Boys’ Basketball Whip-Around: Rockland exacts revenge; Wendell tops Soda Springs

EASTERN IDAHO — While attention has been pulled to the girls and ongoing district tournaments, local boys’ teams have reached the nitty-gritty portion of their regular season.

Much has yet to be decided with less than two weeks to make those decisions before the arrival of the playoffs.

In 1A, Rockland got revenge Tuesday against a Challis team that beat them at last year’s state tournament, to set up a conference-deciding game at Mackay. In 6A, Highland kept their winning ways stuck on automatic, with a sixth-straight victory setting the stage for their own monster matchup with Thunder Ridge. In 4A, the question remains: Can anyone stop Sugar-Salem? Teton will try to test them next week.

Soda Springs @ Wendell

Led by Co-Captains Jonathan and Jordon Swainston, the Trojans (16-1, 5-0) retained complete command of the 3A South East Idaho Conference with a 60-50 home victory over the Cardinals.

The Swainstons scored 16 points apiece to lead Wendel, who held a massive advantage after three quarters only to see Soda Springs and senior Cooper Thompson reel them in to make things interesting.

Thompson scored nine of his game-high 21 in the fourth — a period that saw the Cardinals outscore Wendell 24-5.

The huge run was not enough to undo what was a 55-26 lead heading into the fourth, though.

With just one conference game remaining on their schedule, the Trojans have secured the conference title and home-court advantage in the district tournament. Their next game will be at home Friday, when they host Kimberly.

Soda Springs, who has now lost back-to-back conference games — against Wendell and Declo (10-8, 5-4) — will host Malad (10-9, 3-3) Friday.

Century @ Rigby

The Trojans (6-12, 0-7), who entered Wednesday having lost five straight, had a get-right performance, beating the Diamondbacks (5-13, 0-3) 71-39.

With three games remaining on the regular-season schedule, Rigby will look to cobble some momentum together as it attempts to battle from the bottom of the 6A High Country Conference bracket when the district tournament starts.

Century has its own slide with which to contend. Having lost six in a row, the Diamondbacks face Pocatello (10-7, 2-1) Friday.

Grace Lutheran @ North Gem

Two teams that will have their work cut out for them in a district tournament that will feature three of the top 1A teams in the state, the Royals (12-4, 5-4) and Cowboys (3-14, 1-9), are trying to find more positives down the stretch.

Grace Lutheran put together another solid performance Wednesday with a 60-35 road victory over North Gem.

They were led by Garrett Grayson’s 15 points.

Next up for Grayson and the Royals is a Friday home game against Taylor’s Crossing (10-7, 6-3).

The Cowboys are also at home Friday, hosting Alturas Prep (0-10, 0-0).

Challis @ Rockland, Tuesday

The Bulldogs arrived in Nampa last season with championship aspirations, and carrying a 20-point victory over eventual champion Dietrich in their pocket. But they were edged out by an underdog Vikings team in the semis, and had to settle for a third-place trophy.

It took almost a year, but Rockland (17-2, 9-0) finally got its shot at revenge on Challis (9-10, 4-5) Tuesday night, and they “got a little anger out,” according to head coach Shae Neal, beating the Vikings 62-21.

The Bulldogs got 21 apiece from junior Xavier Parrish and senior Woodrow Lowder, who added 10 rebounds.

Challis was led by senior Ramey Rhoades, with nine points.

The Vikings will host the Watersprings Warriors (17-2, 7-1) Friday.

Rockland will be at Mackay Friday, facing the Miners (16-3, 6-2) with a win meaning a conference championship and home-court advantage for the district tournament.