Prep Sports - The Salt Lake Tribune

Tribune power rankings • Prep girls’ basketball

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:31:02 MDT

Tribune power rankings • Prep girls’ basketball

Published Feb 11, 2012 08:31PM MDT

Class 5A 1. Syracuse • Weber’s 12-point loss to Titans was closest anyone has come in 5A 2. Riverton • Relaxed a bit but resumed urgency against region rival Bingham 3. Layton • Claims the best defense in 5A, allowing less than 35 points per game 4. Taylorsville • Viewmont gave them a better challenge, but still 9-0 in region 5. Alta • Getting scary how balanced Hawks have looked in recent games Class 4A 1. Cyprus • No team can rack up steals like the Pirates 2. Bonneville • Quietly beat ...

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Tribune power rankings • Prep boys’ basketball

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:22:03 MDT

Tribune power rankings • Prep boys’ basketball

Published Feb 11, 2012 08:22PM MDT

Class 5A 1. West Jordan • Looked the part of title contender in solid road win at Alta 2. Lone Peak • Knights must keep wits about them when Nick Emery struggles 3. American Fork • Beating Lone Peak was a needed mental edge for playoffs 4. Alta • Hawks are a great team but have trouble defending star players 5. Northridge • Time to believe the Knights can do postseason damage Class 4A 1. Orem • Between Nixon, Darger and Pollard, there’s no tougher offensive frontcourt 2. Bountiful • Held p...

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Prep swimming: Bengals ride team effort to girls’ 5A title

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:26:02 MDT

Prep swimming: Bengals ride team effort to girls’ 5A title

By Kyle Goon The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Feb 11, 2012 06:26PM MDT

Provo • There wasn’t a star this year for the Brighton girls’ swimming team. The Bengals came into the Class 5A swim meet knowing everyone would have to pull her own weight. That mantra carried over to the second day of competition, when Brighton found itself down to Bingham and at risk of failing to defend its state title. “We were kind of hoping the second day would be our stronger one,” senior captain Whitney Kennedy said. “I told the underclassmen that this is it. They have to give it all.” ...

Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Prep swimming: Led by Long Gutierrez, Brighton boys dominate

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:18:03 MDT

Prep swimming: Led by Long Gutierrez, Brighton boys dominate

By Kyle Goon The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Feb 11, 2012 06:18PM MDT

Provo • It’s hard to believe, but Long Gutierrez breaking his elbows in the offseason made him a better swimmer. The Brighton junior didn’t have the top seeding times in any of his events, and headed into the Class 5A state meet at BYU with what amounted to half a season under his belt. But somehow, he willed himself to win every event he swam, and broke a pair of his own records in the 200 medley and 100 butterfly along the way. “It was more motivation for me,” he said. “I was definitely worrie...

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Girls’ basketball: Westlake upsets Skyline in overtime

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:24:20 MDT

Girls’ basketball: Westlake upsets Skyline in overtime

By Kyle Goon The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Feb 10, 2012 11:24PM MDT

Shannon Jenson wanted to kick herself. The senior forward stepped up to the free throw line with 2.9 seconds left, the game tied — the perfect situation to be the hero for Westlake against region-leading Skyline. Clank. Clank. Overtime. “I thought I had lost the game for my team,” she said. Luckily for Jenson, she and her Westlake teammate got a second chance to knock off the Eagles. Reaching the foul line in overtime, Jenson nailed both shots to extend the lead — two of her 21 points — Jessica...

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Prep swimming: Bingham girls, Brighton boys lead 5A meet

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:24:20 MDT

Prep swimming: Bingham girls, Brighton boys lead 5A meet

By Rich Winter Special to The Tribune

Published Feb 10, 2012 11:24PM MDT

Provo • While the orange and blue swim caps of Brighton and Bingham saw their familiar places on the podium, it was Alta junior Brianna Francis who stole the show on day one of the Class 5A state swim meet. Francis teamed with Hailey Wilkinson, Alicia May and Taylor Coffey to capture relay gold in the 200-yard medley relay. Less than an hour later, Francis swam the fasted 200 individual medley in Utah high school history. “It feels amazing that all of our hard work paid off,” said Francis. “I ...

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Prep boys’ basketball: West Jordan surges past Alta

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:24:20 MDT

Prep boys’ basketball: West Jordan surges past Alta

By Nicholas J. Pappas Special to The Tribune

Published Feb 10, 2012 11:24PM MDT

Sandy • Early in the third quarter, West Jordan senior Jordan Loveridge raced down the court trailing a fast break. He followed up a missed shot with a one-handed, rim-rocking dunk. The star forward turned around and screamed, eliciting a chorus of boos from the Alta crowd and chest bumps from his teammates. The dunk didn’t count — a foul was called prior — but the emotion was a signal that the Jaguars were ready to take control. After trailing by three at halftime, West Jordan outscored Alta 2...

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Boys’ basketball: American Fork breaks through with win over Lone Peak

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:24:20 MDT

Boys’ basketball: American Fork breaks through with win over Lone Peak

By Marc Buchanan Special to The Tribune

Published Feb 10, 2012 11:24PM MDT

American Fork • It took 13 tries and six years, but the American Fork boys finally registered a basketball victory over rival Lone Peak with a 58-50 victory. It was the first region loss for the Knights since 2010 and gave the Cavemen their fifth straight win with the state tournament quickly approaching. “A lot of teams have long losing streaks to those guys because they are a good team, but we didn’t give up,” said American Fork coach Doug Meacham. “We thought we were supposed to win and kep...

Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Prep diving: West, Highland divers win state titles

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:02 MDT

Prep diving: West, Highland divers win state titles

By kyle Goon The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Feb 9, 2012 05:28PM MDT

Provo • Nathan Makarewicz saved his best for last. The West junior’s final pair of dives wasn’t his most difficult, but his rotations were sharp, and his form was as good as it got at the high school state diving meet Thursday at BYU. Makarewicz beat out Jordan senior and rival Trayton Speth to win his third consecutive title. “I thought my dives at the beginning were good, and the ones at the end were good,” he said. “The ones in the middle weren’t my best. But I tried not to pay attention to w...

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Prep girls basketball: Juan Diego Soaring with the help of the Mills twins

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:07:06 MDT

Prep girls basketball: Juan Diego Soaring with the help of the Mills twins

By Rich Winter Special to The Tribune

Published Feb 9, 2012 05:07PM MDT

Sandy • Juan Diego basketball players Monique and Dominique Mills are just about like any normal teenagers. Shy and quiet around strangers, the 5-foot-10-inch forwards prefer to let their games do the talking. Throw out a topic like who’s better at what, though, and suddenly the room lights up. “Our games are pretty similar, but Dominique doesn’t have a jump shot like I do,” said Monique Mills. Younger by one minute, Dominique Mills begrudgingly gives her older sister the nod. “Her shot’s a litt...

Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Prep swimming: Brighton teams ready to defend their crowns

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:07:06 MDT

Prep swimming: Brighton teams ready to defend their crowns

By Kyle Goon The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Feb 9, 2012 05:07PM MDT

There was a time this season when the Brighton swim team was constantly roaming. One day practice would be at Skyline, another day at Park City. With all the bouncing around, the Bengals would struggle to swim to their potential. Now at the week of the state meet, everything is as it should be. The Bengals are back at the renovated Cottonwood Recreation Center. And once again, both the boys and girls squads appear to be prepared for a title defense. “This being my senior year, it’s our last hoo...

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Prep girls basketball: Tess Matagi gives Wolverines a second threat

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:41:36 MDT

Prep girls basketball: Tess Matagi gives Wolverines a second threat

By Parker Lee Special to The Tribune

Published Feb 9, 2012 04:41PM MDT

The rap on the Hunter girls basketball team is that the Woverines have one good player — Dezz Ramos. Shut her down and you shut the whole team down. That may have been the case early in the season, but not anymore. The Wolverines have found another contributor, sophomore Tess Matagi. She said she knew coming into the season that her team would need her to be a key component. “Playing last year as a freshman, I knew that I would have to step up this year,” Matagi said. “Last year showed me that h...

Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Gatorade honors Alta soccer player Murphy

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:04:02 MDT

Gatorade honors Alta soccer player Murphy

The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Feb 9, 2012 02:04PM MDT

Chicago -- Michele Murphy of Alta High School has been named Gatorade's 2011-12 Utah girls soccer player of the year. Murphy is the third Alta player to receive the award, which recognizes athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character. She is now a finalist for national player of the year honors, which will be announced in May. Murphy led the Hawks to a 19-1 record and the Class 5-A state championship this season. She scored 37 goals and finished w...

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Boys’ basketball: Judge beats Wasatch to capture Region 10 title

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:40:03 MDT

Boys’ basketball: Judge beats Wasatch to capture Region 10 title

By Rich Winter Special to The Tribune

Published Feb 8, 2012 10:40PM MDT

For Judge Memorial seniors Jacob Gondrezick and Alex Mancini, Wednesday’s game against Wasatch was more than just a game. It was about playing with the heart and toughness that so many of Judge’s region championship teams before them had done. Gondrezick scored a team-high 17 points, while Mancini contributed a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds as Judge Memorial captured the Region 10 title with a 54-43 win over Wasatch. “All week we talked about toughness and tonight guys stepped up,...

Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Prep girls’ basketball: East struggling, but Roemer becoming a star

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:59:07 MDT

Prep girls’ basketball: East struggling, but Roemer becoming a star

By Jon Clifford Special to The Tribune

Published Feb 8, 2012 12:59PM MDT

East High’s Madison Roemer is making a habit out of delivering memorable performances in an otherwise forgettable season. Entering the week, the junior guard led the Leopards in scoring (16 points per game), rebounding and steals. But it’s been hard to focus on those numbers, on her double-doubles and her 20-rebound game, when the bigger numbers hang overhead on the scoreboard: • A 21-point loss to Cyprus. • A 17-point loss to Clearfield. • An 18-point loss to Bountiful. • A 36-point loss to Wo...

Girls’ basketball: Cyprus beats Woods Cross on the road

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:50:24 MDT

Girls’ basketball: Cyprus beats Woods Cross on the road

By Kyle Goon The Salt Lake Tribune

Published Feb 8, 2012 10:50AM MDT

Woods Cross • It’s looking more and more as though the state title could go through the Cyprus girls’ basketball team this year. And after an impressive road victory Tuesday, it will be in solid position to make a run. The Pirates (18-1) all but sealed up the Region 6 title with a gritty 42-39 win against Woods Cross. The rematch on the Wildcats’ home court was slower paced and closer than their previous competition, but opportunistic defense and a few fast breaks helped put Cyprus on top. Las...

Prep basketball: Bountiful serves notice it is aiming for top again

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:50:24 MDT

Prep basketball: Bountiful serves notice it is aiming for top again

By Nicholas J. Pappas Special to The Tribune

Published Feb 8, 2012 10:50AM MDT

When the Bountiful Braves walk onto the floor, the first thing opposing teams notice is their size. The boys team boasts eight players over 6-foot-5, and they use every inch to its advantage. In last week’s 4A championship game rematch, Bountiful held region rival Highland to its lowest output of the season — a paltry 27 points. It was a statement game, the kind that puts everybody in 4A on notice that the Braves are once again aiming for the top. “Our goal is to get back. We want to get to th...

Boys’ basketball: Alta nearly squanders 22-point lead over Jordan

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:50:24 MDT

Boys’ basketball: Alta nearly squanders 22-point lead over Jordan

By Parker Lee Special to The Tribune

Published Feb 8, 2012 10:50AM MDT

Sandy • For three quarters of play, the Alta boys’ basketball team dominated Jordan. The Beetdiggers nearly pulled off a spectacular fourth-quarter comeback, but Alta senior forward Jarett Anderson helped the Hawks to hold on for the 73-62 victory. Entering the fourth quarter, Alta had a comfortable 22-point lead. It took Jordan only four minutes to go on a 21-2 run to make it a one-possession game. Anderson said the Hawks were just coasting because they thought the game was in the bag. “We com...

Prep swimming: Weber’s back on top in Region 1

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:22:32 MDT

Prep swimming: Weber’s back on top in Region 1

By Nicholas J. Pappas Special to The Tribune

Published Feb 8, 2012 09:22AM MDT

In 20 years of coaching the swim team at Weber, Bill Cruff has seen highs and lows. He led the girls team to a six-year reign of Region 1 starting in 2003 and led the boys to titles in 2008 and 2009. Since 2009, though, the pool has belonged to Viewmont. The Vikings were undefeated in the region championships for three straight years. This year, Viewmont is gone — realigned to Region 2. The move cleared the lane for Weber to start another dominating streak. The Warriors swept the region champio...

Prep girls basketball analysis • West Valley

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:05:03 MDT

Prep girls basketball analysis • West Valley

By Parker Lee Special to The Tribune

Published Feb 7, 2012 09:05PM MDT

Cyprus’ dominance continues Three players scored in double figures for Cyprus as the Pirates defeated Highland 52-35 on Friday. It was the 13th consecutive win for the Pirates, and their 17th win in 18 games. Entering the week, Cyprus had won all of its region games by at least 13 points. With the regular season wrapping up on Tuesday, staying healthy has to be the biggest goal for the team right now. Granger taking advantage of Viewmont slump Granger has won two of its past three games and is...