‘This is our shot:’ Mackay headed back to the state tournament at full strength
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RIRIE – It’s a claim a lot of teams wish they could make this time of the season.
The Mackay Miners are headed into the state tournament healthy.
“We’re happy how we’re playing,” coach Josh Pehrson said after the Miners knocked off Leadore 47-37 to win the 1A District 5-6 tournament and earn their berth to the 1A state tournament.
“Every year we’ve gone to state we’ve had somebody injured or had something going on,” he said. “We just couldn’t get over the hump. This is our shot. We got no excuses.”
Mackay (19-2) put the Mustangs away with a 20-2 run that spanned most of the second quarter and into the third.
Leadore (15-4) eventually pulled within 38-31 in the fourth, but couldn’t overcome the deficit.
The Mustangs will play Rockland at Ririe High on Saturday with the winner earning the district’s second berth to the state tournament.
As players cut down the net and celebrated, Pehrson noted that the core group of players have been to the state tournament the past two seasons and come away 0-4.
With an experienced lineup returning and Makelle Holt coming back from injury after more than a year away, Pehrson said the timing for a trophy run was now.
“I believe we’re the best team in the state and if we play together we have a chance to win the whole thing,” senior Alyssa Pehrson added.
Alyssa Pehrson led the Miners with 15 points and hit three 3-pointers.
She was instrumental in the team’s 20-2 run that all but sealed the win.
“It was just us playing our game,” she said. “We pushed the ball a lot.”
Danika Seefried added 11 points for Mackay, whose only two losses this season have been to 2A state challenger Butte County.
Azelynn Jones topped Leadore with 11 points.
Rockland 45, Challis 41
The second-seeded Bulldogs held off the Vikings to advance to play Leadore on Saturday for the district’s second berth to the state tournament.
Freshman Mahana Hatch led Rockland (17-7) with 25 points.
Danika Wolfenbarger topped Challis (9-11) with 20 points.
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