Hornets on the hunt for consistency

There have been times this season when the Colby girls basketball team has played excellent basketball, and there’s no denying there’s talent on the roster. But what continues to elude the Hornets is consistency.

For long stretches, Colby can match up with anyone, but it’s doing it for two, 18 minute halves, that remains the riddle.

This proved to be the problem on Tuesday, Dec. 7, when Colby took the trip to Gilman to take on the Pirates in another Eastern Cloverbelt contest.

The Hornets did well in the second half, but a rough and tumble first half gave Gilman the head start they needed to stay out in front for a 52-31 victory over the Hornets that drops Colby to 1-4.

Colby was slow out the gates in their encounter with Gilman, and while the Pirates only scored 26 points in the first half, the Hornets could only muster 12 of their own.

Colby was more alert on offense in the second, scoring 19 points, with senior Kya Viegut leading Colby with ten points, but she and head coach Terry Schmitt remain on the hunt for consistent scoring, and no other Hornet joined Viegut in double figures.

Gilman scored another 26 points, in the second and were carried to victory by a game high 15 points from Emma Grunseth, and 13 points from Tatum Weir.

Harrison Schmitt and Kylie Orth each had six points. Trish Vanderhoof scored four points, Brett Schmitt had three points and Savana Thomsen finished with two points.

Athens, 53-35

The Colby Hornets girls basketball team is likely wondering if it’s suffering from a severe case of deja vu. Once again, the familiar pattern of one good half and one bad half of basketball reared its head on Monday.

The Hornets welcomed the Athens Bluejays to Colby for a non-conference tussle, and the Hornets were neck and neck with the ‘Jays through the first half.

Seven different Hornets got their name in the scorer’s column in the first half, and Alexis Vanderhoof scored six points, along with multiple baskets from Hayden Willner and Kyle Orth.

Colby’s defense held a tall ‘Jays squad to 25 points, and the Hornets only trailed by two at the break, down 25-23.

And then the second half happened. The Hornets could not buy a basket, converting on just five field goals as they were held to twelve points in the second half. Meanwhile, the ‘Jays were able to get McKennzie Schug going.

Schug was scoreless in the first half, but had ten points in the final frame. Athens’ Sophie Coker finished with a game high 15 points, and the ‘Jays rallied past Colby with a 28 point outburst that extends the Hornet’s slide to five games.

Orth led Colby with nine points, and Willner and Alexis Vanderhoof had six points each. Brett Schmit and Kya Viegut had three points apiece. Harrison Schmitt scored four points. Hannah Trush and Trisha Vanderhoof both scored two points.