Region 9 girls basketball: Warriors survive scare in Cedar; Flyers, Thunder win

Written by E. George Goold
January 12, 2024
Dixie senior Averi Gledhill (31) steps on the baseline against Pine View in a Region 9 girls basketball game, St. George, Utah, Jan. 11, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Fans at Snow Canyon breathed a sigh of relief after the Warriors escaped an injury scare and came away with a win Thursday night on the road.

Leading scorer Olivia Hamlin rolled her ankle in the second half but told Cedar City News that she will be OK after the Warriors held on to beat the Reds.

Meanwhile, the girls teams at Dixie and Desert Hills both recorded wins as the early Region 9 schedule is underway.

Hurricane won a non-region game against Moapa Valley (Nevada) 56-48, improving to 8-6 overall and remaining at 1-2 in Region 9.

Snow Canyon 52, Cedar 46

The Warriors (12-1, 3-0) made a 13-0 run to start the game and never looked back in a wire-to-wire win over the Reds.

Snow Canyon’s Olivia Hamlin (23) drives against Cedar in a Region 9 girls basketball game, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 11, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, Cedar City News / St. George News

Junior guard Olivia Hamlin scored 15 of her game-high 20 points in the first quarter, including 12 of the Warriors’ first 13 points. By halftime, she had 20 points and two assists as Snow Canyon took a 27-16 lead at the break.

During the second half, Cedar steadily chipped away at the Warriors’ lead but could get no closer than five points. 

Cedar forward Annalyse Shimada made 13 points after halftime, with guard Gabby Gomez adding 11 during the Reds’ rally, including three 3-pointers. 

At one point, freshman guard Jaylin York was fouled shooting a 3-pointer and sank all three free throws to help the Reds get within striking distance.

Cedar, which had trailed by 11 after each of the first three quarters, outscored Snow Canyon 21-16 during the fourth quarter but was unable to close the gap.

Warriors guard Joey Jensen sank 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to help keep Cedar at bay.

Shimada finished with 19 points for Cedar, while Gomez added 14.

Adding to Hamlin’s 20, Snow Canyon’s Jensen ended up with 13 points while Kelly Howard and Kyza Andrews each contributed seven points.

Meanwhile, Cedar fell to 11-3 overall, 3-1 in region. 

– written by Jeff Richards

Dixie 54, Pine View 46

Dixie’s Brinlee Bennett (5) passes against Pine View in a Region 9 girls basketball game, St. George, Utah, Jan. 11, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

The Flyers (8-6, 3-0) held off a determined Panthers team, taking a narrow lead after halftime and then holding on to win in the Hangar.

Pine View didn’t make it easy as the Panthers fought to a 29-29 tie at the intermission.

Dixie’s defensive adjustments at halftime along with a game-high 20 points from Lala Faumuina were enough to keep the Flyers unbeaten in early Region 9 action.

The Panthers (2-12, 0-4) had four different shooters score one 3-pointer in the setback–Reese Gustin, Casey Morley, Isabel Jensen and Claire LeFevre.

Gustin finished with a team-high 15 points. Morley had nine, Jensen scored eight and LeFevre threw in five points for the Panthers.

Dixie’s Jaycee Bundy sank three 3-pointers and finished with 13 points in the win. Brinlee Bennett finished with nine for the Flyers including a 3-pointer. 

Desert Hills 54, Crimson Cliffs 32

Desert Hills’ Ashtin Hansen shoots against Crimson Cliffs in a Region 9 girls basketball game, St. George, Utah, Jan. 11, 2023 | Photo by Aaron Crane, St. George News

The Mustangs experienced a frigid shooting night in the Thunderdome while two Thunder players–Ashtin Hansen and Jenna Brown–paced Desert Hills to victory with 14 points apiece.

Desert Hills (5-7, 2-2) held Crimson to single-digit scoring in each of the first three quarters. A 42-20 Thunder lead at the start of the fourth quarter was too much for Crimson to overcome. 

Tess Peterson helped keep the Mustangs at bay with two 3-pointers and 10 points for the winners.

Kinsey Plewe led Crimson’s effort with 10 points.

Alyssa Whittaker and Ysabelle Martinez netted five points each and Summer Adams sank the only 3-ball of the night for the Mustangs (4-10, 0-4).

Region 9 girls basketball games, Tuesday, Jan. 16:

  • Dixie at Snow Canyon, 7 p.m.
  • Cedar at Pine View, 7 p.m.
  • Hurricane at Crimson Cliffs, 7 p.m.

 

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eric George Goold came to St. George News from southwestern Colorado, where he was a radio news reporter. He has been a journalist for over 20 years in five different states. He graduated with a master's degree in English from Kansas State University and writes nonfiction as well. Goold has been published in Sunstone Magazine and has done multiple public readings about local history. When he has free time, he enjoys chess, movies and dogs.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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