Girls' prep basketball: Colony rolls past West ‘'

Dec. 24, 2006

By MATT TUNSETH/ Frontiersman

PALMER - If its first game of the season is any indication, Colony's girls basketball team should have no trouble finding the hoop this season.

The Knights put up 76 points through the first three quarters of action Thursday night on their way to an 86-30 thrashing of the visiting West High Eagles.

Allie Grazulis and Haylie Hotchkiss each scored 17 points for Colony, while Maria Bowker added 16.

Colony head coach Don Witzel said he was happy with the way his team came out and shot the ball with confidence in its season-opener.

&#8220We did shoot the ball very well tonight,” Witzel said.

The game was never in doubt, as the Knights led 26-10 after the first quarter and took a 30-point lead into the locker room at halftime behind 14 points from Bowker.

Although the lopsided result came against an undermanned Eagles squad, Witzel said it was still nice to start the season out on a positive note.

&#8220At least it's a game under our belt,” Witzel said.

Ashley Dixon led the way for West with nine points, while Tessla Rennie and Lani Silva each scored eight.

West's guards had trouble all night holding onto the ball against the quicker Colony backcourt, a situation that led to easy buckets on the Colony end.

Hotchkiss in particular was a thorn in the side of the Eagles, picking up four steals to go along with four assists.

Colony was especially dominant in the third quarter, when Grazulis and Hotchkiss combined for 22 points as Colony outscored the Eagles 28-2 to put the game far out of reach. Much of the fourth quarter was played with a running clock to speed play along.

Following the game, Hotchkiss - one of only two juniors on an extremely young Colony team that has no seniors on the roster - said the Knights made it a priority to come out and play well in their first game of the season.

&#8220We were just relaxed and I think that helped us come out with intensity,” Hotchkiss said.

Jackie Hamann added nine points and four steals for Colony. Tara Garrod chipped in seven points, while Alex Coon and Megan Bowker each scored six.

Katie Troxel also played a key role in the victory, ripping down a game-high eight rebounds to go along with her four points.

Colony is now off until after Christmas. The Knights leave the morning of Dec. 26 for Tempe, Ari.., where they'll join the Colony boys team at the Cactus Jam Tournament.

Contact Matt Tunseth at

352-2265 or matt.tunseth@

frontiersman.com.