Knights deny Palmer’s bid for spot in final

ANCHORAGE — For much of Friday’s 4A state semifinal, it seemed as if the Palmer Moose were shooting at a bucket with a lid on it. While Colony did not exactly shoot the lights out either, the Knights did enough to advance to their first state title game since 2000.

Colony survived a late Palmer push to score a 44-41 win over its Valley rival, and earned the right to play for a 4A state championship.

The Moose, who shot just 23 percent from the field in the game, found themselves facing an early deficit after posting a mere 12 points in the first half.

But Palmer, a team that has the ability to surge offensively at any time, scored 29 in the final two quarters to march back into the game.

Even though Palmer’s shots weren’t falling in the first half, Colony head coach Don Witzel knew the Moose could turn it on at any time.

“We’re very leery of that fact,” Witzel said after the

win.

Colony led by as much as 16 points in the third quarter, but Palmer junior Mikaela Bolling buried a few shots to pull the Moose within reach of the Knights.

Bolling, a junior guard, capped the third quarter with a three-pointer and hit another three to open the

fourth.

Senior Ashley Swetzof, who scored 12 in the game, also hit a pair of big shots for the Moose in the fourth quarter.

A Swetzof layup cut the Colony lead to four points with 3:33 left in regulation, and another Swetzof shot from inside brought Colony’s advantage to just 43-41 with 1:43 left.

But in the final two minutes, the Knights — who spread out the Moose defense — were able to burn a large chunk of the time off the clock.

Junior Alex Coon led the Knights with a game-high 14 points and fellow junior Jackie Hamann added 11.

Senior Hayley Hotchkiss and junior Maria Bowker hit back-to-back three-pointers at the end of the first quarter to give the Knights an 11-point lead.

Hotchkiss, the lone senior on the CHS squad, added six in the win.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Colony 44, Palmer 41

4A state semifinals

Friday, Sullivan Arena

Palmer 3-9-14-15—41

Colony 14-10-12-8—44

Palmer (41) — Swetzof 4 4-4 12, J. Cox 1 0-0 2, Campbell 1 0-0 2, M. Cox 0 3-4 3, Bolling 5 1-3 13, Tzou 1 1-2 3, Ratcliff 1 4-5 6; Totals 13 13-18 41.

Colony (44) — Hamann 4 3-4 11, Hotchkiss 1 3-6 6, Ma. Bowker 1 1-2 4, Grazulis 2 2-6 6, Coon 6 2-4 14, Larson 1 1-5 3; Totals: 15 12-29 44.

Three-point field goals: Palmer 2 (Bolling 2), Colony 2 (Hotchkiss, Ma. Bowker 1); Rebounding: Palmer 45 ( Swetzof 12), Colony 28 (Grazulis 7); Assists: Palmer 7 (M. Cox 4), Colony 5 (Grazulis 2); Steals: Palmer 8 (Swetzof 3), Colony 8 ( Coon, K. Larson 3); Total fouls: Palmer 24, Colony 17; Fouled out: Palmer- Bolling, Ratcliff.