NIC ROUNDUP: Johnson, Lopez shine for Cardinal wrestling
• WRESTLING
GREAT FALLS, Mont. — Sophomores Kobi Johnson (125 pounds) and Zach Lopez (133) climbed to the top of the podium, winning individual titles for North Idaho College at the Battle of the Rockies at the University of Providence on Saturday.
“Kobi has been rounding into form lately and getting back to where he should be,” NIC coach Derrick Booth said. “It was a really good outing for him. Zach had a little hiccup (Friday), but showed up and had a new mindset and beat some guys he lost to yesterday. We just need to make sure he’s confident and ready to go forward.”
Freshman Conan Northwind (third at 174), freshman Elijah Cater (125) and sophomore Bradley Whitwright (third at 197) for NIC, which faces Clackamas on Friday in Oregon City, Ore.
NIC is tied for the eighth in the preseason NJCAA rankings. Clackamas is tied for sixth.
• MEN'S BASKETBALL
North Idaho 92
Colorado Northwestern 80
CASPER, Wyo. — Jalen Skalskiy, a redshirt sophomore from Lakeland High, had 25 points 11 rebounds and five assists for the Cardinals in a nonconference win over the Spartans at Casper College.
Cobi Campbell, who signed with Troy last month, had 21 points and four rebounds for NIC (8-2), which hosts the Gonzaga club team on Dec. 11.
Cole Johnson had 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Colorado Northwestern (5-6).
COLORADO NORTHWESTERN
AJ Creech 5-9 2-2 13, Cole Johnson 6-19 3-4 15, Santiago Casarin 4-7 2-2 14, Mason Mickelsen 4-6 0-0 8, Tyler Christensen 4-9 2-2 12, Jude Ballstaedt 5-11 0-0 13, Mitch Jeppesen 1-6 3-4 5, Jaxon Parkinson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-67 12-14 80.
NORTH IDAHO
Vaughn Weems 2-2 0-2 4, Cobi Campbell 7-13 4-4 21, Kyle Karstetter 2-6 3-4 8, Tayshawn Colvin 1-6 1-2 3, Terin Johnson 1-3 0-0 2, Austin Johnson 4-8 2-2 10, D’Andre Clermont 1-2 0-0 2, Dante Sawyer 4-9 9-9 17, Jalen Skalskiy 9-13 5-8 25. Totals 31-62 24-31 92.
Halftime — NIC 41-34. 3-point goals — CNCC 10-27 (Creech 1-1, Johnson 0-5, Casarin 4-5, Christensen 2-5, Ballsteadt 3-7, Jeppesen 0-4), NIC 6-20 (Campbell 3-7, Karstetter 1-5, Colvin 0-3, A. Johnson 0-1, Skalskiy 2-4). Rebounds — CNCC 29 (Johnson 8), NIC 37 (Skalskiy 11). Assists — CNCC 16 (Johnson 6), NIC 15 (Skalskiy 5). Team fouls — CNCC 22, NIC 12. Fouled out — Mickelson, Christensen, Jeppesen.
• WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Northwest 77
North Idaho 73
POWELL, Wyo. — Addie Kiefer, a sophomore from Lakeland High, had 29 points and 11 rebounds for the Cardinals, who fell short to the Trappers in a nonconference game.
Kendall Pickford, a sophomore from Lake City High, had 18 points for NIC (5-7).
“We made some adjustments at halftime and Addie really got us back into the game in the second half,” NIC coach Nathan Covill said. “Kendall and Addie are our leaders right now and really got us back into the game.”
NIC, which trailed 33-21 at halftime, led 66-65 in the fourth quarter before Northwest pulled away.
“I’m proud of how we finished the game,” Covill said. “We competed, and the girls should be proud of that. We’ve just got to continue to get better defensively.”
NIC returns to action against Central Arizona at the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas on Dec. 18.
Northwest, which beat NIC 75-66 on Thursday, is 7-3.
NORTH IDAHO
Maddie Williamson 2-10 0-0 6, Iratxe Amorrortu 2-7 3-3 8, Addie Kiefer 11-1 6-7 29, Faye Davis 2-5 0-0 5, Kendall Pickford 6-11 1-2 18, Anna Serret 0-1 0-0 0, Diana Morales 1-2 0-2 2, Aaliyah Clemons 2-3 1-2 5. Totals 26-56 11-16 73.
NORTHWEST
Tayva Phillips 1-8 0-0 2, Roxanne Rogers 8-15 4-5 22, Kamalani Anitielu 4-9 0-0 10, Carolina Ruiz 1-3 0-0 3, Isabella Gurie 2-3 0-0 4, Tyne Killip 0-0 0-0 0, Anna Knight 0-0 2-2 2, Brayli Reimer 2-3 3-6 7, Jai’La Porter 0-1 0-0 0, Kelsi Nicholson 5-10 0-0 10, Bianca Silva 4-9 8-8 17.
North Idaho 8 13 29 23 — 73
Northwest 14 19 25 19 — 77
3-point goals — NIC 10-16 (Williamson 2-3, Amorrortu 1-2, Kiefer 1-1, Davis 1-1, Pickford 5-8, Morales 0-1), NWC 6-24 (Phillips 0-5, Rogers 2-6, Anitielu 2-6, Ruiz 1-3, Porter 0-1, Silva 1-3). Rebounds — NIC 33 (Kiefer 11), NWC 26 (Phillips 5). Assists — NIC 16 (Amorrortu 6), NWC 15 (Silva 4). Team fouls — NIC 16, NWC 16. Fouled out — Williamson.