Knights bounce back, beat Moose for 3rd

WASILLA — Sullivan Menard sparked Colony early and helped the Knights finish late.

Menard scored a game-high 29 points to lead Colony to a 56-48 win over rival Palmer in the Northern Lights Conference Championships boys’ third-place game Saturday afternoon at Kodiak High School.

Menard scored eight points during the fourth quarter to help the Knights cap their 2016-17 season with a victory. The sophomore hit a pair of threes during fourth, and helped Colony end the game on a 16-4 run.

“Sullivan was really aggressive today,” Colony head coach Tom Berg said by text from Kodiak.

With 2:50 left in the fourth quarter, Palmer junior Clayton Martin went the basket and tied the game at 40. And then it became a game at the free throw line for the Knights. Menard, and seniors Isaiah Neuner and Nolan Martin were a combined 14 of 16 from the stripe during the fourth, and all of those points came in the final three minutes of play. Neuner was 9 of 10. He was 4 of 4 from the line on consecutive possessions, and helped Colony push a two-point lead to a 50-44 advantage.

Menard also helped the Knights early, scoring seven of Colony’s 11 first-quarter points.

“Nolan and Parker (Kizer) found him in Palmer’s zone today with chances to score,” Berg said.

Senior Donovan Eiman led Palmer with 13 points in the loss. Senior Payton Martin and freshman Dae Osiensky added 10 each. Martin hit a pair of three points, and Osiensky drained a trio of threes.

Martin hit a long three-pointer for the Moose just before Southwick tied the game at 40 for Palmer.

The Colony win came a day after a tough 49-44 loss to Kodiak in the semifinals.

“Today is never fun,” Berg said of playing on the final day of the season, not in the region title game. “But I was happy our guys responded and wanted to play. I’m thankful for Nolan Martin and Isaiah Neuner finishing their careers playing well and finishing (today) in tough circumstances.”

Both teams hit the floor Saturday afternoon after tough losses on Friday.

Wasilla moved into the region title game with a one-point victory over the Moose. Daniel Headdings supplied the bulk of Wasilla offense Friday afternoon, including the bucket pushed that Warriors into the conference title game.

Headdings grabbed a steal and went to the rim with 1 minute and 4 seconds left in the fourth quarter to provide the go-ahead basket in Wasilla’s 35-34 win over rival Palmer in the NLC semifinals.

“Daniel came up huge offensively when we couldn’t get any shots to fall,” Wasilla head coach Ryan Engebretsen said via text message Friday evening.

Headdings scored 20 of Wasilla’s 35 points in the win. He scored six of Wasilla’s seven fourth-quarter points, and was responsible for four of Wasilla’s six field goals in the second half. Reilly Devine added seven in the win.

Engebretsen also praised his defense, which didn’t allow Palmer to answer the late basket by Headdings.

“It was a great team win on the defensive end,” Engebretsen said.

Southwick led Palmer with 18 points in the loss. Martin hit a trio of three-pointers and added nine.

Martin hit a pair of threes to spark the Moose early, and Palmer led 11-6 after the first quarter. The Moose carried a 17-15 advantage into halftime.

The host Bears upset Colony 49-44 in the other semifinal.

Kodiak led by 10 in the third quarter, but needed a late effort to knock of the second-seeded Knights and move into the finals on its home floor. Louis Rocheleau hit two big shots late for the Bears. With the game tied at 42, Rocheleau went to the rim to give Kodiak the 44-42 advantage. Moments later, Rocheleau buried his third three of the game to ended his team’s lead to five points.

Wyatt Baker scored all seven of his points in the third quarter to help the Knights bounce back from the double-digit deficit and end the third quarter on a 9-0 run. Menard led the Knights with 10 in the loss. Isaiah Neuner added nine.

Rocheleau scored a game-best 18 for the Bears.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Colony boys 56, Palmer 48

NLC third-place game

Palmer 10-5-14-17—48

Colony 11-8-13-24—56

Palmer (48) — Atkins 1 0-0 3, Osiensky 3 1-2 10, Martin 3 2-2 10, Hawkins 0 3-4 3, Southwick 1 2-4 4, Halbert 1 0-0 3, Eieman 6 1-1 13, Cutright 1 0-0 2; Totals: 16 9-13 56.

Colony (56) — Kizer 3 0-0 6, Pead 1 0-0 3, Neuner 0 9-10 9, Menard 10 4-8 29, Martin 1 5-6 7, Baker 1 0-0 2; Totals: 16 18-24 56.

3-point field goals: Palmer 6 (Osiensky 3), Colony 6 (Menard 5); Total fouls: Palmer 18, Colony 12.

Wasilla boys 35, Palmer 34

NLC semifinals

Friday, Kodiak High

Palmer 11-6-5-12—34

Wasilla 6-9-13-7—35

Palmer (34) — Osiensky 1 0-0 3, Martin 3 0-0 9, Hawkins 1 0-0 2, Southwick 6 6-7 18, Eiman 1 0-0 2; Totals: 12 6-7 34.

Wasilla (35) — L. Houck 1 0-0 2, Brown 0 2-5 2, Headdings 8 3-6 20, R. Devine 3 1-4 7, Fife 1 0-0 2, Milliron 1 0-0 2; Totals: 14 6-15 35.

3-point field goals: Wasilla 1 (Headdings 1), Palmer 4 (Martin 3); Total fouls: Wasilla 11, Palmer 15.

Kodiak boys 49, Colony 44

NLC semifinals

Friday, Kodiak High

Colony 5-15-14-10—44

Kodiak 14-9-13-14—49

Colony (44) — Kizer 1 0-0 2, N. Pead 1 1-1 3, Neuner 3 3-4 9, Menard 3 3-4 10, Spencer 1 2-2 5, Martin 1 3-4 5, Oathout 0 3, Baker 3 1-2 7; Totals: 13 16-21 44.

Kodiak (49) — Rocheleau 7 1-2 18, Morzo 3 1-4 5, Cauging 4 0-0 9, Walker 2 2-4 6, Osowski 3 5-6 11; Totals: 19 9-16 49.

3-point field goals: Colony 2 (Menard, Spencer 1); Kodiak 4 (Rocheleau 3); Totals: Colony, 17, Kodiak 18.