Girls Basketball

 The Lady Dragons had a growing season as they finished out their ‘22-’23.  If their season was to be described in a few words it would be Resilient and Determined and Relentless.  As they finished out the season, earning some big wins against teams that had previously beat them.  

In one of their first games of the season, Malad fell to Ririe, losing by nearly 30 points.  Nearly one month later, the Lady Dragons not only kept up with the Bulldogs but beat them 57-42. Similarly, going to Aberdeen was a frustrating disappointment when they weren’t able to hit their shots and fell to the Tigers, 55-57.  But when the Tigers traveled to Malad, the Lady Dragons were determined and ready for them, taking the win 64-47.  

Head Coach Trevor Jones shared, “It was a tough one to let slip away but even in a loss it’s fun to see the girl’s determination and bounce back.  They don’t have any quit in them.  We teach the girls in life and in basketball there will always be turnovers, missed shots, and losses- those are constants.  But the most important thing is how we react!  We keep our heads up, try harder, and make the most of the next situation.”

That same resilience, determination, unrelenting drive has been a crucial factor as they start into the ‘23-’24 season.  With a successful summer of camps and tournaments, the Lady Dragons came into the winter season better prepared to jump into the new season.  Highlights of the first half of their season include winning the Ririe Bulldog Shootout tournament, tying the all time high record for points in a game and coming into the Holiday break with an impressive 10-1 record.

Boys Basketball

Throughout the seasons of the 2023 year, the Dragon basketball team has been plagued with illness and injury that has kept them from playing at their very best.  Despite that, the team is making incredible progress as they build a program that will be competitive at all levels, in basketball and in life.

Focusing on tough, fundamental basketball, the Dragons are becoming a disciplined team that will be a threat up and down the court, on offense and on defense.  Head Coach Zack Beutler commented, “The growth we have seen in these boys since May of 2022 when our coaching staff was established has been huge. We have seen this growth both on and off the court. We are optimistic headed into district play that the adversity we have experienced will be for our good. The boys have identified 6 actionable goals that they focus on each day and they hold each other accountable.”

“We have had quite the struggle with injuries and illness. We haven’t had the opportunity to compete in a single game with all of our main rotation varsity guys yet this season. We are hopeful that come January 5th when we square off vs Grace that we will have everyone available and healthy.”

Over the year the team has worked not only to strengthen and build their own MHS team, but to also give back to the youth program that will become future Dragon basketball teams.  That interaction gives an exciting perspective to the game that has driven the players at all levels of the game.

Dragon Wrestling

Since 1994, the Malad Dragon Wrestling team has established a remarkable and exciting record as they have won every District 5 Tournament except three.  On the evening of Friday, February 17, the team added one more year to their impressive total as they were crowned the 2022-2023 district champions once again, making it 26 district titles in 29 years. 

Their District win was a strong start to their post-season tournament run that transitioned into an impressive showing at the State matches.  Over the course of the 3 day tournament, the MHS athletes worked their way into the medal standings to bring home the 2A 4th Place Trophy, placing ahead of 12 other teams in the 2A division.  Aside from the team trophy, Malad had eight individual state medalists at the end of the long, challenging tournament.

For the first time in Dragon Wrestling history, Malad had their first sanctioned Lady Dragons wrestling team.  They saw an incredible start to their program with only five girls on the team, led by Head Coach Russ Clark.  At the end of season tournaments, Coach Clark  commented saying, “Lady Dragon wrestling is growing and having these amazing young ladies compete at the state level is an exciting accomplishment for our team.  We are very proud of these girls as well as the other girls that have joined the team.  We are young and we are excited to grow women’s wrestling in Malad.”

Senior Cambree Howe not only finished her season with a bid to the state tournament, but also earned a scholarship in women’s wrestling to Ellsworth CC in Iowa City, Iowa.  I knew what I had to do and that was to show up and work.  And it really did pay off in the end!”

Drill Team

The MHS Drill team competed in multiple events throughout the 2023, culminating in the District and State Dance Competitions.  In their District competitions, the Dragonettes competed against both 2A and 3A teams since not enough 2A schools have dance teams.  The team performed routines in Hip Hop, Kick, Military and Dance categories.  They proudly took 1st place in Hip Hop, 2nd place in Kick,  2nd place in military and 3rd place in Dance. 

Placing in each of their dance categories, the team qualified for the Idaho State Dance Championship Saturday, February 11 in Boise.  The hard work, dedication, patience and perseverance of the season was all worth it as they worked in sync to step to the beat as they competed at state.  Head Coach Kelsey Owens shared, “The Dragonettes have worked VERY hard all season! And they brought their A Game to state!”  

At their final competition, the team performed routines in four categories to earn the  3rd Place Overall trophy for the 2a/3a State Competition.  Coach Owens said that this was quite a feat for her small-in-numbers team.  She said, “It’s a really big deal to be able to place at state. We were against some really big schools and our team size is never comparable. They are small but mighty!! They have put in their best work and it’s so exciting to watch it pay off! 

Not only are the Dragonettes talented dancers, but they are also great students. The Malad Drill Team also returned from state competition as the State Academic Champions! “We are so proud of them for always giving their best in everything they do,” said a proud Coach Owens.

Cheer

Aside from bringing a crucial energy and team spirit to each game from the sidelines, the MHS Cheerleaders had a great year of competitions.  Competed at their District Cheer Competition Saturday, January 28 taking 1st Place with their Co-Ed Stunt routine, 2nd Place in Co-Ed Show routine and 3rd Place in Sideline routine. Following the competition, head Coach Jennifer Hill shared, “As a Coach I couldn’t have been more proud of my Team. They did so amazingly at District!  They did everything they were coached to do. They hit every move, stuck every stunt, smiled and had so much energy and our Fans were the BEST we’ve ever had.

 “Unfortunately we fell short and were within a point of our dreams of heading to State with everything,” continued Coach Hill.  “Our Division was so close within a half a point and a couple points on every Routine. We knew going into District it would be tough because every Team was equally matched. Different set of Judges, maybe a different outcome but my Kids gave me everything they had and left it all on the mats and for that I couldn’t have asked for more.”

Softball

There is not much more impressive than a perfect, undefeated season, a feat the Lady Dragon Softball team accomplished as they went 23-0 in 2023.  Under the direction of Head Coach Christie Schow, the team competed in each game as if it was their toughest game of the season.  That sort of focus and determination led them to take down opponent after opponent, eventually leading them to the state tournament games. 

Being a four time state champion team might make it sound like it's an easy feat for the Lady Dragon team, but they will tell you this bout to the state championship tournament was anything but.  Coach Schow shared, “This is the toughest competition we have ever seen at the state level.  From one game to the next, it was really anyone’s for the taking.”

While the big win might have been up for grabs, it was clear that the Lady Dragons were going to be a force to be reckoned with at every stage of the game.  From the first to the last play of each game, Malad proved why they are the very best of the best.  “At this level of play, you win because you are good, not because the other teams are bad,” continued Coach Schow.  

Over the four game tournament, the team put together some impressive stats of 33 runs on 46 hits, with 24 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.  At first base Horsley led the team with putouts, taking down 18 batters, followed by McClain at shortstop bringing in 9, as well as 6 assists.  Peterson threw an astounding 353 pitches, allowing only 15 runs on 26 hits, striking out 28 hitters, with only one base on ball.

Sophomore pitcher Riglee Peterson was voted as the 2A player of the year.  From the mound, Peterson pitched 109 innings, facing 421 batters.  She threw an impressive 1426 pitches, allowing only 34 runs on 71 hits, with 147 strikeouts.  Her opponents batting average over the season was a dismal .172.  From the plate, Peterson had 79 at bats, scoring 38 runs on 39 hits which included 6 home runs, as well as 31 runners batted in.  Peterson was 100% on her attempt of 16 stolen bases.

Three other members of the Lady Dragon softball were voted a part of the 2A All-State First Team Hallie Horsley, Bostyn Combs, and Beth McClain. 

Baseball

After a season of ups and downs, the Malad Baseball team found their groove and never looked back as they played through their post season baseball games.  Heading into the district tournament, Head Coach Bo Clark told his team, “If we have a five game winning streak starting right now, we will be state champions.”  That thought fueled his team as they took one game at a time through their district bracket and into the state championship game on Saturday, May 20.

The Dragon team commented what an exciting victory it was after a series of such intense, exciting, and emotional games.  They credited their triumph to their solid defense, sound pitching, strategic coaching and banding together as a team.  Coach Clark commented that this was a team win. “There wasn’t a single player that alone won the game.  Each player stepped up to play an important role.”

Included in the Idaho All-State 2A conference from Malad were Steston Higley, Dax Maroney and Jaden Ward.  Higley, pitcher and 3rd baseman, tallied up 58 at bats for the season, resulting in 18 hits, 8 runs, and 15 RBIs, pitching for 43.2 innings against 182 batters, throwing 726 pitches, giving up 19 runs on 20 hits, striking out 62 batters and fielded 18 putouts and 17 assists.  Higley was named as the state tournament MVP after striking out 10 batters after allowing only 3 runs on 3 hits.  In the final championship game, Higley’s opponents had a dismal batting average of .172.

  Shortstop Maroney, finished the season with 68 at bats, earning 27 runs on 28 hits, with 7 RBIs, taking 25 stolen bases, only being caught once to end the year with an impressive 96.15% rate.  From the field Maroney added 29 putouts and 28 assists while committing only 3 errors.  Maroney was also named to the 2A All-Tournament team. 

Ward finished his final season of the Malad Dragon baseball career with 63 at bats, resulting in 26 runs, on 23 hits, with 17 RBIs and 14 putouts for Malad.  At the conclusion of the state tournament, Brady Showell was also named to the All-Tournament team as pitcher.  

Track and Field

The 2023 season was especially exciting for the MHS Track and Field Team as they were able to compete on their newly refinished track, hosting several events including the Malad Invitational, the Bear Lake Invitational and the District Track meets. 

At their District meet, Malad had several athletes rise to the top as they competed in their various events.  Qualifying for state on the men’s team was Braylin Tripp (1st triple jump and 3rd long jump),  Austin Jacobson (3rd triple jump) and Brycen Talbot ( 3rd 800m, 3rd 1600m, and 3rd 3200m). 

Qualifying to compete at the state tournament for the women’s team was Brynlee Bastian (3rd 400m and 1st 800m), Oakley Hebdon (1st 300m hurdles, 1st triple jump, and 2nd 400), Cortlyn Coleman (2nd 3200m and 3rd 1600m), Cally Coleman (2nd 1600m) and the MHS women’s 4X400 meter relay team (Bastian, Joni Beck, Brooke Isaacson, and Hebdon).

The MHS teams and individuals saw great success as they competed at the state level.  Despite being few in number the Malad’s men’s team competed in six different events at the state meet, coming home with four medaling finishes, including Braylin Tripp’s first place finish in the triple jump.

The Women's team earned eight medal finishes over the two day event as well as four new personal records and a new school record. For the second year in a row, Hebdon finished first in the 300 meter hurdles.  The relay team came in with fourth place finish and, even more exciting, setting a new MHS record.

With such impressive results over the two day meet, the MHS women’s team, composed of only six athletes, pulled ahead to take fourth place overall as a team.  With such few participants, this was indeed an incredible achievement.  Coach Beth Bastian said, “For six girls to bring home a fourth place trophy is amazing, and they were only two points from getting a third place trophy!”

Volleyball

As they began their 2023 season, the Lady Dragon volleyball team was unsure how they would compete, but as they took down one opponent after another, their goal of a state tournament invitation slowly became a reality.  Over the season, the Lady Dragons put up an impressive 25-3 record.  Across district games, non-conference games, various tournaments and post-season play, Malad only lost 12 of their 80 sets. 

The Lady Dragon volleyball team clenched the title as the 2A District 5 champions after they went undefeated through their district tournament games.  After a season of intense wins and hard fought gains, the Malad team earned a victory they had long been hoping for.  

As they opened their IHSAA State Volleyball Tournament venture, the Lady Dragons dominated the court as they beat the Bear Lake Bears in only three games.  After the win over Bear Lake, Malad moved on to play Firth, taking down the Cougars in just three games, winning 25-22, 25-19, and 25-12.

With another win, Malad faced off against the Melba Mustangs.  Malad narrowly won the first set as they went 27-25, trailing Melba for most of the game.  Melba took game two 24-26 with Malad taking game three 25-10.  The Mustangs replied to the win by taking the fourth game,14-25.

With each team winning two sets, it was down to the fifth and final game.  With only 15 points to secure the win, both teams played all out.  Neither team could keep the lead long as they continued to inch past each other.  Pushing it to extra points, the Mustangs eventually extended their lead by two points to win the match 15-17.

Coming up short against Melba set Malad to next play Cole Valley Christian High, winning 3 sets to 1.  In true double elimination fashion, Malad saw Melba in their second matchup of the tournament and of the day to finish out the tournament.  In an exhausting three game matchup, the Mustangs were able to overcome the Lady Dragons and outscore them 21-25, 18-25 and 23-25.

While they were disappointed to not finish in the top spot, the Lady Dragons accomplished an incredible feat to finish second place of the State Volleyball tournament.  Coach Camie Tripp shared, “Second isn’t the finish we were hoping for, but I’m super proud of how hard we fought.  It’s so hard to lose those close ones.  I was so proud of the girl’s resiliency to bounce back and beat Cole Valley.  They fought so hard- I’m just so proud of them!”

Football

Looking back over the last season, Head Coach Coby Crozier shared, “It was a great year overall.  I think a lot of people counted us out.  I’m proud of what the team has accomplished from the C team all the way to the Varsity team.  It would have been easy for the kids to think it would be the same season as the past ones, but they were determined to improve.  This group will help build a foundation for what is to come.  These kids learned an entirely new offense this season and ran it very well.  I’m proud of each and every one of the players and wouldn’t trade this year for anything.”

The Dragon C team ended the season with a 5-2 record.  The JV team finished their season going 4-4.  The Varsity went out with a record of 4-5.

Cross Country

A summer of preparation paid off for the MHS XC team that finished the season bringing home team hardware for both the men’s and women’s teams. Beginning long before the season opened the high school runners totaled a wildly impressive tally of 3,374 miles to earn a spot in the 100 mile club, a means of encouraging and honoring those athletes that put in the extra miles.  

Throughout the season and into their final races, the runners knew how to finish strong and find success and the end line.  There was no greater cheer of accomplishment and celebration then when the Malad Dragon Men’s team was announced as District Champions.  The Lady Dragon Cross Country team celebrated with their own successful second place finish at the district race.

  Qualifying to the IHSAA XC Meet was no easy feat for Malad, but since the very beginning of their season, it was a goal that they had set.  Although it was only nine days since their district races on the very same course, the state race day looked and felt wholly different from their previous races with temperatures dropping from a perfect 70 degrees to a freezing 30 degrees.

Their determination to race at their best was enough to motivate them back to the starting line, albeit with a few extra layers, ear muffs and gloves.  When the places were tallied up, the MHS Women’s team found themselves in an impressive third place behind Soda Springs and Ririe.  The Men’s team took fourth place, only three points behind Cole Valley Christian High.  

With the state meet and their season behind them now, Coach Talbot shared, “I think most of all, I’m just really proud of these kids.  They have worked hard all season.  They all set individual and personal goals, specifically for both teams to make it to state and they did it!  Bringing home two trophies was pretty cool.”