Crusaders bounce back after big Colfax charge

Brett Kincaid waits for a gap between NWC's Reed Loranger (15) and Josh Maynard.

Another chapter in the long line of Colfax-Northwest Christian hoop tales went into the books Friday when the visiting Crusaders fought off a strong Colfax charge, reclaimed the lead and left town with a 63-60 win.

The loss was the second for the Bulldogs in the NE campaign after they were topped by the league leading St. George’s Dragons last week.

Colfax Saturday made the trip out to Wilbur and topped the Wildcats 58-43 to advance their league record to 8-2.

Friday on the home boards, Northwest Christian ripped to a 39-26 lead in the first half. The Crusaders’ 5-9 junior guard Jake Gray hit five three-point shots in the half while the Bulldogs had trouble getting their offense into gear.

After halftime Colfax roared for 19 points, and held the Crusaders to just five beans in the third quarter.

Colfax cracked a five-point lead, 49-44 at the top of the last quarter, but the Crusaders sparked a nine-point run to recover the lead at 53-49.

After that, it was a scramble to the finish.

Gray, who was shut down for most of the second half, finished with four straight toss shots to sustain the Crusaders edge to the finish.

Carson Cloaninger, who finished with a team high 22 points, hit a bucket to get Colfax within a point 54-55, and the Crusaders came back the five more.

Jaydon Soncarty hit a three for the last Colfax burst, but Gray iced it with the four toss shots.

Northwest Christian drilled 16 for 17 fouls shots for the game with Gray and Josh Maynard each hitting six for six.

Colfax had lean hit 6-14 off the toss line.

Friday at Wilbur, Colfax posted a 30-22 lead over the host Wildcats in the first half and then came back to scored 23 point in the third quarter. Final score for the win was 58-43 with Coach Reece Jenkin putting the reserves into the fray in the second half.

Cloaninger led Colfax with 16, and Soncarty and Cal Gregory each hit 11.

Springdale’s Chargers will come to town as the last NE north side team to play the Bulldogs in this season’s rotation. Colfax will travel to Reardan Saturday to start the second lap against teams from the south side of the NE.

Colfax will end the league run with four straight home games to offset the December game drought for Colfax fans.

Northwest Christian 63-Colfax 60: 18/13 21/13 5/19 19/15: Jacob Gray 6 (all 3pt) 6-6 24, Red Loranger 1 0-0 2, Eckhelo Simpson 4 4-5 12, Dane Simpson 3 3 3-3 9, Josh Maynard 6 6-6 18. Total 20 16-17 f-20 63, Colfax Jaydon Soncarty 4 (2 3pt) 0-1 10, Carson Cloaninger 10 (2-3pt) 0-2 22, Caleb Berquist 4 (2-3pt) 0-0 10, Brett Kinciad 4 0-1 8, Cal Gregory 0 5-8 5, Kelan Becker 2 1-1 5. Total 24 6-14 f-18 60.

Colfax 58-Wilbur/Creston 43: 15/8 15/14 23/13 5/8: Bryan Rubin 1 0-0 3, Soncarty 5 1-6 11, Cloaninger 6 (3 pt) 3-4 16, Berquist 3 (2 3pt) 0-0 8, Kincaid 3 (3pt) 0-0 7, Gregory 4 (3 pt) 2-4 11, Chase Baerlocher 1 0-0 2. Total: 23 6-14 f-19 58. Wilbur/Creston: Blaine Bandy 2 3-3 7, Garrett Bodeau 1 2-2 4, Layne Smith 3 3-6 9, Alex Rusza 1 0-0 2, Brayden Saylor 2 3-5 7, Jason Townsend 3 (3 3pt) 0 0-1 8, Vinny Smith 2 2-2 6 . Total 14 13-19 f-14 43.