RiverHawks roll to 3A semifinals

LOGAN – The Ridgeline High basketball team advanced to the 3A state semifinals after a convincing 67-39 win over Carbon in the quarterfinals Thursday at Utah State University. Seniors Jaxon Brenchley and Theron Wallentine each had 12 points in the victory. Dallan Larsen and Landon Brenchley added 10 points apiece.

“It was a great win, a team win,” Jaxon Brenchley said after the game. “Our crowd was great.”

Ridgeline started fast and had a 15-5 lead by the end of the first period. As the first half was winding down the lead had grown to 16, but a 5-0 run by Carbon set the halftime score at 29-18.

Ridgeline’s lead grew quickly early in the second half, but Carbon started to gain momentum. That is when RiverHawk junior Sam Weda hit a trey from the left corner to get the Hawks going again.

“Sam played really good today,” Jaxon Brenchley said. “We need his energy all the time. He brings great energy on defense.”

The semifinal game will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Desert Hills, who beat Stansbury 62-55 Thursday. Ridgeline is familiar with Desert Hills; the RiverHawks met up with the Thunder in St. George in December. Ridgeline came away with a 64-52 win, but Jaxon Brenchley isn’t anticipating a another win to come easy. He said he thinks Ridgeline got lucky with some uncharacteristic poor shooting from Desert Hills last time out.

“We got down by like eight in the first half,” he said. “They kind of missed a lot of shots. They kind of went cold.”

Brenchley said Desert Hills is a team that is big and long on defense, likes to shoot 3s and attack with talented point guards

“We’ll go back and watch some film on them tonight and see more of what they’re about,” he said.

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