Liberty drops Colfax again to advance to NE title tilt

Liberty's Lancers took control in the last quarter Tuesday night for a 56-52 win over Colfax in the NE semi-final round at West Valley. The Lancers out-scored Colfax 13-6 in the last quarter to get the win and advance to the NE title game Saturday.

St. George's nipped Davenport 50-49 in the other semi-final and will play the Lancers for the NE title,

Liberty's Maisie Burnham, who led the Lancers when they bounced Colfax in the last league round, hit 14 of 17 toss shots and finished with 25 against Colfax in the Tuesday semi.

The two south side clubs tied at 23-23 for the first half, and the Bulldogs scratched out a three-point lead going in the final frame and then shut down.

Colfax again plugged in the aggression factor in the semi and they were called for 29 fouls with Liberty collecting 20 points off the toss line.

Freshman Asher Cai hit 17 to again lead Colfax. She was the lone Bulldog in double figures. Skylre Sakamoto-Howell hit 10 for the Bulldogs.

Colfax will now play an elimination game Thursday. A win Thursday advance them the game for the number-three ticket to regionals in the 12:30 game Saturday.

Colfax last Thursday took a 46-42 overtime win over Northwest Christian Thursday to advance to the semi round. The Crusaders, number-two finishers on the north side, built up a 22-16 lead over the Bulldogs in the first half in the West Valley annex. Colfax came out after the break and knocked just one point off the NWC lead in the third quater.

The Bulldogs then charged in the last quarter to tie it with Kierstyn York hitting a shot in the last 17 seconds. The Crusaders failed to collect on their last chance and the game went into overtime at 39-39.

Colfax then took the overtime win 7-3 for the 46-42 final to advance to Tuesday's semi .

Asher Cai hit four of the seven Colfax points in the overtime. The Crusaders dropped a 3-pointer to take a one-point lead early in the OT, but Colfax dropped the final five points.

Coach Corey Baerlocher said he believes the Bulldogs pulled out the win by just getting more aggressive. He said he just kept kept going to the bench and bringing in fresh players to keep the pressure on the north side club.

Colfax managed to make the comeback and take the late win despite sustaining 20 turnovers in the game.

Each team committed 21 fouls in the extended battle, and Northwest Christian out-scored the Bulldogs at the toss line, but they began to fade in that last quarter and didn't bounce back in overtime.

York led Colfax with 14 points, and she had two three pointers.

Colfax 46-Northwest Christian 42: 11/6 5/16 10/9 13/7 7/3: Skylre Sakamoto-Howell 0 2-2 2, Kaitlyn Cornish 1 0-0 2, Shyah Antonie 0 2-5 2, Asher Cai 4 (3 pt) 2-4 11, Anni Cox 1 (3pt ) 0-0 3, Taylre Sakamoto-Howell 1 (3pt) 5-9 8, Kierstyn York 6 (2-3pt) 0-0 14 0, Rachel Brown 2 0-1 4. Total 15 11-21 f-21 46. Northwest Christian: Natalie Smith 1 6-6 8, Paige Dawson 3 0-0 6, Ellie Sander 4 (3pt) 2-4 11, Chiara Carey 2 0-0 4, Christine Simpson 2 (3pt) 1-4 6, Jordan Rabe 1 5-6 7. Total 13 14-22 f-21 42.

Liberty 56-Colfax 52: 14/11 9/12 20/23 6/13: Kendyl Fletcher 1 2-4 4, Haley Marsh 1 1-2 3, Delaney Goodwin 2 (both 3-pt) 6, Emma Holwegner 1 1-5 3 , Cheyenne Grieve 1 (3pt) 1-2 4, Maisie Burnham 4 (3-3pt) 14-17 25, Aleena Cok 5 1-4 11. Total 15 20-34 f-16 56. Colfax: S. Sakamoto-Howell 4 (2-3pt) 0-0 10, Kaitlyn Cornish 1 0-0 2, Shyah Antoin 1 2-3 4, Asher Cai 7 (3 pt) 2-4 17, Annni Cox 3 (3 pt) 0-0 7, T. Sacamoto Howel 0 2-3 2, York 2 (3 pt) 2-4 7. Rachel Brown 1 1-2 3. Total 19 9-16 f-29 52.