Colfax boys struggle for traction against Durand, beat Boyceville

By Cara L. Dempski

Despite a big win over Fall Creek in the December 3 Northwest Tip-off Classic at UW – Stout, the Viking boys basketball team fought to stay in the game in their conference opener last Tuesday, December 6 in Durand.

The Vikings eventually dropped the game against the Panthers, losing 74-57. They returned home December 8 to take on another conference rival, Boyceville.

Colfax walked away from the game with a 2-2 overall record and a 1-1 record in the Dunn-St. Croix after a 63-33 walloping that sent Boyceville home with an 0-2 record in conference play.

Colfax hosted a non-conference contest against Chippewa Falls’ McDonell Central High School on December 13 and will be in Spring Valley to take on the Cardinals tomorrow (Thursday, December 15). The Vikings will conclude its pre-Christmas schedule hosting Ellsworth in a non-conference tilt next Tuesday, December 20.

Durand

Aliymu Davis and Jacob Larson scored in the double digits against Durand, but it just was not enough to lift the Vikings past the Panthers. Davis logged 19 points while Larson led the team with 21 points spread across 10 field goals and a single free throw.

“The game was much closer than the score indicated,” coach Garrett Maas stated. “We played very hard, and when we played together we played pretty well against them. We had too many stretches where we didn’t play together as a team.”

Sophomore guard George Scharlau accrued five fouls, but scored eight points on two field goals, a three-pointer, and a free throw. His classmate, Ben Thompson, put in a field goal and three point shot, and junior Adam Pretasky logged a three-pointer and a free throw to wind up with four points.

The Vikings made only four of 11 free throws, and logged 18 fouls on their way to 57 points, while the Panthers also logged 18 fouls and dropped in 16 of 23 free throws.

Maas said the Panthers, who led by 13 at the intermission, did a good job of pushing the tempo and wearing the Viking boys down, but when Colfax controlled the pace, they were able to force turnovers and score.

Reid Hanson, a senior guard, led Durand with 24 points, and his classmate Brett Schlosser recorded 15 points.

COLFAX 57, DURAND 74
Colfax……………23  34 — 57
Durand…………..36  38 — 74

TEAM STATISTICS (FG-FT-F-T)

Colfax (24-4-18-57) B. Thompson 2-0-3-5, A. Davis 8-1-4-19, J. Larson 10-1-2-21, G. Scharlau 3-1-4-8, A. Pretasky 1-1-3-4, Mat. Reisdorf 0-0-2-0.

Durand (25-16-18-74) B. Sabelko 1-1-0-4, G. Polzer 0-0-2-0, W. Berger 1-2-1-4, E. Bauer 1-0-1-3, N. Siebenaler 2-3-3-7, R. Hansen 9-4-3-24, B. Schlosser 5-4-0-15, K. Humphrey 3-2-3-9, J. Anibas 4-0-5-8.

THREE-POINTERS C — B. Thompson 1, A. Davis 2, G. Scharlau 1, A. Pretasky 1; D — B. Sabelko 1, E. Bauer 1, R.

Boyceville

The Vikings outscored the Bulldogs nearly two to one, and had four players score in the double digits, during their December 9 home contest. They accrued 12 fouls to Boyceville’s nine, but shot 80 percent at the free throw line.

Senior Aliymu Davis led the way with 16 points, while George Scharlau nabbed 14 points, Jacob Larson picked up 12, and Ben Thompson recorded 11. Matthew Reisdorf put in two field goals to take credit for four points, Adam Pretasky hit a free shot and a field goal to put up three points, and Jon Welk made a single field goal in the second half to add two more.

Colfax led 25-14 after the first half of play but poured on the offense in the second half, outscoring Boyceville 37-19.

The Vikings defense also limited the Bulldogs leading scorer, junior center Luke Knudtson, to 14 points. Coming into the game, Knudtson had averaged nearly 23 points per game in the Bulldogs’ first four contests.

BOYCEVILLE 33, COLFAX 62
Boyceville…..………14  19 — 33
Colfax……………….25  37 — 62

TEAM STATISTICS (FG-FT-F-T)

Boyceville (14-2-9-33) B. Boda 2-0-3-4, C. Boesl 3-0-1-6, K. Anderson 0-0-1-0, Lo. Knudtson 1-0-0-2, J. Gonzales 1-1-3-3, B. Larson 2-0-0-4, Lu. Knudtson 5-1-1-14.

Colfax (18-9-12-62) B. Thompson 1-0-1-11, A. Davis 4-5-2-16, J. Larson 6-0-2-12, J. Welk 1-0-0-2, G. Scharlau 3-2-4-14, A. Pretasky 2-1-1-3, M. Reisdorf 2-0-1-4.

THREE-POINTERS B — Lu. Knudtson 1; C — B. Thompson 3, A. Davis 1, G. Scharlau 2.