League foes battle for spot in finals

Colfax and Northwest Christian have seen plenty of each other this season, splitting two games during the Bi-County 2B league season and playing again for the district title. NWC holds a 2-1 edge in the season series and now both teams will battle for the first spot in the State 2B boys’ championship game.

Colton, meanwhile, will get its first test of the tournament, playing Sunnyside Christian. Both teams opened yesterday with 30-point wins against Neah Bay and Mary M. Knight. The winner of this afternoon’s game between the Wildcats and Knights will play for the State 1B girls’ title tomorrow.

COLFAX VS. NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN

Kwinn Hanson is back in action today and scores the first bucket of the game for the Crusaders. Hanson left in the first half of Thursday’s win against La Conner, but appears ready to go against Colfax. The Bulldogs are scoreless for the first 4:05 of the quarter, prompting a timeout. It is 6-0 NWC.

Alex Teade hits one of two free throws 10 seconds later to get the Bulldogs on the board. Colfax has been feast or famine from 3-point range this year and right now it’s famine, with only four of their points coming from field goals. Teade hits the team’s first 3-pointer at the 4:08 mark, cutting NWC’s lead to nine at 20-11.

Northwest Christian 14, Colfax 6 through one quarter

Cole Ramey helps push the NWC lead to eight by the end of the quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers. The Bulldogs have just one field goal to this point, a layup by Andrew Sholz.

Ramey continues to abuse the Colfax guards, scoring eight points thus far to lead the effort for the Crusaders.

Northwest Christian 21, Colfax 17 halftime

The Bulldogs pulled to with three at 20-17, but could not find the basket in the last two minutes of the half, trailing by four at the break. Ramey leads all scorers with nine points and Teade has six for Colfax.The Crusaders are dominating the game on the glass, holding a 21-10 edge in rebounding.

Hanson converts a three-point play to help push the Crusaders’ lead to nine with 2:46 left in the third quarter. To this point, Colfax leading scorer J.J. Robinson has yet to get untracked against NWC’s Jon Williams. Robinson had four points in the first half and has none in the third quarter thus far.

Northwest Christian 32, Colfax 26 through three quarters

Ramey has cooled off and so have the Crusaders, but Colfax has been unable to capitalize, due to several unforced errors on the offensive end of the floor.

The Bulldogs have struggled mightily from the floor against the NWC defense. They briefly pulled within four, but a quick 4-0 run by NWC has made it an 8-point game with 5:06 left.

Teade hits the first of two free throws to cut the deficit to five. Gfeller misses an open look from 3-point range with 1:31 left and Ramey is fouled and sent to the line.

With 1:04 left, Ramey pushes the lead to seven. Gfeller finally hits from 3-point range, though, cutting it back to four. He had been 0 of 2 in his previous two attempts.

The Crusaders are a combined 9 of 10 from the free throw line in the final minute of play. Ramey has seven and Hanson hit a pair.

Northwest Christian 48, Colfax 44 final

COLTON VS. SUNNYSIDE CHRISTIAN

The Wildcats open the first 3:30 without a field goal, trailing 3-1 early on. An 8-0 run, though, puts the Wildcats out in front 9-3. Jenna Moser has four points in the early going.

Colton 9, Sunnyside Christian 5 through one quarter

After being held without a field goal for the first half of the first quarter, Colton rattled off eight straight to take the lead.

The Wildcats are currently on an 8-3 run to take their biggest lead of the game at 17-8. Kaitlyn Druffel has all six of her points in the second quarter for Colton.

Colton 19, Sunnyside Christian 13 halftime

The Knights score four straight at the end of the half to pull within six. Analisa Van Oostrum of SSC and Colton’s Druffel each have six points at the break.

Haley Moser hits a 3-point shot in the opening seconds of the half to give Colton a nine-point lead. The Knights keep clawing back to a manageable deficit, but Colton always seems to have the answer. Jenna Moser’s three-pointer once again gives the Wildcats a nine-point advantage.

Colton 36, Sunnyside Christian 27 through three quarters

Haley Moser has 10 points, McKenzie Heaslet has eight and the Wildcats continue to lead by nine, not allowing the Knights to get any closer than five in the third quarter.

The Knights trail by seven with two minutes left. The score has been stuck at 37-31 for the last three minutes of game clock.

With six seconds remaining, Haley Moser clinches the win for the Wildcats with a pair of free throws, stopping a 6-0 SSC run.

Colton 40, Sunnyside Christian 35 final