North Summit 53, Draper APA 44
North Summit came into Friday hoping to be able to get back to the 2A championship game after falling to Kanab last year.
North Summit was led by the three-headed monster of Hayzlyn Murdock, Hartlynn Richins and Ellie Stephens, as they scored 51 of the team’s 53 points in their 53-44 win over Draper APA in the semifinals.
“There’s pressure trying to get back to this game and these girls handled it really well this year. We’ve just improved every week, and we just took it one game at a time and were going to try and finish this one tomorrow night,” coach Jerre Holmes said.
“They’re just a pleasure to coach and they’re willing to do everything they are asked to do and I just find the coaching so fun with this whole group of girls.”
Murdock led the way with 19 points and 12 rebounds, scoring at many clutch times when the team needed her the most while going a very efficient 6 for 7 from the free throw line.
Stephens added 18 points and 14 rebound to go along with an efficient 53% from the field. When Draper APA was able to contain Murdock and Richins they were able to turn to their reliable post player to keep the scoring rolling.
North Summit led by 11 going into the fourth quarter, but Draper APA made a late charge, going on a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to two with just minutes remaining.
The charge was led by 3-pointers from Aaliyah Baldwin and Samantha Kartchner, but Richins stepped up when it mattered most. With Draper APA needing to start fouling, Richins had seven late free throw attempts and made all seven.
“I don’t know what it was, but those free throws were big for us. We didn’t start off real well shooting free throws, but when we had to have them, we got them knocked down. I was so proud of how composed they were during that time,” said Holmes.
Richins ended the game with 14 points and 10 rebounds of her own while going 8 of 10 from the free throw line, helping clinch the Braves 53-44 win by ending on a 10-3 run to advance to the 2A championship game against South Sevier on Saturday.
South Sevier 45, Kanab 33
The Rams of South Sevier were able to get over their playoff hump.
The Rams beat the Kanab Cowboys 45-33 Friday in the 2A semifinals to advance to the state championship game for the first time in four years.
Taking down the defending 3-time champion Cowboys were not going to be easy, but the Rams knew they could after splitting the season series 1-1.
“They started their three-year run with us on this court in 2022, so we had to avenge that. We got it tonight,” said South Sevier head coach Tracy Johnson after coming out of the locker room soaked in Gatorade.
Leading the charge for the Rams was senior Sydnee Patterson who was in charge of the whole game, scoring 25 points on 8 of 13 shooting.
Patterson was able to outscore the Cowboys by herself in the first half, 14-13.
“One heck of a game she had,” Johnson said. “She loves it. Not so much the limelight, but she loves playing well for her teams and lifting them up with her.”
The Rams defensively were able to hold a normally potent Kanab offense to just 29% shooting for the night.
“We felt we had not been great this year on being able to pressure them. We knew that would be something that we could get them on because it takes Rylee Little out of the game,” Johnson said.
The Rams defense was able to hold Little to five total points in the first half on just 1 of 2 shooting. Little was able to break free in the second half and went on a personal 13-point run to bring the Cowboys within four before they were hit with a technical for having six players on the court.
After that, South Sevier went on to close the game on a 10-2 run to clinch its championship game berth.
South Sevier will play North Summit on Saturday at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield for a chance for its first championship since 2020 and its seventh overall.