Early run sparks Colony girls, Knights move into 4A semifinals

ANCHORAGE — Most of the time, it doesn’t matter how a team gets through the first round. It’s simply a matter of getting through.

Thursday, sparked by an early 10-0 run, the Colony Knights moved forward with a 44-35 win over West Anchorage during the quarterfinal round of the ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Basketball Championships at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage.

“We advanced,” Colony head coach Jeff Bowker said outside his team’s locker room following the victory Thursday morning. “You play at 9:45 (a.m.). Nothing prepares you to play at 9:45 in the morning. We played a team we haven’t played this season. Thank goodness we made some shots early, and defensively, we played well enough in the second half to be able to keep the lead we had.”

Senior Mary Klapperich scored a game-high 15 points to help the Knights move into the semifinal round and a date with top-seeded Wasilla Friday at 5:15 p.m. at the Sullivan.

Sophomore Faith Farris added a dozen in the victory. Farris scored five of her points during a key 9-2 run late in the first half.

Colony opened the game with 10 straight points, but West chewed into that advantage near the midway point of the second quarter. West’s Marshala Eady cut the Colony lead to 14-11 at the 5:20 mark.

Colony answered with a Klapperich three-pointer, and Farris went to the basket to push Colony’s lead back to nine.

Later in the second quarter, Farris hit a three-pointer to push the Knights’ lead to double digits.

“To keep a little separation, that was a good run,” Bowker said.

Junior Jennifer Solano scored all six of her points in the fourth quarter, and the Colony defense held West to only 38 percent in the game.

Klapperich nearly missed a double-double, collecting 15 points and nine rebounds. Solano added six boards, and Farris grabbed a team-high four steals.

Now, the Knights set their sights on two-time defending state champion Wasilla.

“We get another shot at them,” Bowker said. “You’re never going to beat Wasilla if you don’t play them.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him @matsu_sports.

Colony 44, West 35

ASAA 4A girls quarterfinals

Thursday, Sullivan Arena

West 7-7-11-10—35

Colony 13-10-6-15—44

Colony (44) — Klapperich 5 1-2 15, Farris 4 3-5 12, Tweed 2 0-1 5, Turcotte 0 1-2 1, Michaelson 2 1-4 5, Solano 3 0-0 6; Totals: 16 6-14 44.

West (35) — Malaetia 1 0-0 2, Bookert 3 0-0 9, Aguilar 2 1-3 5, Harris-Grant 0 1-2 1, Eady 2 0-0 4, Munoz 7 0-2 14; Totals: 16 2-7 35.

Three-point field goals: Colony 6 (Klapperich 4), West 1 (Bookert 1); Total fouls: Colony 10, West 18.