Northside Conference victories over Shoshone and Bliss in the past five days have lifted the #3-ranked Carey School Panthers to an 11-2 season record and 6-1 league mark.
Top scorer D.J. Simpson (14.2 ppg) reached 20 points for the third time. He scored 24 points, more than half of Carey's total, in a 47-34 home victory over Shoshone. A 17-7 third-quarter surge iced Friday's win on the Panther floor.
Joining Simpson in keeping the Panthers unbeaten at 6-0 at home were Tyler Parke 13 points, Kade Peterson 5, Blake Whitby 2, Trevor Peck 2 and Scott Ellsworth 1.
Monday's make-up game at Bliss went to Carey by a 62-37 score. Three Panthers scored in double figures. Carey's third straight win improved the Panther road record to 5-2.
D.J. Simpson and Peterson scored 14 points apiece at Bliss and Dillon Simpson chipped in with 11. Parke had 8, Whitby and Peck 6 apiece, Tyler Wilde 2 and Ellsworth 1. Cole Erkins topped Bliss with 15 points.
Carey visits Camas County Friday in Fairfield and hosts the dangerous Community School Tuesday, Jan. 22.
Cutthroats scare #1 Richfield
Showing that no team is invincible, The Community School boys put a scare into undefeated and top-ranked 1A Richfield (12-0, 6-0 league) Thursday at The Fish Tank.
Coach Mike Wade's high scoring Cutthroats (57.9 ppg) led the Tigers 29-28 at half and 46-41 after three quarters. The wheels came off due to poor shooting and turnovers in the fourth and Richfield won 61-50.
Wade said, "It was an excellent game for three-and-a-half quarters. Our defense was solid. We held our own in rebounding. Ian Ingram and Travis Stone were all over the defensive end, applying great pressure against a solid ball handling team.
"On offense we also had a solid game, beating their intense press repeatedly. Our half-court offense was clicking. We shot really well, 54% for the first three quarters. But things fell part in the last four minutes. We shot only 17% in the fourth and had eight turnovers (26 game)."
Richfield contained top scorer Mac Whittington (21.1 ppg), holding the 6-6 post to a season-low 12 points plus 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks. Others stepped up: Spencer Harris (9 boards, 3 assists, 4 blocks) scored a season-high 16 points, Max Harris had 14 points and 6 rebounds while Stone added 6 points along with 3 assists and 3 steals—same as Ian Ingram (2 points).
The Community School (7-2, 3-2 league) hosted Camas County of Fairfield (1-12, 1-5) Tuesday night at The Fish Tank. Sun Valley goes to Bliss (1-7) for a make-up Northside Conference game Friday, Jan. 18. On Saturday it's on to Dietrich (4-9, 2-5) where the Cutthroats and Blue Devils have waged some memorable high-scoring games in the past.
