Coldspring pushes Onalaska to the limit in Trojan loss

Posted

COLDSPRING — In a dramatic district matchup, the Trojans (1-3) hosted the undefeated Onalaska Wildcats (4-0) on Friday night in what initially seemed like a lopsided affair but turned into the closest game Onalaska has faced this year.

Known for posting 20-plus-point victories throughout district play, the Wildcats encountered a spirited challenge from the underdog Trojans.

The first half of the game painted a grim picture for Coldspring as Onalaska dominated with a commanding 49-28 lead.

Head Coach Cordell Carter and his team regrouped during halftime, tossing their original game plan and focusing on a comeback strategy. The adjustments paid off as the Trojans roared back in the third quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 24-10. The momentum continued into the fourth quarter, with Coldspring edging Onalaska 19-17 in scoring.

By the closing minutes of the game, the Trojans had closed the gap to just one point, but Onalaska’s play shone through in the final moments with a clutch 3-point shot by Dante Leleux and a layup by Brayden Topkins that sealed the Wildcats’ narrow victory.

Key performers for the Trojans included Bryan Douglas, who led the team with 19 points, supported by three 3-pointers, three 2-point field goals, and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Jayden Kelley and Dacoryin Barnes each added 15 points, while Noah Bradford contributed 11 points.

On Thursday, the Crockett Bulldogs downed Coldspring 61-48.

Shepherd

The Pirates were outscored almost 2 to 1 on Friday and posted a 79-41 loss to Hamshire-Fannett.

Brayden White manage to put up an impressive double-double, sinking 36 of the team’s 41 points while pulling down 20 rebounds.

Previously on Thursday, Shepherd again was outclassed, losing 73-36 to Tarkington.

White was the team leader as usual, posting 23 points and 14 boards.

Girls

Coldspring

The Lady Trojans continue to dominate with grit and strategy with a 44-27 win over Onalaska on Friday.

Coldspring finds itself locked in a neck-and-neck district tie with the Anderson Lady Owls. Anderson’s recent victory over New Waverly brought both Coldspring and Anderson to a 6-1 record in district play.

The game started evenly, with both teams executing their game plans effectively. In the first quarter, Coldspring scored 14 points to Onalaska’s 12, followed by a quieter second quarter where they managed 5 points compared to Onalaska’s 6. Coldspring held a slim 19-18 lead at halftime.

Second-half adjustments paid off as Coldspring posted an impressive 25 points in the second half while holding Onalaska to just 9. The decisive factor was the Lady Trojans’ relentless full-court press, which left the Lady Wildcats scrambling to break through.

With Ella Phillips anchoring the defense under the basket and Alayla Goffney skillfully leading as point guard, the Lady Trojans are proving to be a formidable team this season.

Phillips once again led the Lady Trojans with 16 points, going 2-for-7 at the free-throw line. Akiah Harwig contributed 8 points and went 2-for-4 from the line. Shantel Goffney and Camiyah Hines added 6 and 4 points, respectively, with Hines also shooting 2-for-4 from the line.

Onalaska struggled to keep up and was plagued by 15 personal fouls compared to Coldspring’s 9.

Shepherd

The Lady Pirates were beaten by Hamshire-Fannett 48-25 on Friday.

On Thursday, Shepherd lost by a similar score, 48-25, to Tarkington.