Viking boys’ basketball rolled by Macks, Cardinals

By Cara L. Dempski

Colfax’ boys’ basketball team followed up its December 9 home win against the Boyceville Bulldogs by going toe-to-toe with 2016 WIAA Division 5 state champions, Chippewa Falls McDonell. 

The Macks, looking as formidable as ever, made short work of the Vikings, nabbing an 89-52 win over a Colfax squad who held its own in a tough contest. 

Head coach Garrett Maas said the Colfax boys were in for another challenge against Rob Bosshart’s league-leading Spring Valley Cardinals on December 15. The Vikings were no match for the Cardinals and left with a 60-42 loss.

The Colfax boys are now 2-4 this season with a 1-2 record in the Dunn-St. Croix. This puts them in sixth place behind Durand, Boyceville, Elk Mound, and Mondovi, all of whom are currently 2-1 and in second place. Spring Valley is atop the boys’ standings with a 3-0 mark.

The Viking boys played one more game before the holiday break when they welcomed Ellsworth to their own gym on December 20.
Colfax will play a game at Eleva-Strum on December 30.

McDonell

Maas said the Macks, currently ranked fourth in the latest Division 5 state poll, displayed the talent that made them last season’s Division 5 champions when they traveled to Colfax. He was positive about the outcome, despite the Vikings’ loss.

“I was very proud of how hard we played, and we kept battling despite the score,” Maas said. “It was a real eye-opener on what it takes to be an elite team.”

The Vikings’ coach said Mathew Reisdorf and Jacob Larson battled hard at the post, but were not able to best the Macks. 

Ben Thompson and Larson logged 17 points for the Vikings on their way to the team total of 52. Thompson put in three shots from outside the arc and four field goals, and Larson put up five field goals and sunk seven of 10 free throws.

George Scharlau picked up six points with one field goal, a three-pointer, and free throw, and Adam Pretasky chalked up five on a field goal and three free shots. Treyton Teige wasn’t able to make any field goals, but put in three free throws. Luke Heidorn was 50 percent at the line, sinking two of four free throws, and Reisdorf put in a single field goal before earning his fifth foul.

McDonell’s Alex Ohde and Hayden Baughman led the Macks with 16 points each.

McDONELL 89, COLFAX 52

McDonell………………………….55  34 — 89
Colfax………………………………31  21 — 52

TEAM STATISTICS (FG-FT-F-T)

McDonell (62-9-23-89) G. Knowlton 5-2-1-15, C. Hoglund 0-2-1-2, A. Amelse 2-0-3-4, A. Ohde 7-2-2-16, R. Sorenson 3-2-4-8, J. Huffcutt 1-0-1-5, W. Benish 2-0-4-7, H. Baughman 5-0-1-16, N. Hoglund 3-1-1-10, E. Kressin 1-0-0-2, J. Moulton 1-0-4-2, C. Bleskacheck 1-0-1-2.

Colfax (24-16-15-52) B. Thompson 4-0-1-17, J. Larson 5-7-1-17, T. Teige 0-3-1-3, G. Scharlau 1-1-0-6, L. Heidorn 0-2-0-2, A Pretasky 1-3-2-5, Ma. Reisdorf 1-0-5-2.

THREE-POINTERS M — G. Knowlton 1, J. Huffcutt 1, W. Benish 1, H. Baughman 2, N. Hoglund 1; C — B. Thompson 3, G. Scharlau 1.

Spring Valley

The Vikings traveled to Spring Valley for a conference contest featuring another team in red and white: the Cardinals. They went home afterward having only scored 27 to the Cardinals’ 37 in the first half, and 15 to Spring Valleys’ 23 in the second. 

“The Spring Valley game was a good test for us,” Maas said. “When we played together as a team, we competed very well with them.”

Maas said the team got into some foul trouble in the first half and had to “weather the storm” for the final few minutes before halftime. Spring Valley worked to put the Vikings in some difficult situations, which the Colfax team compounded by not playing as a team.

“We had too many guys trying to do it alone,” Maas stated.

Senior Aliymu Davis led Colfax with 11 points, and Jacob Larson chalked up 10. George Scharlau picked up nine points, Ben Thompson is credited with eight, and Adam Pretasky and Matthew Reisdorf each picked up two points.

Patrick Cipriano led the Cardinal effort with 16 points.

COLFAX 42, SPRING VALLEY 60

Colfax…………………………..27  15 — 42
Spring Valley………………….37  23 — 60

TEAM STATISTICS (FG-FT-F-T)

Colfax (14-5-13-42) B. Thompson 2-1-0-8, A. Davis 2-4-4-11, J. Larson 5-0-3-10, T. Teige 0-0-3-0, G. Scharlau 3-0-1-9, A. Pretasky 1-0-0-2, M. Reisdorf 1-0-3-2.

Spring Valley (21-9-12-60) B. Klatt 2-0-1-4, A. Borgerding 2-3-0-7, Z. Boisen 2-0-4-10, P. Cipriano 7-2-2-16, D. Bosshart 2-2-3-9, S. Borgerding 4-2-1-10, Z. Williams 2-0-2-4.

THREE-POINTERS C — B. Thompson 1, A. Davis 1, G. Scharlau 1; SV — Z. Boisen 2, D. Bosshart 1.