I know such a thought rankles big school fans but yes, Soda girls basketball has to be considered one of the top teams this year. It has been a good year for 2A schools. Malad volleyball took out several 5A and 4A teams in straight sets. Declo football on the back of Duncan would have given a lot of 4A and some 5A schools a good game as well.
Soda is very good. Saying they are the best in the state is a bit of a stretch. They beat Skyline 45-43. Rigby beat Skyline by 22. They have beaten some bigger schools, but they have not played the best or even any schools in the top five from the 4A or 5A levels Their best win is either Sugar or Copper Hills who beat Springville by 2. Century beat Springville by 20 plus in Vegas over Christmas break. Having watched Century play several Utah schools in Vegas and having a niece that plays 6A ball in Utah gives me a decent reference. The best test is simply watching the state tourney last year. Malad volleyball dominated 2A for the past 6-8 years and won the title this year. In a preseason tournament at Century they looked good but they were buried by Century and there was an obvious discrepancy in size and power between the two teams. Soda has size with the Ball sisters and some good guard play.. They would compete with most 4A schools this year and about half of the 5A schools. I don't think they would win the title in 4A and there is no way they could beat the top 5A schools. Watch the state tournament with open eyes and you will see an obvious difference in size and speed.
Wow Farmbo, according to your comparison, Soda beat Skyline by 2 and Malad beat Skyline by 15 so Malad is 13 points better than Soda. Right? Well I'm pretty proud of our lady dragons but I don't think that is the case. That's not to say Malad can't slip a win away from the lady cardinals once in a while in basketball just like the lady cardinals sneaked a win away from a great dragon volleyball team. Old rivalries create strange outcomes. Blame maxpreps for the best in the state comment, the rest of us just say the lady cardinals are a team to be reckoned with at any level.
As for the dragon volleyball team, check the Peg Peterson and Star valley tournaments. Also, more than one bigger school coach complimented Malad on being one of the ten best at any level. It's all a moot point until they play each other and there are some great teams this year, but please give the little schools their due.
I don't think Soda has much of a chance to beat a Century or Bonneville but clearly they could compete with and beat 95% of the 4 and 5a teams in the state. They beat Preston by double digits more than Century did.the first time. Century and Bonneville are in a class by themselves this year as is Mountain View. Sugar plays a bonifide wuzz schedule what a waste. They deserve a rotten egg for not scheduling a Bonneville or Century what a crappy job of playing down to their competition. Kudo's to Century and Soda for putting on their big girl pants.
I think criticizing Sugar for not scheduling bigger schools is a little harsh. I am sure most smaller schools, Soda included, would schedule up if they could. I would say it is the bigger schools who refrain from scheduling down. It is a lose lose situation for them even if it was against arguably one of the best teams in the state.
Grandpa, If you reread what I posted you will see that I did give Soda their "due". I am very impressed with the 44 game win streak. That is impressive at any level and they have beaten a some good teams along the way. My comment trying to add some context was in response to Axes saying that Soda had to be called the best team in the state at any level. I believe Soda would find it a lot tougher against the top five 4A schools and definitely against Mountain View, Lake City, Eagle etc etc from the 5A schools. I attended a small school and completely understand the chip on shoulder mentality that small school players, coaches and fans approach games against bigger schools with. My high school team played for a camp championship against the biggest teams in Utah at a summer camp and we took great pride in knowing a little school from Idaho could beat the likes of Alta and Skyline from Salt Lake. We then stumbled at state and settled for consolation in what used to be the A2 division. There is some really good girls basketball in the region and state this year and we are the ones who get to enjoy it. Highland and Century was a war last night with Baker scoring 34 for Highland and Njoku scoring 29 for Century. Minico has improved and added their big girl who was injured earlier and they should have beaten Century in Rupert last week. A really good team is going to miss the state tournament from the 4A Great Basin Ten conference. Century, Minico, Mountain Home and Preston are all deserving, but only 3 will go. Bonneville is 20-0, Blackfoot is 18-2 and one of them will have to have a playin game to make it to state. I would love to be at the Malad/Soda game tonight.(but I'm stuck at work) I think Malad will make it much closer than the first game in Soda. Does that district get two to state? I will be in the stands cheering for Soda if they make it to the championship game in Nampa.
Good information Farmbo. I was at the Century Minico game and it was close with Minico holding their own in rebounding and interior defense with great effort. Blackfoot is going to be great with an awesome freshman class and are really good. 4a is very good this year overall better than 5a outside of Mountain View. Century Blackfoot and Bonneville are elite.
OK, Century elite. Bonneville not even close! Who do they have on their schedule? They may have just finished 21-0 but didn't have a single team on their schedule that will do anything in the state tourney. 4A and 5A is extremely weak this year in District 6. Especially in district tourney they can't handle it. 2 other teams that are elite and proven Soda and Sugar!! Both top teams in the state. Proven wins over big schools in utah. Sugar beat Ridgeline (HANDLY) from utah who has big wins against top schools and haven't lost since they played Sugar. Sugar beat both Madison and Bonneville easily in the preseason jamboree. They couldn't handle Sugars defense. Unfortunately no big schools from this area will play sugar in the regular season. I don't think Sugar has gotten anywhere near the credit they deserve this year just because they lost 2 games to Soda. Even though they played Soda the closest anyone has. Soda is definitely the real deal and has proven it by beating big schools all season, same as Century. Sugar, Soda, and Century, could play with any team at 4a and 5a level. When it comes to state tourney, Eastern Idaho will be represented well!!
Agree spoons I have been saying that all year about Sugar I remember when they easily defeated Bishop Kelly last year. You were prophetic as Bonnevelle lost last night to Skyline. A team is only as good as their competion regardless of their record. I stated last year Sugar was and would be elite and needed to schedule elite 4 and 5a teams and they should get in the Christmas Timberline tourney. You need to talk to your coach and athletic director about your weak schedule. I also stand by my opinion that Soda on a given night could beat any team in the state. Not many people read sports boards.
You played a real good team in Ridgeline 15-2 4a Shelley Filer and Jerome are weak 6 out of conference games. Bonneville always disappoints in State with a great record the last 3 years but did not draw great teams this year in the timberline tourney and were not tested by alot of good teams this year other than Blackfoot and Highland.
Axes totally agree, I have spoke to the Sugar coach and she tries every year to schedule bigger schools but nobody wants to. It's unfortunate. It's a lose lose situation for the bigger schools. They lose it looks bad and they win it means nothing.
Another upset in 4a! Hillcrest over blackfoot. Does this mean a high possibility Bonneville has a perfect season and doesn't make it to state?! Who has the weakest schedule, apparently Bonneville!! The 4A and 5A teams in this area are weak this year and Bonneville hasn't been pushed at all. Century is the only 4 or 5A team that will make any noise in the state tournament.
Next year Rigby and Skyline and Blackfoot as well as Bonneville and Century of course would all be better if they schedule Sugar. Blackfoot and Century especially. No more Shelley Filer and Jeromes. I
appreciate your input Spoons that is as big of an upset as Rigby punching their ticket to state in 2 overtimes over Highland. 5a is very weak this year. Blackfoot is young and may come back as well as Highland and Bonneville but I don't know the tournament formats with automatic qualifiers. Only know Skyline's coach was suspended last night because the Shelley coach turned her in for playing a couple of jv players in a previous game because with sickness she only had 5 starters available and some needed a rest. That is a stupid bush league rule anyway and ought to be abolished thumbs down for a coach stooping so low as to turn in someone for it. At least that was the story told to me Skyline won without their coach on the bench. Heard they have some nice young players.
New season, new results. The loss to Hillcrest by Blackfoot and the loss by Bonneville to Skyline reminds me of 8 to 10 years ago when Hillcrest, Blackfoot and Bonneville all had undefeated regular seasons and failed to make it out of the district tournament. It is truly tough to beat the same team 3 or 4 times in a row unless you are head and shoulders better than them. Either Bonneville with a 20-0 record or Blackfoot with an 17-3 record will not be going to state. Hillcrest at 9-11 lost to Blackfoot by 15 and by 18 during the season and will now have to only beat Skyline to get to state. It is interesting to note that Hillcrest has lost to good teams for the most part, Century, Bonneville , Blackfoot and multiple 5A schools make up most of those losses. Skyline at 8-12 only has to beat Hillcrest to advance to state, but most of their 12 losses came to good teams also. Rigby , Blackfoot, Bonneville, Soda, Malad etc etc. Soda appears to be head and shoulders above the teams in their district and maybe the whole state on the 2A level. I have not seen Sugar this year, but have been very impressed by their length and skill the past few years at state. Century had to dig in and work hard to shake Poky last night. Poky got healthy just in time for districts and had won three in a row. Preston and Century should be a classic battle tomorrow. Preston has Dow and enough length to challenge Century. They are well coached and always improve as the season progresses. I believe there is one team in the state that is truly head and shoulders above the rest and that is Mountain View. They are winning night in and night out by 25 to 30 points against 5A competition.They have multiple D1 players that all returned from a top three team last season. Watch their game from 1/22 and see if you agree with me.
Having not seen Soda play this year, I waited until state tourney time to form my opinion. After watching most of the 4A, and then the championships on Saturday, I have to disagree that Soda is as good as the upper 4A teams. We will never know for sure until they get on the court together, but watching those teams, there is a clear difference between the 5 starters for Century, Middleton,& Blackfoot and that of Soda. Not to take away from Soda, but the defense those 4A teams played on each other would give Soda,(and Sugar for that matter) complete fits. I will give Soda their due, and if they were able to spend an entire season competing against good 3A or 4A schools, I think they would be competitive and even beat A LOT of the 4A schools, let alone the 3A schools. Just my opinion.
Axes, I respect most of your comments and opinions, but you are completely off base with Soda and the 5A teams. I sat five rows up from for the 1A through 5A games. Chuck is right on about the difference in speed, size and defensive pressure between the top 4A teams Century, Blackfoot and Middleton and the open space and open shots allowed by the defense in the 2A championship game. During the Middleton/Century game fans were repeatedly yelling "shoot the ball" to Middleton players. The problem was that they were never open because Century looked like pit bulls on every possession. Caldwell who average over 50 on the season had 26 points against Century. Blackfoot who average 55 had 42 points against Century. Soda is a very good team, and should be very proud of what they have accomplished. Sugar is great and led by one great player Knapp. Eagle and Mountain View are multiple levels above them. Meridian, Timberline, Boise are a full level above them. Eagle and Mountain View put on a show in the championship game. The size, speed and physicality difference between that game and the 2A game was like watching varsity and jv
I have never seen a better defensive effort by two teams than Middleton and Century with neither team having really an open 3 pointer. I agree with your assessment. Minico has the best player in the state and the worst at the same time in Stimpson whose turnovers at the end cost them the game in the final minute. It was apparent that Caldwell would not be able to compete with Century inside and especially loosing a 20 point scorer Valleyo in the last minute against Minico. All right Soda beat Copper Hills.they are 21-2 and the 2nd ranked 6a team in the state of Utah with Freemont #1 at 22-1.. Utah girls basketball is a levil or 2 above 5a in Idaho.
Corner Canyon has one of the best players in the Northwest 5 star Kemery Martin. They lost to Millenium Arizona beat Mater Dei California lost to Bonita Vista California and Soda Springs and Bingham. I agree about 2a but Soda beat Preston by more points than Century, beat Logan, an undefeated 3a powerhouse Sugar, twice and Skyline who ended Bonnevilles undefeated season. Not a bad resume for a 2a team. I based my opinion strictly on the
quality of their wins. Unfortunately I was unable to give them the sight test.
Corner Canyon and finally American Fork. Also easy wins over Logan and Preston. Certainly
a case could be made that this 2a team is among the best in the state any division.
I know such a thought rankles big school fans but yes, Soda girls basketball has to be considered one of the top teams this year. It has been a good year for 2A schools. Malad volleyball took out several 5A and 4A teams in straight sets. Declo football on the back of Duncan would have given a lot of 4A and some 5A schools a good game as well.
According to MaxPreps Soda is ranked #1 in the state and 76th in the country. Great job Soda Springs. Keep it up.
Based on their quality of schedule Soda rightly is the best team in the state any division.
Sugar is probably top 6 all divisions and they have kids on injured reserve.
Soda is very good. Saying they are the best in the state is a bit of a stretch. They beat Skyline 45-43. Rigby beat Skyline by 22. They have beaten some bigger schools, but they have not played the best or even any schools in the top five from the 4A or 5A levels Their best win is either Sugar or Copper Hills who beat Springville by 2. Century beat Springville by 20 plus in Vegas over Christmas break. Having watched Century play several Utah schools in Vegas and having a niece that plays 6A ball in Utah gives me a decent reference. The best test is simply watching the state tourney last year. Malad volleyball dominated 2A for the past 6-8 years and won the title this year. In a preseason tournament at Century they looked good but they were buried by Century and there was an obvious discrepancy in size and power between the two teams. Soda has size with the Ball sisters and some good guard play.. They would compete with most 4A schools this year and about half of the 5A schools. I don't think they would win the title in 4A and there is no way they could beat the top 5A schools. Watch the state tournament with open eyes and you will see an obvious difference in size and speed.
Wow Farmbo, according to your comparison, Soda beat Skyline by 2 and Malad beat Skyline by 15 so Malad is 13 points better than Soda. Right? Well I'm pretty proud of our lady dragons but I don't think that is the case. That's not to say Malad can't slip a win away from the lady cardinals once in a while in basketball just like the lady cardinals sneaked a win away from a great dragon volleyball team. Old rivalries create strange outcomes. Blame maxpreps for the best in the state comment, the rest of us just say the lady cardinals are a team to be reckoned with at any level.
As for the dragon volleyball team, check the Peg Peterson and Star valley tournaments. Also, more than one bigger school coach complimented Malad on being one of the ten best at any level. It's all a moot point until they play each other and there are some great teams this year, but please give the little schools their due.
I don't think Soda has much of a chance to beat a Century or Bonneville but clearly they could compete with and beat 95% of the 4 and 5a teams in the state. They beat Preston by double digits more than Century did.the first time. Century and Bonneville are in a class by themselves this year as is Mountain View. Sugar plays a bonifide wuzz schedule what a waste. They deserve a rotten egg for not scheduling a Bonneville or Century what a crappy job of playing down to their competition. Kudo's to Century and Soda for putting on their big girl pants.
I think criticizing Sugar for not scheduling bigger schools is a little harsh. I am sure most smaller schools, Soda included, would schedule up if they could. I would say it is the bigger schools who refrain from scheduling down. It is a lose lose situation for them even if it was against arguably one of the best teams in the state.
Corner Canyon with 2 losses is currently ranked 2nd in 6a in Utah and Copper Hills 2nd in 5a in Utah 44 and counting straight wins Soda.
Grandpa, If you reread what I posted you will see that I did give Soda their "due". I am very impressed with the 44 game win streak. That is impressive at any level and they have beaten a some good teams along the way. My comment trying to add some context was in response to Axes saying that Soda had to be called the best team in the state at any level. I believe Soda would find it a lot tougher against the top five 4A schools and definitely against Mountain View, Lake City, Eagle etc etc from the 5A schools. I attended a small school and completely understand the chip on shoulder mentality that small school players, coaches and fans approach games against bigger schools with. My high school team played for a camp championship against the biggest teams in Utah at a summer camp and we took great pride in knowing a little school from Idaho could beat the likes of Alta and Skyline from Salt Lake. We then stumbled at state and settled for consolation in what used to be the A2 division. There is some really good girls basketball in the region and state this year and we are the ones who get to enjoy it. Highland and Century was a war last night with Baker scoring 34 for Highland and Njoku scoring 29 for Century. Minico has improved and added their big girl who was injured earlier and they should have beaten Century in Rupert last week. A really good team is going to miss the state tournament from the 4A Great Basin Ten conference. Century, Minico, Mountain Home and Preston are all deserving, but only 3 will go. Bonneville is 20-0, Blackfoot is 18-2 and one of them will have to have a playin game to make it to state. I would love to be at the Malad/Soda game tonight.(but I'm stuck at work) I think Malad will make it much closer than the first game in Soda. Does that district get two to state? I will be in the stands cheering for Soda if they make it to the championship game in Nampa.
So Soda beat Malad by 3 more points than last time, in Malad this time. Thoughts?
Good information Farmbo. I was at the Century Minico game and it was close with Minico holding their own in rebounding and interior defense with great effort. Blackfoot is going to be great with an awesome freshman class and are really good. 4a is very good this year overall better than 5a outside of Mountain View. Century Blackfoot and Bonneville are elite.
OK, Century elite. Bonneville not even close! Who do they have on their schedule? They may have just finished 21-0 but didn't have a single team on their schedule that will do anything in the state tourney. 4A and 5A is extremely weak this year in District 6. Especially in district tourney they can't handle it. 2 other teams that are elite and proven Soda and Sugar!! Both top teams in the state. Proven wins over big schools in utah. Sugar beat Ridgeline (HANDLY) from utah who has big wins against top schools and haven't lost since they played Sugar. Sugar beat both Madison and Bonneville easily in the preseason jamboree. They couldn't handle Sugars defense. Unfortunately no big schools from this area will play sugar in the regular season. I don't think Sugar has gotten anywhere near the credit they deserve this year just because they lost 2 games to Soda. Even though they played Soda the closest anyone has. Soda is definitely the real deal and has proven it by beating big schools all season, same as Century. Sugar, Soda, and Century, could play with any team at 4a and 5a level. When it comes to state tourney, Eastern Idaho will be represented well!!
Agree spoons I have been saying that all year about Sugar I remember when they easily defeated Bishop Kelly last year. You were prophetic as Bonnevelle lost last night to Skyline. A team is only as good as their competion regardless of their record. I stated last year Sugar was and would be elite and needed to schedule elite 4 and 5a teams and they should get in the Christmas Timberline tourney. You need to talk to your coach and athletic director about your weak schedule. I also stand by my opinion that Soda on a given night could beat any team in the state. Not many people read sports boards.
Axes, do you happen to know what went on between Bonneville and Skyline last night?
You played a real good team in Ridgeline 15-2 4a Shelley Filer and Jerome are weak 6 out of conference games. Bonneville always disappoints in State with a great record the last 3 years but did not draw great teams this year in the timberline tourney and were not tested by alot of good teams this year other than Blackfoot and Highland.
Axes totally agree, I have spoke to the Sugar coach and she tries every year to schedule bigger schools but nobody wants to. It's unfortunate. It's a lose lose situation for the bigger schools. They lose it looks bad and they win it means nothing.
Another upset in 4a! Hillcrest over blackfoot. Does this mean a high possibility Bonneville has a perfect season and doesn't make it to state?! Who has the weakest schedule, apparently Bonneville!! The 4A and 5A teams in this area are weak this year and Bonneville hasn't been pushed at all. Century is the only 4 or 5A team that will make any noise in the state tournament.
Next year Rigby and Skyline and Blackfoot as well as Bonneville and Century of course would all be better if they schedule Sugar. Blackfoot and Century especially. No more Shelley Filer and Jeromes. I
appreciate your input Spoons that is as big of an upset as Rigby punching their ticket to state in 2 overtimes over Highland. 5a is very weak this year. Blackfoot is young and may come back as well as Highland and Bonneville but I don't know the tournament formats with automatic qualifiers. Only know Skyline's coach was suspended last night because the Shelley coach turned her in for playing a couple of jv players in a previous game because with sickness she only had 5 starters available and some needed a rest. That is a stupid bush league rule anyway and ought to be abolished thumbs down for a coach stooping so low as to turn in someone for it. At least that was the story told to me Skyline won without their coach on the bench. Heard they have some nice young players.
New season, new results. The loss to Hillcrest by Blackfoot and the loss by Bonneville to Skyline reminds me of 8 to 10 years ago when Hillcrest, Blackfoot and Bonneville all had undefeated regular seasons and failed to make it out of the district tournament. It is truly tough to beat the same team 3 or 4 times in a row unless you are head and shoulders better than them. Either Bonneville with a 20-0 record or Blackfoot with an 17-3 record will not be going to state. Hillcrest at 9-11 lost to Blackfoot by 15 and by 18 during the season and will now have to only beat Skyline to get to state. It is interesting to note that Hillcrest has lost to good teams for the most part, Century, Bonneville , Blackfoot and multiple 5A schools make up most of those losses. Skyline at 8-12 only has to beat Hillcrest to advance to state, but most of their 12 losses came to good teams also. Rigby , Blackfoot, Bonneville, Soda, Malad etc etc. Soda appears to be head and shoulders above the teams in their district and maybe the whole state on the 2A level. I have not seen Sugar this year, but have been very impressed by their length and skill the past few years at state. Century had to dig in and work hard to shake Poky last night. Poky got healthy just in time for districts and had won three in a row. Preston and Century should be a classic battle tomorrow. Preston has Dow and enough length to challenge Century. They are well coached and always improve as the season progresses. I believe there is one team in the state that is truly head and shoulders above the rest and that is Mountain View. They are winning night in and night out by 25 to 30 points against 5A competition.They have multiple D1 players that all returned from a top three team last season. Watch their game from 1/22 and see if you agree with me.
soda is as good as any 4a in the state and all but one 5a and Sugar is up there with the top 4a's
Having not seen Soda play this year, I waited until state tourney time to form my opinion. After watching most of the 4A, and then the championships on Saturday, I have to disagree that Soda is as good as the upper 4A teams. We will never know for sure until they get on the court together, but watching those teams, there is a clear difference between the 5 starters for Century, Middleton,& Blackfoot and that of Soda. Not to take away from Soda, but the defense those 4A teams played on each other would give Soda,(and Sugar for that matter) complete fits. I will give Soda their due, and if they were able to spend an entire season competing against good 3A or 4A schools, I think they would be competitive and even beat A LOT of the 4A schools, let alone the 3A schools. Just my opinion.
Axes, I respect most of your comments and opinions, but you are completely off base with Soda and the 5A teams. I sat five rows up from for the 1A through 5A games. Chuck is right on about the difference in speed, size and defensive pressure between the top 4A teams Century, Blackfoot and Middleton and the open space and open shots allowed by the defense in the 2A championship game. During the Middleton/Century game fans were repeatedly yelling "shoot the ball" to Middleton players. The problem was that they were never open because Century looked like pit bulls on every possession. Caldwell who average over 50 on the season had 26 points against Century. Blackfoot who average 55 had 42 points against Century. Soda is a very good team, and should be very proud of what they have accomplished. Sugar is great and led by one great player Knapp. Eagle and Mountain View are multiple levels above them. Meridian, Timberline, Boise are a full level above them. Eagle and Mountain View put on a show in the championship game. The size, speed and physicality difference between that game and the 2A game was like watching varsity and jv
I have never seen a better defensive effort by two teams than Middleton and Century with neither team having really an open 3 pointer. I agree with your assessment. Minico has the best player in the state and the worst at the same time in Stimpson whose turnovers at the end cost them the game in the final minute. It was apparent that Caldwell would not be able to compete with Century inside and especially loosing a 20 point scorer Valleyo in the last minute against Minico. All right Soda beat Copper Hills.they are 21-2 and the 2nd ranked 6a team in the state of Utah with Freemont #1 at 22-1.. Utah girls basketball is a levil or 2 above 5a in Idaho.
Corner Canyon has one of the best players in the Northwest 5 star Kemery Martin. They lost to Millenium Arizona beat Mater Dei California lost to Bonita Vista California and Soda Springs and Bingham. I agree about 2a but Soda beat Preston by more points than Century, beat Logan, an undefeated 3a powerhouse Sugar, twice and Skyline who ended Bonnevilles undefeated season. Not a bad resume for a 2a team. I based my opinion strictly on the
quality of their wins. Unfortunately I was unable to give them the sight test.