Colfax boys prevail over Elk Mound in foul-filled finish

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By Amber Hayden

COLFAX — The Vikings and Mounders boys’ basketball teams met for the first time this season last Thursday evening, December 12 on Colfax’s floor, and after seven fouls in the last minute of the game the Vikings were able to prevail 42-33 over their archrivals in a tightly contested game that opened Dunn-St. Croix conference play for both teams.

Over the past ten years, Elk Mound has held the advantage over Colfax posting a 12-9 record in the span, but Colfax has taken control of the rivalry last two seasons winning three out of the last four games against the Mounders.

The victory got the Vikings off to a 1-0 conference and 2-1 overall start while the Mounders dropped to 0-4 overall and 0-1 in D-SC action.

Colfax jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the opening two minutes when Zach Rindy hit a triple and Noah Heidorn followed it up with a lay-up. Cade Hanson found an opening from outside the arc for a trey to bring Elk Mound within two at 5-3.

“Our defense was key to our victory,” said Vikings’ head coach Garrett Maas. “We struggled to take care of the ball, but our defense kept us in the game.”

With 14:17 left on the first-half clock, Elk Mound’s Michael Jenson ducked around defender Noah Heidorn to hit another triple giving the Mounders their first lead of the evening 6-5.

Elk Mound senior Cade Hanson had 14 points off of three triples, a pair of twos and was one-of-two from the charity stripe, and Michael Jenson had four shots from outside the paint for 12 points.

But Colfax would not let the lead go as Zach Rindy hit a shot from inside the paint that was followed by two-points baskets by Cole Seehaver and Ed Hydukovich.

“Zach Rindy did an excellent job of defending their leading scorer, Ryan Bohl, and as a team, we kept him scoreless,” Maas stated.

Hydukovich, Rindy, and Seehaver were double teamed the rest of the evening by Elk Mound defenders. Hydukovich worked with the little space he was given to put up four doubles and was two-of-three at the line. Rindy had a double, three treys, and was three-of-four from the line, and Seehaver had two doubles, a triple, and was two-of-four from the foul line.

In the following three minutes, neither Colfax or Elk Mound scored.

Cade Hanson would break the scoreless drought once again from the outside for three to bring Elk Mound within five points, and a foul on Ethan Levra saw one basket to bring the score to 14-10 in favor of Colfax.

Elk Mound went into the locker room down by six points at the half-way mark, 25-19.

The Mounders came back on to the floor with a new fire lit in them as they went on a 6-0 point run to open the second half. Cade Hanson had two, Nate Lew with a lone foul shot, and Michael Jenson went up for three and hit nothing but net to knot the game 25-25.

But a foul from Cole Steinhorst sent Colfax’s Zach Rindy to the charity stripe for two, which he hit to put the Vikings back in front  27-25.

Two baskets from Hanson and Blaze Todd gave the lead back to the Mounders for the first time in the second half, 29-27, with 8:22 left on the clock.

With score tied once again, Drew Gibson hit two free throws. Rindy had gone up for three when the ball swirled the rim before stopping just on the edge. A jump ball was called by the officials and possession was given to Elk Mound.

One minute later, Hydukovich used his arm length and jumping ability to snag a ball that was headed out-of-bounds and threw it back to teammate Cole Seehaver who made the shot from outside the arc to give the Vikings the lead once again at 32-29.

The Mounders Hanson tied things up at 32 all with 5:18 left but a shot from outside the arc by Rindy gave Colfax a 35-32 lead and the opening Colfax needed to hang on for the win.

The Mounders’ frustration began to grow as they fouled five times in the final minute of the game. Ryan Bohl fouled once and Nate Lew and Ethan Levra fouled twice.

A traveling call on Hydukovich was reversed after the officials spoke with the senior and learned he had continued to dribble the ball as he was falling to the ground.

Also scoring for the Mounders was Ryan Bartig with a trey, and scoring for the Vikings was Noah Heidorn with a double and triple, and Drew Gibson was four-of-four from the line.

“We definitely need to find a way to take care of the basketball better for future games,” coach Maas said.

Colfax’s Ed Hydukovich is currently ranked fourth in points per game with 16 and third in assists per game with 3.5 in the Dunn-St. Croix conference. Mounders’ Ryan Bohl is tied with Hydukovich in fourth place in points per game also with 16.

The Vikings hosted Thorp this past Monday evening, December 16 and will travel to Plum City on Friday, December 20, to take on the Elmwood/Plum City Wolves.

Elk Mound will host the Spring Valley Cardinals on Friday, December 20.

Neither teams has another game until after the new year.

Colfax (42)

FG-FT-F-TP: Z. Rindy 4-3-5-14, C. Seehaver 3-2-2-9, E. Hydukovich 4-2-2-10, N. Heidorn 2-0-3-5, D. Gibson 0-4-0-4. Totals 13-11-14-42.

Elk Mound (33)

FG-FT-F-TP: N. Lew 0-1-3-1, E. Levra 0-1-3-1, R. Bartig 1-0-1-3, C. Hanson 5-1-3-14, M. Jenson 4-0-2-12, B. Todd 1-0-0-2. Totals 11-3-17-33.

Colfax…………………………………25  17  – 42
Elk Mound………………………..…19  14 – 33

3-point goals: Colfax: Z. Rindy (3), C. Seehaver, N. Heidorn; Elk Mound: R. Bartig, C. Hanson (3), M. Jenson (4).