Carey boys stretch win streak to 11
Building momentum for another state tournament quest, the Carey School boys' varsity basketball stretched its winning streak to 11 games and road mark to 8-2 with two more wins Thursday and Saturday.
Coach Dick Simpson's up-tempo Panthers (13-6, 7-0 league) shot 42% from the field and out-rebounded Lighthouse Christian Academy of Twin Falls 45-29 en route to a 66-41 Northside Conference home win Thursday. Dillon Cenarrusa (20 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals) had a big night.
In the first meeting of the two schools since November's State 1A Division 2 eight-man football championship won by Lighthouse, the host Panthers took command of a 9-9 game with a 12-0 run and never looked back. Carey had 18 steals and 19 assists while the Lions (7-11) committed 23 turnovers for the evening.
Other Carey leaders were Jack Cenarrusa (12 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists), Baley Barg (15 points, 5 boards, 4 steals), Garrett Lee (season-high 11 points, 6 rebounds), Sheldon Hansen (7 points, 3 boards, 2 steals), Chance Chavez (4 rebounds, 2 steals, 4 assists), Charlie Rivera (4 steals, 4 assists) and Patrick Baird (5 rebounds).
Saturday, Carey avenged an early-season three-point loss with a 47-38 road victory over the Hagerman Pirates (7-11). The Panthers (38% field, 13-for-19 free throws) held a slim 30-28 lead going into the fourth quarter and then outscored the Pirates 17-10.
Dillon Cenarrusa (12 points, 7 rebounds), Barg (9 points, 7 boards, 2 steals, 3 blocks), Baird (7 points, 3 boards), Jordan Dilworth (3 points, 4 assists) and Jack Cenarrusa (7 points, 4 rebounds) led the way for Carey.
Carey can clinch the regular-season Northside title and top seed for the league tourney opening Tuesday, Feb. 14 at Castleford with a home victory over Dietrich (15-2, 7-1) Friday, Feb. 10. It will be "Senior Night" for Panthers Baley Barg, Chance Chavez, Jack Cenarrusa, Dillon Cenarrusa and Charlie Rivera.
Cutthroats resume play
The Community School boys' varsity basketball team (6-9, 3-4 league) marks its own "Senior Night" Friday, Feb. 10 with a home game against the Camas County Mushers (5-12, 2-5) at 6 p.m, at The Fish Tank in Sun Valley. Honored will be Sun Valley seniors Will Brokaw and Henry Rickbeil.
Northside girls' hoops down to nitty gritty
At this week's Northside Conference girls' basketball tournament, the Carey High School and Camas County Mushers were hoping to lock horns once again—this time with a chance at the State 1A Division 2 tournament at stake.
No. 3 Carey (11-7) and No. 4 Camas County (13-7) needed to win their loser-bracket games Tuesday at Murtaugh in order to play in today's 6 p.m. third-place game on the same Red Devils floor. Carey played No. 5 Castleford (10-10) and Camas went against No. 7 Lighthouse Christian Academy (6-12).
The top-seeded teams in the Northside, unbeaten defending state champion Dietrich (20-0) and last year's state runner-up Richfield (16-5), won their semi-final games Monday. Dietrich beat Camas County 59-45 and Richfield nipped Carey for the third time this season, 40-31.
Sasha Kent (16 points) of Richfield and Carey's Jaide Parke (20 points, three 3-pointers) led their teams. For Dietrich, Cheyenne Hubert (19 points) led the way and Katelyn Peterson (21) paced Camas.
Dietrich, averaging nearly 60 points per game, and Richfield will tangle today at 7:30 p.m., the winner automatically qualifying for the State 1A Division 2 tournament Thursday, Feb. 16 in Nampa. Dietrich won both previous meetings, 51-32 at home and 36-32 at Richfield.
If Carey and Camas won their games Tuesday and advanced to today's loser-out game, the winner of today's contest advances to a pivotal second-place game Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. at Murtaugh. Thursday's second-place winner makes state, while the loser meets the Boise-area runner-up in a state play-in Saturday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m. at Glenns Ferry.
The Community School (0-14) saw its season draw to a close with a 33-18 loss to Bliss (4-13) in Thursday's Northside tourney play-in game at Murtaugh. Ella Marks (9 points) and Chloe Chrysikopoulos (4) led the Cutthroats.
Carey defeated host Murtaugh 63-35 in its first-round game Saturday with 11 Panthers scoring points topped by Jaide Parke (15), Micaela Adamson (14), Nicole Gomez (9) and Morgan Parke (6).
Heiden wins 182-pound title at Challis
Wood River High School junior Thomas Heiden won the 182-pound championship Saturday to highlight his team's effort at the nine-team Challis Invitational wrestling meet.
Coach Shawn Huntington's Wolverines had 10 wrestlers place in the top six—five making the finals. Minico of Rupert, last year's Great Basin 4A Conference champ, nipped perennial State 2A contender Challis 200-193 in team totals.
Wood River placed fifth with 153 points behind Salmon (181.5) and West Jefferson of Terreton (165).
Second-place finishers for WRHS were junior Tim Boyle at 113 pounds behind R.J. Cotant of Challis; sophomore Cooper Bailey at 120 behind 2011 State 2A placer T.J. Thacker of Ririe; senior Jeremiah Linderman at 220; and junior Chris Carnes at 285.
Wrestling to third places were senior Andrew Beck at 120 and junior Tommy Bailey at 145. In fourth place was junior Storm Anderson at 170.
Fifth-place Hailey finisher was sophomore Kyle Clark at 138 and sixth-place wrestler was senior Zach Brown at 152 pounds.
Wood River has only one dual meet remaining prior to the Feb. 15 Great Basin Conference tournament at Canyon Ridge in Twin Falls, but it's a tough one at Jerome today, Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 6 p.m.
Carey High School junior Garrett Lee drives to the basket during his team’s 40-36 home league win over the Castleford Wolves Jan. 17. Lee tallied a season-best 11 points last Thursday when the Panthers routed the Lighthouse Christian Academy Lions 66-41 on the Panther hardwoods. Photo by David N. Seelig
