Wolves to face Friona Friday

Though the playoffs started Monday, the District 3-2A champion Colorado Wolves will get their first game under way Friday night when they travel to Lubbock to face Friona at the Rip Griffin Center, on the campus of Lubbock Christian University. The game is set to tipoff at 8 p.m.

A bye in the first round gave the team a chance to have a warm-up game, which Head Coach Barry Kimball took full advantage of.
The Wolves were in Lubbock Saturday to face the District 4-3A Seminole Indians. The Indians had gone undefeated in their 3A district, while amassing a 21-7 season record, a tough team to get ready for a tough playoff run.

“We gained some very valuable experience in this game,” Coach Kimball said. They had some big kids – some 6’6” and 6’8” – who would give us a good look at what we are going to face in the playoffs.

The Indians defeated the Wolves comfortably, but the Colorado City coach was very pleased with what he saw late in the game.

“We had a hard time getting rebounds against the bigger kids in the first half,” Coach Kimball said. “But we got after them pretty good and probably played them about even in the second half. They forced us to cover some big and quick guards we were not used to covering and we gained some valuable experience from that.”

The Wolves knew going into a match against a team like Seminole a win probably was not in the cards, but that was not what they wanted. A win against Seminole would mean nothing, whereas a win against Friona on Friday night means everything.

“We felt good about what we saw in this one,” Coach Kimball said. “It puts us one step closer to being ready to face Friona on Friday night.
Friona comes to the meeting Friday after completely dismantling Amarillo Highland Park on Tuesday in the Bi-District round of the 2A playoffs. Coach Kimball made the trip to watch that game and came away having a pretty good idea what the Wolves need to do on Friday.

“Their big kid had a great game,” Kimball said, speaking of Friona’s 6’8” powerhouse Ryan Dewitt. “He played well and is going to be a concern for us.”

But this is why the Wolves played 3A’s Seminole on Saturday, to get ready for a big presence on the boards.
Kimball had said in the second half of that match, the Wolves had figured out a way to counter the big boys of Seminole and he is hoping that will carry over to the next game.

“We just have to go over our game plan again,” Colorado City’s coach said. “Everyone is healthy and we just have to play well.
The Wolves have activated five players from their JV squad to strengthen the roster for the playoffs.

Dylan Gainey, Shea Duncan, Robbie Gonzalez, Josh Sutton and Corbin Lewis will be suited up and ready to go Friday night in Lubbock along with the rest of the varsity players.

These five helped lead the JV team to a 19-10 regular season record.
The Friona Chieftans finished their regular season 20-12 with a notable loss to Denver City, a team which Colorado beat twice this season. But all that means is a smaller squad can crack their defense, something the Wolves know all about.

The game starts at 8 p.m. The results will be posted on the Record’s website as soon as possible for those who cannot make the game.