Cardinals close out 2023 with wins at Cornerstone Tournament; boys prevail in double OT

GRAND RAPIDS, MI (WTVB) – Coldwater’s varsity basketball teams returned to Mol Arena on the Cornerstone University campus Saturday and won their games on the final day of the Cornerstone High School Holiday Tournament.

The Cardinal boys needed two overtime periods to get past Otsego 71-67 in the Silver Division consolation game. Coldwater led after the first quarter 11-10, and Otsego took a 25-23 lead to the halftime break. The Cardinals led 45-41 after three quarters, but the Bulldogs used a 15-11 fourth quarter to tie the game at 56-56 at the end of regulation. Each team scored 7 points in the first overtime, with Zach Coffing’s rebound and putback off a missed Gavin Taylor free throw tying the game at 63-all after the first extra period. Coldwater outscored Otsego 8-4 in the second OT to secure the win and improve to 3-7.

Ayden Dirschell had a game-high 24 points to go with 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Gavin Taylor had 12 points and 4 assists, Zach Coffing had 11 points, 6 boards, 6 assists, and 4 steals, and Jackson Reilly finished with 10 points.

Dirschell was named to the All-Tournament Team along with Otsego’s Blake Marks, who led the Bulldogs with 20 points.

Listen to the Coldwater-Otsego game again:

Earlier, the Lady Cards outscored Forest Hills Central 22-12 in the second half to secure a 36-22 win in the Girls Classic Division and improve to 7-1 on the season.

Elli Foley led all scorers with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Kenzie Scheid had 6 points, 3 boards, and a block, and Coley Burkhardt came off the bench to pull down a team-high 9 boards.

Foley was named to the All-Tournament Team along with Forest Hills Central’s Maggie Sneider, who had a team-high 9 points.

Forest Hills Central’s Maggie Sneider and Coldwater’s Elli Foley were named to the All-Tournament Team at the 2023 Cornerstone High School Holiday Tournament. (Photo by MWC’s Sean Watson)

Listen to the Forest Hills Central-Coldwater game again:

The Cardinals return to action this coming Friday, January 5th, at Holt.