Taking on conference opponents Declo and Soda Springs, the Lady Dragons collected two more crucial wins that put them at the top of the 3A 5th district.  Maintaining that position, their goal as they finish out the season, will play a big part as they move into the postseason tournaments.  Until that part of the season, the MHS team plans to just take it one game at a time.

Playing the Declo Hornets for the first time this season, the Lady Dragons dominated the 32 minute game.  Allowing them to score only 1 point in the first quarter and 2 in the second, the Lady Dragons led at the half, 32-3.  Malad tacked on 14 more points in the third quarter, giving up 5 to make it a 38 points lead going into the final quarter.  Coming off the bench, Paityn Ward led the scoring, putting up 14 points on their way to the 53-15 victory.  Izzy Haycock added 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 steals.

 Preparing for their scheduled games, Malad knew that of the two games, their competition against Soda Springs would by far be the greatest challenge and would be far more influential in deciding the remainder of their season. 

If there was one thing the Lady Dragons were sure to expect from the Cardinals was a scrappy, high pressure, fast paced game.  Soda Springs played their signature full court trapping defense that provided a number of challenges for Malad.  Fortunately, the skilled MHS team was ready for the challenge and found a number of ways to exploit the weaknesses of their defense and turn them into scoring opportunities.

Early in the game, Brynnlee Jones inbounded the ball to Haycock, hitting Mikell Keetch farther down the court.  Finding Kiley Miller open on the short corner, Keetch passed the ball.  With the defense collapsing in, Miller kicked back out to Keetch for the three pointer.  On their next possession, Keetch dribbled into Malad territory, drawing the defense to her and leaving Liv Nelson open on the block.  After the quick pass, Nelson added two more points for the
Lady Dragons.

Starting into the second quarter, Soda Springs ditched the full court defense, likely because they gave up too many points, collected too many fouls, and were too tired from racing up and down the court to keep up with Malad.  The change of tactics by the Cardinals did little to change the game for the Lady Dragons as they continued to attack the hoop on offense and then play lock down man to man defense, allowing them to maintain their lead 23-19.

Malad stepped up their game as they began playing the third quarter.  Whether they snagged the defensive rebound, stole the ball or forced the turnover, the Lady Dragon defense played into their scoring offense.  With nearly every possession, they scored off quick transitions, never actually needing to organize into a set offense.  Their explosive third quarter expanded their lead to 41-27.

The game was hardly over with one final quarter left to play.  To maintain their lead, the MHS team would have to play patient, disciplined offense while bringing a tough, relentless defense.  Over the final 8 minutes of the game, Malad allowed Soda Springs to only put up 6 points- one 3 point shot and 3 free throws.  In contrast, the Lady Dragons scored an additional 13 points, the last an uncontested three pointer by Haycock to extend their lead to 21 points.

The win over Soda Springs was more than just a regular season conference win.  Head Coach Trevor Jones shared, “Soda Springs has had a strong program for years and this was the first time Malad has won in Soda Springs since the 2011-2012 season.”  The exciting win advanced the Lady Dragons to a 14-1 record.

The Lady Dragons have only 6 games to end their regular season.  The next look to play the Firth Cougars in Firth Tuesday, January 14, a team they had previously beaten in the Ririe tournament.  Friday, Malad will host Aberdeen for their second game of the season before playing Wendell on Saturday, January 18.