School is out for the summer but sports games are always in session.  Teams might not be officially in season with their regular schedule of practices and games, but that doesn’t mean that the MHS athletes and teams are working to keep their play in shape.  Off season work plays a crucial part in honing skills, learning new angles, and perfecting the game.  Dragon athletes with a love for the game and a competitive spirit have been lacing up their shoes to do everything from the 100 mile club to hitting the weights to competing in long hot tournaments.

Football

New head football coach for the Malad Dragons Brady Price isn’t waiting for the season to start getting his players in shape.  Football is nothing if not a physically demanding game.  Those players that are fastest, strongest and in the best condition are the ones that will dominate on the field.  To that end, four days a week the members of the football team have been lifting weights in the morning to only come back in the afternoon to work on their speed and agility.  Even after several weeks of workouts, the team is still getting an average of about 25 players coming in, showing their own dedication and drive for the game.  

Getting in physical shape isn’t their only priority in the off season.  Working to learn and perfect their plays has been a top focus for the team as well.  Incoming freshmen began learning the plays as early as May before they started running them weekly in their workouts.

The MHS team just finished out their annual youth camp that included kids interested in playing football from kindergarten age to 8th grade. The camp included clinics in the morning and flag football games at night.  Breaking up 80 plus participants into several teams, the high school players took the roles as coaches.  The camp culminated in a 7 on 7 full contact football game played between Malad, American Falls and Marsh Valley. 

Reflecting on their summer efforts thus far and looking to the weeks ahead, Coach Price shared, “We are very excited for the year and are looking forward to our High School Team camp starting July 30th. Our season officially starts on August 12th. GO DRAGONS!”

Cross Country

If there is just one thing that XC Coach Tia Talbot asks of her runners is that they put miles in the bank over their summer break.  Getting in shape for a competitive running season isn’t something that just happens over night or even in a matter of weeks.  Consistent running and strengthening is key to having legs ready to race once the season begins.  

To help motivate and encourage her runners, Coach Talbot has created the 100 mile club, a badge of honor marking how many hundreds of miles ran over the summer. In the previous year, the team tallied up over 3,300 miles, a number they hope to surpass this year.  The coaches and athletes know that the preparation put in during the off months will be something that they can draw on for strength and will power as they race over the coming season.  

As a part of the Malad Welsh Festival the MHS XC team held the Dragon Half, a fundraiser featuring a half and quarter marathon.  Nearly half of the participants in the fundraiser were XC athletes, individually and collectively running impressive paces and races that are sure to help them see success in the future.

Girls Basketball

After a break for spring sports, the Lady Dragon ballers were ready to step back into the gym and play a little competitive summer ball.  The team hit June heavy with various leagues, camps, tournaments and jamborees.  WIth high hopes for the season, the players were willing to put in the time and step up to the competition.

The MHS team joined the Brigham City league where they took on several 5A and 6A Utah teams.  While it might have seemed like a situation set up for defeat, the Lady Dragons stepped up to play some high level basketball to walk away with a dominating record.  Competing in the American Falls tournament, they saw a variety of levels of teams, giving them added experience of what it takes to be a top notch team.  The MHS girls basketball team took home the win from the Butte County tournament, an eight team tourney that demanded their best hustle, work and drive.  Several Wednesday nights featured jamborees with a number of teams that allowed both the varsity and jv teams more game time experience.

A highlight for the athletes and coaches were the team and skill camps held both for the high school team and upcoming youth, the future players of Malad girls basketball.  Head Coach Trevor Jones says, “It’s always a blast to have the high school girls work with and help teach and coach the elementary and middle school age girls. Definitely a highlight of the summer is seeing the younger girls’ progression.

“June was busy between team camps, individual camps, 30 plus games, among lots of open gyms, training sessions and starting their 10,000 shot club.  It’s summer ball, a lot of work to do but it’s all part of the process. These girls have BIG GOALS this year. We can’t wait for the season to get here and watch them accomplish them.”

Boys Basketball

It has been a goal for the Dragon basketball coaches to put together a summer program that would get their team experience that would help them in their upcoming season.  In their third year under the new coaching staff, the team had enough players and interest for a solid three teams for every weekend of games and weekday practices.  

Head Coach Zach Beutler said, “We are beginning to see the endless hours that have been put in at the youth level facilitate a confidence and desire in the boys to put in the needed work to be competitive during the winter season.

“From Memorial Day through the end of June we were either in the gym everyday for a 2 hour practice or on the road playing games. In total we played over 60 games between freshman, jv and varsity. All 3 teams won more games than they lost but more impressive than the win/loss column was witnessing the boys work through fatigue, soreness and injuries and come together as a program.“

The Dragon basketball team looks to have a stacked schedule as they jump into their upcoming season.  And despite their young team they have high expectations and confidence that they will be able to play and compete with the other tough District 5 teams.

Boys & Girls Wrestling

The Dragon wrestlers have continued putting in the work on the mat throughout the off season. At the beginning of the summer season, USA Wrestling Idaho State was held in Twin Falls where wrestlers from all over Idaho competed in the two Olympic styles of wrestling, Freestyle and Greco. 

Placing in the top four at any weight class earned the high school wrestlers a spot on Team Idaho to compete at Nationals in Fargo. Drake Morrison, Oakley Maddox, Roper Higley and Dezirae Haven all earned their spot to compete at the largest high school Tournament in the country.  Maddox, Morrison, and higley traveled to the tournament in North Dakota this week with coaches Devin Morrison and Thomas Maddox, set to compete throughout the week.

Several wrestlers have traveled to camps all over Idaho as well as Utah and Nevada. Others have attended a camp in Caldwell; while Wade Clark, Morrison and Gabe Hooste trained with the coaching staff and teammates of Mizzou. Team Idaho put on a Fargo six day long prep  camp where Maddox, Morrison, and Higley trained alongside the best wrestlers in Idaho under the direction of the UVU coaching staff. 

The Lady Dragon wrestling program is continuing to grow and make progress as their wrestlers have competed and participated in various camps.  Over the summer months Desirae Haven has competed in six different tournaments, time on the mat that will lend crucial experience in her upcoming season.  Braylee Price took time to attend a girl’s only wrestling camp to gain valuable insights to female wrestling.  The team has held open practices where a handful of girls have been coming in to keep their skills sharp and perfect the moves they will count on come
season.

Summer wrestling makes winter champions and this team is working hard to reach their winter goals every day this summer.

Softball

Summer softball is a new thing for the MHS girls team.  While they have played on other various teams over the summers, the Lady Dragons have jumped into their own summer softball schedule.  It’s no secret that the team has dominated their regular season schedule for years on end.  This opportunity to play up against tougher teams in the off season is just what they have needed to learn how to take their game to the next level. 

Head Coach Bri Adams shared, “We’ve had the opportunity to play in a Monday night league this summer, playing double headers against other high school teams in the Logan area. It has been a really good learning opportunity for the girls. It’s been a great opportunity to play without pressure.”

The summer league has also been a great way to introduce some of the incoming freshmen to play with the team, making it a far easier transition come next spring. In addition to the Logan league, the team played in a tournament held in Bear Lake in June and where they took 3rd in the gold bracket.