HYRUM – With two games left in region play, Ridgeline looked like the team playing for a region title against a Mountain Crest team with no region wins. The Mustangs had no answer for the Riverhawks as a 46-12 half time lead meant an early rest for the Ridgeline varsity starters on the way to a 81-36 win, the seventh double digit win and sixth by at least 14 points for the Riverhawks.
Kaden Cox could not miss for Ridgeline finishing with a game high 24 points, including six makes from deep, and his night ended early in the third quarter. Spencer Adams had 11 points, Jake Smith 10 and Josh Jackman 10 as the other double digit scorers. The Riverhawks had 11 different players score on the night.
Coach Kyle Day’s Ridgeline team had only been making just over five from deep a game for the season, but hit 12 on the road in Hyrum. The Riverhawks are outscoring teams by almost 20 points in region play and have now outscored their opponents in 24 straight quarters. The Riverhawks defense also continues to be strong in region, holding teams under 50 points in all but two games.
Mountain Crest continues to struggle to find offense. On Wednesday they scored single digit points in three of the four quarters. The Mustangs continue to start slow, trailing after the first period in eight of their nine region games. Preston Wiberg was the only double digit scorer for Mountain Crest, finishing with 13 on the night. Their second leading scorer was Nick Lefevre, who finished with six. The Mustangs only had three different scorers at half, but seven different players scored on the night.
Lefevre is the only senior in the varsity lineup for Mountain Crest with Tanner Bone and Caden Jones out for the season, Bone is still the team’s leading scorer. It has really bothered their offense in region play with seven of the nine loses by double digits and the closest of those seven the 11 point loss at Bear River this past Friday. The Mustangs were being outscored by 19 points a game before the 45 point loss to Ridgeline.
Coach Kevin Andersen’s Mustangs lost the turnover battle 10-6, seven at the half, though three of the Riverhawks’ turnovers came in the second half when the varsity starters had their night finished. After going 5-7 in non-region play, Ridgeline has hit their stride. The only Region 11 loss for Ridgeline was by two points at Sky View, and they now control their destiny to close out the season after Green Canyon upset the Bobcats 59-55.
Friday’s Games:
(15-5, 7-2) Sky View AT (2-17, 0-9) Mountain Crest
(13-8, 8-1) Ridgeline AT (14-5, 6-3) Logan
(9-11, 2-7) Bear River AT (11-10, 4-5) Green Canyon