Maybe six-year-old Samantha Brunker should sing the national anthem before all of Wood River High School's girls' varsity basketball games.
That's what she did Saturday, and coach Mendy Benson's Wolverines (4-9, 0-4 league) went out and swept the season series from Gooding 54-36 with a season-best offensive display.
Wood River, winning for the fourth time in five games, built a 33-16 halftime lead and ended up with nine players in the scoring. Leading the way were Monica Garceau (13 points, 5 rebounds) and K.T. Martinez (12 points, 6 boards, 6 assists).
Others were Grace Lagodich (8 points), Sam Engel (6 points, 8 rebounds), Alex Lindbloom (5 points, 4 rebounds), Taylor Hayes (4 points), Jade Glenn (3 points), Angela Coleman (2 points, 4 boards) and Tristin Bowers (1 point). Brittany Wirth (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Carrie Baker (7 points, 5 boards) paced Gooding (3-10).
Thursday night, Wood River played tough in Rupert but dropped a 43-35 Great Basin Conference West decision to Minico. Martinez scored 10, Lagodich 9 and Garceau 8 for Wood River, which trailed by only 23-21 after three quarters.
Minico (7-7, 3-1 league) visits Jerome (12-3, 2-1) in a battle for GBW supremacy. Meanwhile, Wood River hosts Burley (10-4, 2-1) tonight, Wednesday and Skyline of Idaho Falls (5-8) Friday, then goes to Jerome Tuesday. Skyline slipped past Hailey 47-39 in the Nov. 18 debut.
Boys visit Filer Thursday
Trying to snap a losing streak, the Wood River High School boys' varsity (1-7) heads to Filer (5-2) Thursday, Jan. 15 trying to avenge a 15-point home loss to the 'Cats Dec. 5.
Visiting Wood River played the Kimberly Bulldogs tough in the 16-16 first half last Friday, but Kimberly (7-2) outscored the Wolverines 20-11 in the third and coasted to a 52-39 win. Bryan Tidwell (11 points) and Greg Wakefield (9) led Hailey.
Carey cage teams pick up wins over Oakley
Gearing up for their big home games against the Mackay Miners Tuesday night, the Carey School boys' and girls' basketball teams enjoyed home victories over Oakley Saturday on the Panther floor.
With 20 points including three 3-pointers, leading Carey scorer Brett Adamson (15.7 ppg) reached the 20-point level for the fourth time in 10 games and notched his ninth double-digit effort in the 59-42 Carey boys' varsity win over Oakley.
Trevor Peck (11.0 ppg) chipped in with 14 points, Heith Adamson added 9 points, Dillon Simpson 6 and Wacey Barg 6 for Carey (7-3, 4-2 league). The Panthers remained unbeaten at home at 4-0 and won their third consecutive league game.
Friday night, Carey outscored Magic Valley Christian 57-31 at Jerome. Brett Adamson (22 points) and Trevor Peck (10) were top scorers. Others were Heith Adamson 8, Simpson 7 and Jacy Baird 6.
The Carey girls (8-5, 6-2 league) snapped a three-game losing skid with three triumphs last week—a forfeit win over Murtaugh, a 34-10 romp over Magic Valley Christian and a 60-30 decision over Oakley.
Carey, hitting a season high, out-pointed Oakley 23-9 in the first period and led 35-16 at halftime. Nine Panthers scored—Jessica Parke 16 points, Kayla Bailey 10, Amy Ellsworth 8, Shelby Hansen 8, Kelsey Green 7, Kelsey Reynolds 6, Chelsey Hunt 3 and Shurressa Rodriquez 2.
Several Panther JV players got additional varsity court time in Friday's 24-point win over Magic Valley Christian. Scorers were Parke 6, Micaela Adamson 6, Green 5, Hansen 5, Reynolds 4, Darby Northcott 4, Hunt 2 and Erika Zarate 2.
The Carey teams resume Northside Conference action at Bliss Thursday night and home against Camas County Friday, Jan. 16.
Cutthroat boys drop a pair
In other small-school basketball action, The Community School varsity boys struggled in two home losses at The Fish Tank—52-33 Thursday to the Twin Falls sophs and 55-24 Friday to Northside Conference powerhouse Richfield (7-1).
Tanner Flanigan (12 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals) had his best game in Thursday's 19-point loss to Twin Falls sophs. Other Cutthroat contributors were Casper Brun (8 points, 8 boards), Lucas Vorsteveld (6 points, 3 assists), Eddy Albarran (4 points), Paul Davis (2 boards, 2 assists) and Will Weston (2 boards).
Leading his team's outside shooting attack (nine 3-pointers), Tyler Wolters of Twin Falls (14 points) hit twice from behind the arc in a 15-2 third-quarter surge that erased a 24-23 Community School halftime lead. Chipping in was Grady Hepworth (12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals).
Richfield led 35-13 at halftime of Friday's league game. Chet Stephens (three 3-pointers) equaled his season-high with 9 points, Davis added 8, Vorsteveld 3, Brun 2 and Weston 2 points for the host Cutthroats.
The Cutthroats (2-7, 2-4 league) visited Murtaugh Tuesday and host Magic Valley Christian Friday, Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Sun Valley.
Wrestlers try their hand at Nampa tourney
Wrestlers from 47 Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and Wyoming high schools competed Friday and Saturday in the Rollie Lane varsity tournament and Mountain View JV meet, in Nampa.
Coach Tyson Young's Wood River Wolverines had 16 wrestlers entered in the two-day tourneys, five in the varsity meet and 11 in the JV ranks. Kasey Barker placed fifth in the JV 171-pound class and Juve Ruiz won the "B" bracket in the 171-pound JV contest.
Young viewed the tournament as an important learning tool, although he felt his young Wolverines need to show more confidence and the "will to fight when we are pushed."
He credited the JV wrestlers under the tutelage of Matt Nightingale and Derek Ruhter for making huge strides. Nightingale added the youngsters need to stay aggressive and wrestle the full six minutes.
Varsity: Nick Chase 1-2 at 130 pounds, Tanner Orchard 1-2 at 145, Andrew Orr 0-2 at 152, Alex Jones 1-2 at 160 and JJ Thomson 0-2 at 189 pounds.
Junior varsity: Kasey Barker 5-2 (with 3 pins) at 171, Juve Ruiz 2-0 at 171, Tyler Jaramillo 2-2 (2 pins) at 140, Zach Brown 2-2 at 112, Tyler Bartlett 1-2 at 103, Auden Ruhter 1-2 at 215, J.R. Hill 1-2 at 135, Andrew Beck 0-2 at 119, Conner Bennett 0-2 at 130, Zach Ezell 0-2 at 140 and Teague Ruhter 0-2 at 145.
