Colfax boys’ basketball stumbles in season opener against Somerset
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COLFAX’S Elijah Entzminger (#10) scored two of his team-high 29 points on this drive to the basket during the Vikings’ 100-58 home loss to Somerset November 21. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
by Marlys Kruger
Sports Correspondent
COLFAX — The first basketball game of the 2023-2024 season didn’t turn out very well for the Viking boys as they fell behind early and ended up losing their home and season opener 100-58 against the Somerset Spartans November 21.
Somerset is a Division 3 team that finished 15-11 a year ago and were fifth in the Middle Border Conference. But, they return four starters from that team and are expected to finish near the top of the conference this season, according to Colfax head coach Mark Noll.
In contrast, senior Elijah Entzminger was the only returning starter on the court for Colfax when the game began. The lack of experience showed when the Vikings were outscored 63-32 in the first half as two players combined for 53 of the Spartan points.
Entzminger tried to keep the Vikings in the game with 20 points coming from a pair of triples, six close range shots and 2-of-4 free throws. Aiden Fischer added a pair of deuces, Orion Nichols hit a bucket and a free toss, and Theo Hovde and Logan Swartz both had one basket to round off the first half scoring for Colfax.
Somerset used a very effective full-court pressure defense for most of the game which caused the Vikings to turn the ball over several times.
The Vikings were down 97-52 late in the second half and the Spartans hit the 100 point mark on a three-point shot. Entzminger and Nichols both scored in the paint and Entzminger finished off the scoring with a couple of free throws.
The Vikings were 6-for-12 from the charity stripe while the Spartans were 10-for-12. Entzminger finished with half of his team’s points with 29 including three triples and 4-of-8 at the free throw line. Fischer added seven points, Swartz and Eli Ralph both dropped in six points, Nichols five, Mason Yarrington hit one shot from behind the arc and Hovde had a deuce.
Colfax made just 4-of-20 shots from three point land in the game. Hovde, Nichols and Fischer all collected five rebounds and Hovde and Fischer both picked up four assists in the contest.
Kane Donnelly scored 32 for the Spartans while Dylan Leccia added 23
Colfax has three more non-conference contests on its early season slate before beginning Dunn-St Croix Conference play December 7 on the road at Durand-Arkansaw. The Viking boys hosted Amery last evening and will be at Bloomer this Thursday to close out November. They play at Whitehall next Monday, December 4.