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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

B’s are back in town

Colfax girls look to defend title starting Wednesday at Arena

Correspondent

The top five girls placers, including defending champion Colfax, and half the 2009 field returns to the State 2B basketball tournament Wednesday-Saturday at the Spokane Arena.

The Bulldogs (22-3), winners 56-35 over Napavine for the title last year, begin play against DeSales (19-5) at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

There will be a new champion in boys competition, with four-time winner Northwest Christian not part of the field. But runner-up Davenport (20-6) is, one of seven teams back in that field. The Gorillas’ first opponent is Life Christian at 2 p.m.

They are among four Bi-County League teams representing District 7 in the tournament.

Girls

Colfax coach Corey Baerlocher returned Sunday evening from his annual pilgrimage to the draw in Renton and reported the road to a repeat will be tough.

“Coming out of the gates is DeSales,” he said of an opponent that has a post averaging 20 points a game. “They are a No. 3, but that might be deceiving.”

The Irish worked their way through district loser-out competition to reach state after finishing second in league. If the Bulldogs win, they could play a Wahkiakum team that topped Napavine in district. Returning fourth-place finisher Liberty Bell and fifth-place Orcas Island are on also Colfax’s side of the bracket.

“We’ll be tested early, I think,” Baerlocher said. “You’ve got to come every day. If you don’t there might not be a tomorrow.”

Reardan (21-5), young but balanced, drew the 10:30 a.m. game against state returnee Entiat. The Indians are on the same side of the bracket as Napavine and last year’s third-place finisher LaSalle.

“I noticed the weight of the bracket and the first thing that came to mind was the 1B Boys, who were loaded on one side,” Indians coach Tiger Peone said. “You’ve got to play them at sometime. We’ve got to do what Reardan does.”

Boys

After reaching the state final last year in something of a surprise, veteran Davenport, last week’s District 7 champion, wouldn’t mind a repeat. But coach Tim Zeiler remains cautious.

“I stress to kids the most important game is the first game,” he said of a foe that runs a one-post, four-guard set. “There’s always a chance of someone being overlooked and we’ll make sure we’re not ones to overlook anybody.”

Colfax (18-8), a state fixture through 1994, is in for just the third time since then, the last in 2006. They play the tournament nightcap at 9 p.m. Wednesday against Liberty Christian (21-2), fifth in state last year after a tourney-opening loss to Davenport.

“We have a great group of kids and their goal was to get into state,” second-year Colfax coach Reece Jenkin said. “We knew it would be difficult, getting just two berths, so I’m excited.”

Napavine and White Swan, fourth- and sixth-place finishers last year, are in the boys field again. White Swan lost to Davenport last year in the semifinals and is on the same side of the bracket as the Gorillas again.