SPOKANE — Almost a year after falling to Warden in the Washington Class 2B girls basketball title game, Colfax achieved redemption by defeating the Cougars 66-53 on Friday in a state semifinal game at Spokane Arena.
Brynn McGaughy racked up 26 points and 20 rebounds and Jaisha Gibb scored 18 as the Bulldogs (27-0) rallied past Warden (20-5) for a spot in their second consecutive championship game.
“They played with that fearlessness that you ask for as a coach,” Colfax coach Jordan Holmes said. “When we were down by four in the fourth quarter, I said we’re either going to rise to the challenge or we’re going to fold. ... They rose to the challenge and they fought like heck to win that game.”
Hailey Demler added 12 points for Colfax and Lauryn Madsen led Warden with 24.
Colfax — which hadn’t won a game by fewer than 21 points so far in the postseason — trailed Warden 45-41 heading into the fourth quarter.
That’s when a McGaughy traditional three-point play helped start a 12-0 Colfax run. The Bulldogs later led by 10, 59-49, after back-to-back buckets by Demler courtesy of a floater and driving layup.
Colfax outrebounded Warden 47-25, leading to a 22-10 advantage in second-chance points.
The 13-point margin of victory was Colfax’s largest lead of the game as they closed it out at the free-throw line.
Colfax will face second-seeded Okanogan in the championship at 7 p.m. today at the same site.
WARDEN (20-5)
Lauryn Madsen 7 6-7 24, Amaya Erickson 0 0-0 0, Quinn Erdmann 2 2-2 8, Kaylee Erickson 0 0-0 0, Aliza Leinweber 1 0-0 3, Hannah Roylance 0 0-0 0, Molly Sackmann 2 0-0 4, JLynn Rios 2 1-2 6, Makenna Klitzke 4 0-0 8, Lauren Chamberlain 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 9-11 53.
COLFAX (27-0)
Jaisha Gibb 6 2-2 18, Brenna Gilchrist 0 4-4 4, Hailey Demler 6 0-2 12, Lauryn York 3 0-0 6, Brynn McGaughy 7 12-15 26, Harper Booth 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 18-23 66.
Warden 12 14 19 8—53
Colfax 15 11 15 25—66
3-point goals — Madsen 4, Erdmann 2, A. Leinweber, Rios, Gibb 4.
Waterville-Mansfield 50, Colton 26
SPOKANE — Waterville-Mansfield piled up 20 points in the first quarter and held Colton to single digits in three quarters of a Washington Class 1B state tournament elimination game at Spokane Arena.
The Shockers (20-6) held the Wildcats (23-3) to just eight points after halftime, including two in the fourth quarter.
Kyndra Stout (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Grace Kuhle (10 points, seven rebounds) led Colton.
The Shockers were paced by Jasmine Garcia (14 points), Jimena Garcia (13) and Delainey Nelson (10 points, 12 rebounds).
COLTON (23-3)
Grace Kuhle 3 2-2 10, Holly Heitstuman 0 0-0 0, Rori Weber 0 0-0 0, Kyndra Stout 5 0-1 13, Ella Nollmeyer 0 0-2 0, Clair Moehrle 1 0-0 3, Sidni Whitcomb 0 0-0 0. Totals 9 2-5 26.
WATERVILLE-MANSFIELD (20-6)
Tiera Miller 1 0-0 2, Hanna Nelson 0 0-0 0, Delainey Nelson 4 2-4 10, Jimena Garcia 4 1-4 13, Madie Schmidt 0 0-0 0, Evalee Shafer 1 0-0 2, Jasmine Garcia 5 0-0 14, Holly Finkbeiner 1 4-4 7, Jorja Hope 0 0-0 0, Brooke Brooks 0 0-0 0, Caroline Petersen 0 2-2 2. Totals 16 9-14 50.
Colton 12 6 6 2—50
Waterville-Mansfield 20 7 11 12—50
3-point goals — Stout 2, Kuhle, Ji. Garcia 4, Ja. Garcia 4, Finkbeiner.
BOYS BASKETBALLPotlatch 79, Victory Charter 58
CALDWELL, Idaho — Potlatch junior Jaxon Vowels notched a game-high 37 points and was a perfect 9-for-9 at the free-throw line in an Idaho Class 1A Division I state tournament elimination game win against Victory Charter of Nampa at Vallivue High School.
Vowels finished the game 12-of-17 from the field and was a perfect 4-for-4 from distance. He also added 12 rebounds and four assists.
The Loggers won the game at the line, going 23-for-25 (92%) throughout.
“That was the best that we’ve shot at the lin all year,” Potlatch coach Ryan Ball said. “That was huge, it was also the most that we’ve made it to the line this year and the kids were just cashing in.”
Jack Clark pitched in 18 points for Potlatch and Everett Lovell had 11.
Noah Palomares paced the Vipers with 19 points.
The Loggers next will play in the consolation final against Carey at 9 a.m. Pacific today at the same site.
“It’s always a goal to play on the final day,” Ball said. “It’s tough to do after losing your first game but I’m proud of these kids. They’ve done an outstanding job over the last two weeks.”
POTLATCH (19-8)
Chase Lovell 1 2-2 5, Waylan Marshall 0 0-0 0, Jack Clark 5 8-10 18, Levi Lusby 0 0-0 0, Everett Lovell 4 2-2 11, Jaxon Vowels 12 9-9 37, Jameson Morris 0 0-0 0, Brayden Brown 0 0-0 0, Sam Barnes 1 0-0 2, Jacob Keck 0 0-0 0, Logan Amos 2 0-0 4. Totals 25 23-25 79.
VICTORY CHARTER-NAMPA (20-6)
Fikadu Ewing 5 0-0 15, Cody Luce 4 1-2 12, Jett Wood 0 0-0 0, Abinet Ewing 1 1-2 4, Caleb Boshna 0 0-0 0, Oliver Borah 0 0-0 0, Jake Johnson 1 0-0 2, Noah Palomares 7 2-4 19, Andrew Kunz 0 0-0 0, Muluken Knudsen 2 2-3 6, Logan Smith 0 0-0 0, Isaak Wilhelmsen 0 0-0 0, Josh Bills 0 0-0 0, Bryor Adams 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 6-11 58.
Potlatch 27 15 17 20—79
Victory Charter 22 11 13 12—58
3-point goals — Vowels 4, C. Lovell, E. Lovell, Ewing 5, Luce 3, Palomares 3, Johnson.
Cascade 55, Timberline 41
CALDWELL, Idaho — A disastrous slow start proved too much for Timberline of Weippe to overcome in a season-ending Idaho Class 1A Division II state consolation-round defeat to the sixth-seeded Cascade Ramblers.
The Spartans (12-12) found themselves in a double-digit hole almost right away as they put only three points on the board in the first quarter next to 15 for Cascade (17-8). Timberline gradually raised its game, ultimately going off for 19 points in the fourth, but never was able to make a serious dent in the deficit.
“It was a good team effort trying to come back, especially in the fourth quarter,” Spartans coach Jason Hunter said. “None of our kids quit; they played hard right until the end.”
Parker Brown (16 points), Gavin Christopherson (13) and Saimone Tuikolovatu (12) were the top contributors for Timberline, while Cascade powerhouse Tyler Thurston provided a decisive force in the game with a 33-point showing.
TIMBERLINE-WEIPPE (12-12)
Ares Mabberly 0 0-0 0, Parker Brown 6 0-0 16, Rylan West 0 0-0 0, Caleb Marshall 0 0-0 0, Jude Nelson 0 0-0 0, Saimone Tuikolovatu 6 0-1 12, Gavin Christopherson 6 1-3 13, Logan Hunter 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 1-6 41.
CASCADE (17-8)
Stuart Derrick 0 1-2 1, Cole Olson 4 2-4 11, Grant Whipple 1 0-2 3, Trever Sayers 0 0-0 0, Finn Wilkins 0 0-0 0, Hayden Hull 1 0-0 2, Tyler Thurston 10 9-10 33, Samuel Huckaby 2 0-1 5. Totals 18 12-19 55.
Timberline 3 10 9 19—41
Cascade 15 12 8 20—55
3-point goals — Brown 4.
