Challenger boys use pivotal third-quarter run to oust Creswell; McCauley erupts for 3A tourney-record 42 points to propel Cascade girls

Cascade Christian opened the second half with a 12-0 run to break open the Class 3A boys basketball consolation semifinal Friday morning and cruise to a 74-60 win over Creswell in Coos Bay.

Only about 14 hours from walking off the court with dashed hopes of a fourth straight 3A state championship, the sixth-seeded Challengers regrouped to put forth a steady showing on both ends of the floor against the 10th-seeded Bulldogs.

Senior point guard Jaren Fronckowiak delivered 21 points after going 5-for-10 from 3-point range and 6-for-15 overall from the field, and also added six assists to guide the Challengers (21-5).

“Jaren, by far, is the pulse and the heart of our team,” said Cascade Christian head coach Brian Morse. “He picks and chooses when he’ll find the open guy, and then when he needs to take the shot, he’ll launch it. When he’s open and when he gets in rhythm, he’s really hard to beat. He was definitely a spark plug today.”

Fronckowiak had two 3-pointers and two assists during Cascade’s game-turning run in the third quarter, pushing a three-point halftime advantage to 53-38 in about 2 ½ minutes. The Challengers went on to outscore Creswell 20-8 in the third quarter.

“We made some defense adjustments, and we came out in the second half and just blitzed them,” said Morse “It was insane. That got us going, and then that ramps up your defensive intensity. It got them all flustered and they’re throwing the ball away, and so it kind of snowballed for them.”

Cade Goldade was an efficient 5-for-7 from the field for 14 points to go with six rebounds, while Brady Kleker added 10 points, three assists and three rebounds and Deryk Farmer came up with eight rebounds and five assists to go with nine points.

As a team, Cascade Christian shot 52% from the field (28-for-54) and although the Challengers weren’t more successful from 3-point range than a night prior — they were 8-for-25 for the second straight day — they created better looks at the basket.

“They didn’t all go in, but they were better shots, and that’s what we want,” said Morse. “You can live and die by that. If you’re getting a good basketball look — where you’re driving and pass the ball, pass the ball — that’s what we want. Even if you’re missing those, we have a chance for long rebounds, and we came up with a lot of those, too, which is nice.”

Cascade Christian will face a familiar foe in 13th-seeded De La Salle North Catholic (15-14) in Saturday’s fourth-place final. The Challengers have beaten the Knights in each of the last three state tournaments en route to their championship showings.

De La Salle North Catholic features potential 3A state player of the year in senior forward Jaylen Hill, who has committed to play football at Oregon State as a 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive end in the fall.

“He’s a beast,” said Morse. “He’s really good, so it’s gonna be fun.”

CRESWELL (60): Schartz 7, Dewey 2, Petty 4, Whitson 21, Bailey 8, Frieze 3, Arnold 10, Boyd 0, Mustin 3, Velarde 2, Clark 0. Totals: 26-57 1-6 60.

CASCADE CHRISTIAN (74): Richardson 6, Fronckowiak 21, Kleker 10, Farmer 9, Goldade 14, Willard 2, Snowden 0, Gotzman 5, Alvarez 7, Murphy 0, Beamish 0. Totals: 28-54 10-20 74.

Creswell 23 15 8 14 — 60

Cascade Christian 24 17 20 13 — 74

3-point goals — Creswell 7-20 (Whitson 3 Arnold 2, Frieze 1), Cascade Christian 8-25 (Fronckowiak 5, Farmer 1, Goldade 1, Gotzman 1). Fouled out — Schartz, Bailey.

Girls Basketball

CASCADE CHRISTIAN 63, COQUILLE 41: At Coos Bay, Cascade Christian senior Isabel McCauley outscored Coquille in her own right with 42 points to propel the Challengers into Saturday’s fourth-place final at the Class 3A state tournament.

The 42 points are a single-game tourney record at the 3A level since the state moved to six classifications in the 2006-2007 school year. Ally Schimmel previously held the mark at 39 points, set last year for Corbett against Amity.

McCauley connected on 13 of 21 field goals and was 14-for-15 from the free-throw line to help No. 4-seeded Cascade Christian (23-5) rebound from a quarterfinal loss one night prior in the Challengers’ first state tournament game in 13 years.

McCauley also pulled in 10 rebounds and had eight steals, while senior Jordynn Jones chipped in with 12 points and eight rebounds against eighth-seeded Coquille (22-4).

Cascade Christian will next face No. 11 seed Burns (20-8).

COQUILLE (41): Willis 0, Kelner 2, S. Salazar 5, Lucatero 8, Vigue 13, A. Johnson 0, A. Salazar 0, Trujillo 6, Layton 3, Nelson 2, Allen 2, O. Johnson 0. Totals: 13-46 13-18 41.

CASCADE CHRISTIAN (63): I. McCauley 42, Coats 2, Jones 12, Arce 4, G. McCauley 0, Brehm 0, Coppedge 2, Wilcox 1, Ferreira 0, Samhammer 0, Vanlandingham 0, Davis 0. Totals: 19-38 23-29 63.

Coquille 5 6 16 14 — 41

Cascade Christian 12 12 16 23 — 63

3-point goals — Coquille 2-16 (S. Salazar 1, Vigue 1), Cascade Christian 2-11 (I. McCauley 2). Fouled out — Trujillo.

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