Panguitch moves on

RICHFIELD — Good coaches are known for their inspiring speeches.

Friday night the Panguitch girls basketball coach said just one word that drove the Bobcats back from the brink of a blowout to a semifinal 55-50 win over region-rival Valley: Wayne.

"I won't repeat the words I said but it wasn't pretty," said Curtis Barney with his first smile of the night. "I told them that if they lost they were basically handing the title to Wayne. No disrespect to Valley, but I just really think we're the only team that can match up with Wayne. Of anybody, I feel it's us that has the best chance of beating them . . . These girls aged me 10 more years tonight."

Wayne is another Region 15 team, and the Badgers beat the Bobcats for the region title sending the five-time defending 1A champs into the tournament a No. 2 seed. Leading scorer Halie Sawyer, who finished with 17 points, said the team isn't losing any sleep over the fact that the Badgers are the reigning region champs.

"They wanted region so bad, they can have it," said the sophomore forward, who was key defensively in the second half when Panguitch held Valley to 17 points in 16 minutes. "They can beat us once, but not again. We want state."

Halie Sawyer got a lot of help from her older sister, who's struggled this year with a foot injury. She finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and hit the foul shot that tied the game at 45 with 1:41 left in the game. Then Panguitch introduced its press, which nearly strangled Valley. In 17 seconds, the Bobcats stole the ball three times and scored six points swinging the momentum and lead their way at 51-45.

Valley had huge games from Jana Glover, who scored 18, and Brandy Brinkerhoff, who added 16 to the tally. Lacey Heaton had a huge game defensively and it hurt Valley to lose both Glover and Heaton to foul trouble in the third quarter. Both returned and played most of the fourth, but Panguitch was already within a few points.

Panguitch will play for what could be a sixth title against the very team that inspired them not to roll over when they were down by 13 points at the half.

The Badgers earned an impressive win over a talented, tall and tough Duchesne squad 59-39 just before Panguitch defeated Valley.

Nicole Blackburn may be the leading scorer in 1A, but Friday night's semifinal win over third-ranked Duchesne was far from a one-woman show.