inspirational, and John Mellor, coaches’ award.

Gfeller receives ball marked 1,593, the total points he scored in four years with the Colfax varsity

Colfax put an official end to their title-game run basketball season Tuesday night by honoring five graduating seniors. Each of the five players at the head table also went home with a special award for their season.

Head Coach Reece Jenkin noted he first coached this year’s seniors as seventh-graders when he started his coaching stint in Colfax. This year’s seniors were part of the high school program when the Bulldogs played in two state semi games and two title games.

“They really made their work ethic the cornerstone of the program,” Coach Jenkin commented.

Colfax hoop seniors this year were Brandon Gfeller, Brady Ells,

Skylar Simonson, John Mellor and Bryce Kramlich.

After the Bulldogs last year won the state title game with a derailment of Northwest Christian, Colfax fans were tentative about the chances of the younger players on the title squad ever making it back to the March title night in the Spokane Arena.

Jenkin said one of the early season indicators for him was the Bulldogs’ first place finish in their debut at the Lewiston Tournament when they stopped two big school teams, host Lewiston and Walla Walla.

Other memorable points were the big win over NWC on the home court when last year’s rivalry was renewed, and the early playoff win over the LRS Broncos, a team which roughed up the Bulldogs on the Ritzville court late in the league run.

Colfax started the final eight show with wins in the first two days and then ran into the St. George Dragons, a team which topped them at every matchup during the season.

Senior Brandon Gfeller received the most valuable teammate award for the fourth straight year at the close of the banquet. Jenkin and the other Colfax coaches also presented Gfeller with a basketball tagged with 1,593, the number of points he scored for Colfax over a four-year career.

Skylar Simonson, who anchored the inside game for the Bulldogs during the season, received the most-improved award. Brady Ellis received most inspirational award.

Jenkin presented Coaches’ awards to John Mellor and Bryce Kramlich, two players who consistently put team success at the top of their priority list.

Varsity awards were also presented to Kasey Johnson, a sophomore, and Keith Gfeller, a freshman.

Jayvee Coach Jeremy Bogle presented certificates to Cody Fulfs, Kenton Lyman, Cody Gronning, Dylan Hall, Daniel Tate, Tyler Kincaid, Garrett Burke, Josh Brown, Mark Webber, Brent Becker, and Hunter Weitze.

Coach Bogle noted the lone league foe to defeat the Colfax jayvees this year was Northwest Christian.

C-sqaud Coach Randy Daniels presented certificates to Toby Warwick, Riley Huntwork, Michael Clinton, Dustin Hall, Dylan Griffin, Tim Cornelius, and Andrew Becker.

Cheer squad seniors receiving farewell recognition were Hannah Knaack, Taylor Lange, Rachel Napier and Paige Mackleit. Also on the cheer squad were Jaycee Thompson, a junior; Morgan Reynolds and Jolee Aeschliman, sophomores; and Haley Ring, freshman.

Team managers Brett Kincaid and Jared Kneale also received certificates.