State 2B girls: Colfax rolls into Arena on win streak ready to defend its state championship

After an undefeated championship season a year ago, in December the Colfax girls basketball team found itself in an unfamiliar position, at least by record: It was mediocre.

That, at least, is what its 4-4 record suggested, a far cry from its 28-0 finish last season.

But then came a redirection: victories over larger schools Timberlake of Spirit Lake and University High. And Colfax (22-4) – which enters the State 2B tournament as the No. 4 seed – hasn’t lost since.

“We really had to reset everything,” Colfax head coach Jordan Holmes said this week. “That Christmas tournament was that turning point where we were like, ‘Gosh, we are a good team. Why are we struggling?’ ”

One reason was the graduation of Jaisha Gibb, whose play in last year’s championship game against Okanogan helped Colfax clinch its fifth championship since 2009.

“I think those four losses came partially because of losing her,” Holmes said. “I don’t think we realized how big of a void that was going to be until it happened, and then it was really apparent she did so many things on the floor.”

But the Bulldogs adapted.

“We don’t have a Jaisha, and that’s OK,” Holmes said. “We’ve found a way to divvy up the responsibilities.”

Holmes said Lauryn York is the “defensive general,” and Brenna Gilchrist, Hailey Demler and Brynn McGaughy share primary responsibilities of bringing the ball up.

They’ve talked, too, Holmes said, about how special it was to win state last year. But they are peaking at the right time to make a run at a repeat.

“There’s just something different about being able to go back-to-back and how much of a legacy that leaves,” Holmes said.

Colfax was the highest seed to win its regional game last weekend, which could set up a quarterfinal rematch at 9 a.m. Thursday with No. 3 seed Okanogan (20-4), should it get past No. 11 Cle Elum-Roslyn (18-7).

No. 2 seed Warden (20-5), the state champion in 2022, could be a potential semifinal opponent. Like Warden, top-seeded Napavine (21-3) also has to play Wednesday.

“This year’s teams are so evenly matched,” Holmes said. “The tournament’s going to be really fun to watch.”