Colts scorch the nets at Northwest, hitting 10 threes in rivalry rout to match last season's win total

Dec. 15—TUNNEL HILL — Coahulla Creek High School's boys basketball team had just eight wins in a 25 game season last year.

This year's Colts have matched that through just 10 games.

On Friday night, Coahulla Creek (8-2) scored perhaps its most impressive win in an early season full of impressive victories, scorching the nets in the home gym of rival Northwest Whitfield (6-2) for 10 3-pointers on the way to a 61-40 win in Tunnel Hill.

Chase Ward, David Noll, Gage Voyles, Cullen Marti and Carter Quarles splashed threes in the first half as the Colts led 15-7 after one, went on a 16-0 run in the second quarter and took a 34-14 lead into halftime.

The Bruin offense woke up some in the third, outpacing its output from the first two quarters combined, but still trailed 52-31 after three and couldn't cut the lead much further.

Northwest took just its second loss of the season.

After hitting seven from deep in the first half — and after Ward added two more in the early third quarter — Creek moved more inside with its attack as the Colts protected the lead. Ward, who led all scorers with 19, used his strength to post up for a few easy buckets, and Voyles, a transfer from Northwest, utilized knifing drives and finished a couple of shots with spin layups. Voyles finished with 13 against his former school.

Noll got hot for two straight threes on two straight possessions in the first half. He finished with a trio of triples, tying Ward, and had 13 total points. Marti hit one and finished with nine, while Quarles had a pair of threes and finished with six.

Creek paired its hot shooting with tough defense in the first half. No Bruin had more than three points in the opening half, but Tytus Ramsey got loose in the second half to close with 11 to lead the Bruins. Jackson Harris scored eight.

With the win, the Colts net their seventh straight victory and match last season's win total. Creek was 8-17 a year ago.

Northwest plays Cartersville on Tuesday as part of North Murray's Mistletoe Madness Tournament. Coahulla plays Girlmer Tuesday in the same event.

Prior to the boys game, the Northwest Whitfield Lady Bruins dominated the middle two quarters to defeat Coahulla Creek 50-28.

A banked-in buzzer beater to end the first quarter by Presley Denton put Coahulla Creek (7-3) up over Northwest Whitfield (5-2) 11-9 after one quarter.

In the second and third, it was all Lady Bruins.

The Lady Colts scored just two points early in the second quarter. Northwest's Sloan Pender nailed two 3-pointers to spark a 13-0 run that carried through halftime — giving Northwest a 23-13 lead at the break — and into the third.

The sometimes pressing, always smothering defense of Northwest held Creek to five in the second quarter, making the score 40-18. After Creek led 11-9 to close the first, Northwest outscored their visitors 31-7 in the middle two quarters.

Coahulla put 10 points on the board in the fourth, but the Lady Bruin lead held.

Pender hit her fifth three of the game with a few seconds left to get her to 17 points overall. Miah Triana scored 11, while Kennedy Baker scored all nine of her points in the first half.

Aubree Langley scored 10 for the Lady Colts, and Caroline Reed put in seven.

Creek is in action next week at North Murray's Mistletoe Madness Christmas tournament. The Lady Colts play the hosts on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

The Lady Bruins will get a Christmas break, then return to play in a Dec. 28 game in a Christmas tournament at Adairsville.

Also in high school basketball action on Friday:

Boys Rockmart 70, Murray County 68

Murray County (5-3) fell two points shy of handing Region 7-2A foe Rockmart (7-0) its first loss of the season Friday, dropping 70-68 to the Yellow Jackets on the road.

Parker Hawkins scored 23 to lead the Indians, while Braxton Vineyard had 19 points and 11 rebounds. Brady Stainton put in 10 points.

The loss is the first region defeat for Murray this year.

Murray is at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe today.

Ringgold 80, Southeast Whitfield 37

Southeast Whitfield (2-8) took an 80-37 loss at Ringgold (6-3) Friday night.

The Raiders trailed 23-4 after the first quarter and never climbed back into the game, despite putting up 21 points in the third.

Southeast hosts Ridgeland today at 4:30.

Girls Murray County 65, Rockmart 35

Murray County (8-1) shut down previously-unbeaten Rockmart (5-1) 65-35 on the road Friday.

Callan Ledford scored 23 points, while Miley McClure had 21 points and five steals for the Lady Indians. Bayleigh Winkler scored eight.

The win gets Murray to 3-0 in Region 7-2A play.

The Lady Indians play on the road against Hamilton Heights Christian Academy on Monday.

Ringgold 61, Southeast Whitfield 23

Southeast Whitfield (4-5) was defeated 61-23 by Ringgold (5-4) on the road Friday night.

Ringgold cruised to a 47-11 halftime lead with 32 second-quarter points.

The Lady Raiders host Ridgeland at 3 p.m. today.