It's been easy pickings for the Carey School girls' varsity basketball team in its first two Northside Conference home games at the Panther gym.
Carey (2-1, 2-0 league) captured its second straight victory Tuesday with a 58-3 decision over Magic Valley Christian. The Panthers also defeated Bliss 53-14 on Nov. 25, before the Thanksgiving break.
Panther coach Lane Durtschi said, "We are working well as a team lately. The teamwork is coming along and will get us to the next level."
Three home players scored in double figures Tuesday—Chelsey Hunt 12 points, Jessica Parke 10 and Taylor Whitby 12. Other Panthers scorers were Kelsey Green 9 points, Shelby Hansen 5, Amy Ellsworth 4, Jenni Murphy 2, Kayla Bailey 2 and Kelsey Reynolds 2.
Durtschi said, "We are improving with a 75% from the free throw line and 45% from the field. We hustled and worked hard on defense."
In the 39-point victory over Bliss, Ellsworth led the way with 12 points, Whitby added 11, Parke 9, Bailey 8, Hunt 5, Reynolds 4, Green 2 and Murphy 2. Carey outscored its two recent opponents 47-0 in the lopsided first periods.
Things will get tougher today, Friday when Carey tackles Hagerman at 6:30 p.m. in the first game of the Carey Holiday Tournament. The Panther JV plays the Pirates at 3:30 p.m. Hagerman (22-5 last year, 2-2 state) opened its 2008-09 season with five straight wins including a 49-37 home win over Dietrich. Leading the Pirates is junior shooter Amanda Regnier.
Waiting the winner of Carey and Hagerman Saturday is probably Challis, a 52-35 road winner over Mackay Wednesday. Leading Challis are Kristen Garlie and Lauren Garlie.
WRHS girls battle Jerome tough
Led by the shooting of freshman Kaitana Martinez (13 points, two 3-pointers), the host Wood River High School girls' varsity basketball team played the Jerome Tigers tough in Tuesday night's Great Basin Conference West opener.
Unbeaten Jerome (8-0, 1-0 league) parlayed a 23-10 halftime lead into a 53-37 win over coach Mendy Benson's Wolverines, but the outcome was a far cry from last winter—when Hailey lost three times to the Tigers by 44, 24 and 29 points.
Nine Wolverines ended up scoring including Grace Lagodich 6 points, Cheyenne Swanson 6, Samantha Engel 3, Tristin Bowers 2, Angela Coleman 2, Monica Garceau 2, Taylor Hayes 2 and Brooke Bowers 1. Wood River shot a heady 7-for-11 at the charity stripe.
Martinez (14 points) also led the way during Wood River's 51-30 non-conference road loss at Kimberly Nov. 25. Other Hailey scorers were Garceau 9, Alex Lindbloom 3, Lagodich 2 and Madison Gove 2.
Wood River hosted Minico (2-3, 0-0) Thursday night on the Hailey hardwoods, then goes to
Buhl (0-3) Saturday, Dec. 6 and over to Burley (5-2) Tuesday, Dec. 9. Burley has one of the area's best shooters in senior guard Kassi Kerbs. She scored 33 points in Burley's 46-38 win at Twin Falls Tuesday night.
Burley visited top-ranked Jerome Thursday in a match-up of Great Basin powers.
