EUGENE, Ore. — A strong first-half performance by the Marist Catholic Spartans (14–5, 6–2 4A) propelled them to a dominant 58–23 win over the Cottage Grove Lions (5–15, 3–5 4A) at the Holy Dome on Tuesday night.
The Spartans did it while being without a pair of impact players. Both junior Bodey Drennan and sophomore Gabe Dietmeyer, a pair of guards, missed Tuesday night’s matchup with injuries. Marist junior forward Colton Boresek answered the call, headlining the outstanding team showing with 12 points.
“Early in the game, we were able to make a couple of 3s that opened things up,” Marist Catholic head coach Bart Pollard said. “We attacked the rim and were pretty effective in the first quarter, taking care of it, hitting shots, and finishing possessions.”
Sophomore guard Ryan Deloach led Cottage Grove in scoring with 11 points, following up his team-leading effort of 18 points from a week prior. But the big deficit in the first half was ultimately too tough a feat to overcome for the Lions. The offense didn’t live up to the occasion.
“The inability to make shots,” Cottage Grove head coach Seth Hutchison said. “[Marist] made shots, and we didn’t shoot very well.
Lions’ junior forward Trevor Cooper missed his fourth straight game with the right-ankle sprain he sustained in the team’s last matchup against Marist back in January.
“We don’t want to rush [Trevor Cooper] back and have him do long-term permanent damage,” Hutchison said. “He’s just not 100 percent comfortable on it. We’re just going to continue to watch it, monitor it, and ramp it up. Hopefully he’s back, but not thinking about it.”
Lions’ senior guard Cade May, who hit a trio of 3-pointers last game in the win against North Bend, exited Tuesday’s matchup in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return — adding another key injury to a team that is already without its best player, Cooper.
Cottage Grove junior Casey Pickle received a technical foul in the fourth quarter. He was removed from the game by Hutchison, finishing with two points.
“It was just a competitive game,” Hutchison said. “Two young guys, young men, in a hostile environment, you know. A big game, and the ref just said it was time to take control of the game at that point. Nothing bad, though.”
The Spartans established a win streak with the victory, and they look to add to it on Friday, when they take to the coast to face Seaside (4–14).
“It allows us to keep the momentum, and you know we’re just trying to improve each day,” Pollard said. “Coming out tomorrow and Thursday in practice. Working on things that we do, playing man-to-man defense, trying to pressure, and continuing to improve on the little things.”
Cottage Grove looks to avoid the start of a losing streak as they take on Marshfield on Friday, the final game of their road trip.
What’s Next
Cottage Grove: @ Marshfield Friday 2/13
Marist Catholic: @ Seaside Friday 2/13