Cascade Christian keeps hopes alive for potential fourth straight 3A title

Published 12:08 am Sunday, March 2, 2025

By KRIS HENRY / Rogue Valley Times

Sixth-seeded Challengers break open playoff clash against No. 11 Dayton with late 17-2 surge

Even with a revamped roster this season, Cascade Christian showed exactly why the Challengers are the reigning three-time state champions Saturday evening in the second round of the Class 3A boys basketball state playoffs.

With 11 ½ minutes remaining and the outcome hanging in the balance as visiting Dayton held a 34-33 lead, Cascade Christian went on a 9-0 run to close the third quarter and then opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 surge.

That created a cushion the sixth-seeded Challengers were able to ride out for a 61-50 triumph that advanced them once again to the 3A state tournament in Coos Bay, and created an opportunity for a fourth straight championship.

“Every year is different, but the steps to get there are always the same,” said Cascade Christian senior Jaren Fronckowiak, who is the Challengers’ only returning starter. “If you work hard in the offseason and you do the little things, they eventually lead to the big wins.”

“It’s very exciting,” he added of his third state trip. “It’s most of our guys’ first time — all the younger guys — so I’m excited for them, and I’m excited to go and prove what we’ve got.”

Cascade Christian’s Bryley Richardson shoots a fourth-quarter 3-pointer against Dayton Saturday in Medford. (Andy Atkinson / for the Rogue Valley Times)

Maybe the most pivotal stretch for Cascade Christian (20-4) came early in the fourth quarter, when junior Brady Kleker confidently sidestepped a defender for a jumper to put his team up 44-36 and a pressing Fronckowiak came up with a steal and tossed the ball to Bryley Richardson for a quick 3-pointer.

A technical foul was called on Dayton senior point guard D.J. Holloway right afterwards and, although Richardson missed both free throws, the ball remained in the Challengers’ hands and Richardson atoned with a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 50-36 with 6:05 to play.

“I was just feeling it,” Richardson said of his two 3-pointers in succession. “I hadn’t missed yet so I just kept shooting it and they were falling. I was just hoping to help my team out and take the victory.”

Richardson finished with five of Cascade Christian’s 11 3-pointers to help the senior net 17 points to go with four rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Crafting out his own moments while also putting his teammates in a good position to score, Fronckowiak scored seven of his 10 points in the third quarter and collected seven assists and four rebounds.

Fronckowiak gave a nod to the team’s overall composure in being able to ward off the Pirates.

“We’ve got the experience and we’ve been in big games before,” he said. “We just know how to compose ourselves and stick together when times get tough. If you’re always staying together when it gets rough, that will get you the win.”

The Challengers also received a tremendous effort on both ends of the floor from 6-foot-3 senior Cade Goldade, who had 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists while also tackling the task of trying to slow burly 6-7 Dayton center Clyde Rosenberg.

Rosenberg still finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds for Dayton (17-11), but as odd as it may sound, the senior standout had to earn every bit of it.

Cascade Christian senior Cade Goldade, right fights for a rebound against Dayton’s Stephen Macias Saturday in Medford. (Andy Atkinson / for the Rogue Valley Times)

“Cade had the hardest task and he had to guard their player of the year (in Rosenberg), and that guy is an animal,” said Cascade Christian head coach Brian Morse. “He’s had games in the high 30s and 22 rebounds and stuff like that, so Cade prepared all week for that, with him fronting and bodying up and boxing out. He did a phenomenal job.”

“We weren’t expecting him to score,” added the coach with a laugh. “I mean, if he has chances that’s one thing, but he hits those 3s and had some nice putbacks. I thought he played a phenomenal game, and I was so proud of him.”

Freshman reserve post Andy Alvarez chipped in with six of his seven points during Cascade’s closing run of the third quarter, while junior Deryk Farmer returned from injury to post seven points, five assists and five rebounds.

“He just got released on Thursday, so he did pretty well for not playing for over a month,” Morse said of Farmer.

Next up for Cascade Christian will be a date with No. 3 seed Valley Catholic at 6:30 p.m. in the state quarterfinals at Marshfield High School. The Valiants (19-7) outlasted 14th-seeded Sisters — which ousted St. Mary’s in the first round — for a 44-43 victory Saturday.

Valley Catholic finished runner-up to top-seeded Westside Christian in the Lewis & Clark League, which advanced four teams to Coos Bay overall after wins by No. 5 Oregon Episcopal and No. 13 De La Salle North Catholic.

“In the 3A, it’s really wide open,” said Morse. “There’s not a dominant team like we have been in the past. Everyone says the Lewis & Clark League has the top four teams — which they are, they’re all really good — but, you know, we’re still the three-time defending champs, and until somebody beats us, it’s ours to win.”

“It’s so hard to win three in a row, though, back-to-back-to-back like that,” added the coach. “It’s so tough to do. We had a whole week to prepare for this.”

DAYTON (50): Gentry 2, Holloway 9, Bodenhamer 15, R. Corona 0, Macias 2, Brandon-Sanchez 2, Rosenberg 20. Totals: 19 9-9 50.

CASCADE CHRISTIAN (61): Richardson 17, Fronckowiak 10, Kleker 5, Willard 0, Farmer 7, Goldade 12, Gotzman 3, Alvarez 7. Totals: 22 6-14 61.

Dayton 9 16 9 16 — 50

Cascade Christian 11 15 16 19 — 61

3-point goals — Dayton 3 (Holloway 1, Bodenhamer 1, Rosenberg 1), Cascade Christian 11 (Richardson 5, Fronckowiak 2, Goldade 2, Kleker 1, Gotzman 1). Technical fouls — Holloway, Kleker.

Reach sports editor Kris Henry at khenry@rv-times.com or 458-488-2035

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