Story by KYLER ROWDEN-STUM Photos and Video by PARKER NISBETH
Tiger Media Network
Saturday night ended 15 years of waiting for the Quinter boys basketball team as the Bulldogs claimed their first Castle Rock Championship since 2010, defeating Ellis 52-45.
Quinter (5-0) leaned on balanced scoring, timely defense, and a strong second half to pull away from Ellis (4-1) in a physical, low-scoring championship game.
“Every year, one of the boys’ goals is to win the Castle Rock because it’s our home tournament,” said 33rd-year Quinter head coach John Crist, “This year they were finally able to get the job done. I’m happy for everybody, but especially the seniors. They’ve been here four years, worked hard, and they finally got it.”
Second-Half Push Seals It
After an up-and-down first half, Quinter found its rhythm after the break. The Bulldogs shot 20-44 from the field and knocked down 5 three-pointers, while forcing 15 Ellis turnovers and recording 9 steals.
Junior guard Colt Werth led all scorers with 19 points, finishing 7-11 from the field and 3-7 from beyond the arc, while adding 2 steals.
“We knew coming in it had been 15 years,” Werth said. “We wanted to come out with intensity. The first half was a little low, but in the second half we executed, and that’s what we needed. We’ve got a great group of guys, and it feels great to get the win.”
Photos and video from QHS boys’ opening round win vs Pawnee Heights
#22 Werth calling out the play 
#4 Ruf finishes the layup 
#0 Catura takes it strong for the layup 
#44 Bridges celebrates the three 
#4 Ruf drives in for another layup 
#11 Crowley splashes the three 
#14 Selensky attacks the rim for the layup 
#11 Crowley celebrates the three with teammates 
#0 Catura on the bench 
#44 Bridges on the bench 
#0 Catura knocks down the three 
#44 Bridges drives for the layup 
#42 Packard goes up strong for the layup 
#42 Packard shoots a free throw 
#22 Werth locking in on defense 
#4 Ruf drives for the mid-range 
#4 Ruf pulls up for the mid-range again
Senior Leadership Shows
Senior Gunner Catura added 12 points, going 3-9 from the field and a perfect 4-4 at the free-throw line, while also recording 4 steals to spark Quinter defensively.
Fellow senior Caedmon Bridges chipped in 9 points, controlling the paint with 5 rebounds and 3 blocks, providing a steady presence on both ends of the floor.
Defense and Toughness Down the Stretch
Ellis kept the game close with strong effort on the glass, but Quinter’s defense made the difference late. The Bulldogs held the Railers to 16-41 shooting and forced Ellis into tough possessions during the final minutes.
“We didn’t quite have the same intensity early as we did in the semifinal,” Crist said. “But they dug down in the second half, found a way, and made some big shots down the stretch.”
A Strong Start to the Season
The championship caps a strong opening stretch for Quinter, which improves to 5–0 on the season heading into league play.
“It’s a good early win for us,” Crist said. “We’ve played a good schedule so far. Hopefully we enjoy this, but then build off it and keep improving.”
Werth echoed that mindset.
“We played a great team tonight, and we’ve got another good one next Friday,” he said. “Playing teams like this helps us prepare. It’s all about teamwork.”
For now, the Bulldogs can celebrate a moment more than a decade in the making — a home tournament title finally back where it belongs.
Photos and video from QHS girls’ opening round victory vs Pawnee Heights
#11 Blackwill warming up 
#14 Baalman announced as starter 
#3 Johnson doing pregame handshakes 
#11 Blackwill hits the mid-range 
#3 Johnson splashes the three 
Quinter bringing it up 
#11 Blackwill pulls up again 
#24 Villalaz knocks down the mid-range 
#2 Beougher drills the three 
#14 Baalman fires a full-court pass 
#4 Briggs finishes the layup 
#2 Beougher sinks the free throw 
#2 Beougher hits the mid-range 
#2 Beougher cashes another mid-range 
#21 A. Briggs buries the three 
#1 Jamison knocks down the mid-range