Before I list the awards, let me explain something that comes up in the comments from time to time.  Glenn and I sit at the Idaho Center for the entire state tourney.  On Thursday and Friday, we watch the 5A teams, and then on Super Saturday we watch the six state title games.  These awards are only based on the teams we see at the Idaho Center.  There may be an awesome pep club, for instance, that did a great job but never made it to the Idaho Center.  Since we never saw them, they could not be listed on this awards page. Some people don’t like the fact some teams or players are excluded, but our purpose for doing these awards is to give some teams and players some recognition and we can only recognize the teams and players we see.  So, with that said, here goes……  

5A State Champs:  Borah Lions  (25-1)  47-44:  The Borah Lions are now tied with the Moscow Bears for the most Boys’ Titles for any school in any division with 11.  This is the 5^th time they have won back to back titles.  They did it in 1965 and 66 under Murray Satterfield and Terry Conley; 1984, 85, 1993, and 94, all under Kirk Willimas; 2004 and 05 under Cary Cada; and now 2012 and 13 with Coach Cada.  Their other title came in 1982 with Coach Williams.  They beat a familiar foe in the title game in the Rocky Mtn Grizzlies, the only team that beat them in the regular season and ruined a perfect season.  Cary Cada has now won 4 titles, putting him one behind Kirk Williams who has 5.  Cada can now try and win one for the thumb!

Runner-up:  Rocky Mtn Grizzlies

3^rd Place:   Highland Rams

Consolation:  Capital Eagles

Sportsmanship: Borah Lions

Academic:  Highland Rams  3.721 GPA

4A  State Champs:  Rigby Trojans  (19-6)  45-43:  The Trojans have climbed up the ladder of the teams with the most titles, as they now have 9.  Only Borah and Moscow with 11 and Pocatello with 10 are ahead of them.  This game was fabulous with the winning bucket scored with a few seconds left, and then a backcourt heave for the win that rimmed out.  This is the third time the Panthers have won back to back titles.  They won in 1977, 78, 1982, 83, and 84 under Elliott Anderson.  He also won titles in 1987 and 1986.  Justin Jones now has two titles as a head coach, and he also won titles as a player, as well.  He played for his dad, Terry Jones, as a Malad Dragon.  He’s running out of fingers to put his Jostens’ rings on!

Runner-up: Moscow Bears 

3^rd Place:  Skyview Hawks

Consolation:  Bishop Kelly Knights

Sportsmanship: Burley Bobcats

Academic: Burley Bobcats  3.775 GPA

3A  State Champs:  Snake River Panthers (20-5)  67-65: The Panthers also added to their abundant state titles with another one in 2013.  They now have 8 along with Madison and Lapwai.  They won their first way back in 1958 under Charlie Bills.  The next title came in 1969 with Coach Nolan Mecham.  In 1985, they got another with Dale Shelley.  Now it was Robert Coombs’ turn to start winning titles with the boys in purple.  He now has 5: 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2013.  He is now tied with Kirk Williams from Borah, and they only trail Terry Jones (Malad) with 6 and Elliott Anderson (Rigby) who has the most boys’ titles with 7.  And, oh by the way, this was an awesome and exciting game that the Panthers won in overtime by outscoring Shelley 10-8 in the extra period.

Runner-up:  Shelley Russets  

3^rd Place:  Filer Wildcats   

Consolation:  Sugar-Salem Diggers  

Sportsmanship:  Shelley Russets  

Academic:  Gooding Senators  3.793 GPA

2A  State Champs:  Grangeville Bulldogs (17-8)  47-32:  The Bulldogs had not won a boys state title since 1974 when they were a 3A school, which begs the question- what were you doing in 1974?  I was at Chico State University and I hadn’t even graduated or started teaching, and I am retiring from teaching this year after 32 years.  That’s how long it has been, but the lengthy drought is over.  Skip Hall has now won his first title in his 7^th year at the helm of the Bulldogs.  Almost no one except Bulldogs fans picked them to win.  Coach Hall said to Joe Hughes that this team just “got it” when it came to team basketball, and as for the state title that has eluded them for so long….well, they got that, too.

Runner-up:  New Plymouth Pilgrims  

3^rd Place:  West Side Pirates  

Consolation:  Soda Springs Cardinals 

Sportsmanship:  Declo Hornets  

Academic:  Declo Hornets 3.687 GPA 

1A  Div 1 State Champs:  Butte County Pirates  (25-1)  58-45:  The Pirates had only won one title in their school’s history, when Barry Berg guided them to the title in 1983.  Along came Steve Kent of Richfield fame to guide them to their second. He had won three titles with the girls at Richfield High in 2007, 2009, and 2010.  I heard he had done to the SE part of the country to watch his daughter play college ball, but he is back and wearing his fourth ring.   He now joins Newel Sargent of Shelley as the only 2 coaches in Idaho history to win titles with both boys and girls.

Runner-up:  Kamiah Kubs 

3^rd Place:  Genessee Bulldogs   

Consolation:  Notus Pirates

Sportsmanship:  Liberty Charter Patriots

Academic:  Kamiah Kubs  3.651 GPA

1A Div 2 State Champs:  Salmon River Savages (25-1)  66-51:  When I heard that the Long Pin Conference, of which Salmon River is a member, had never won a boys title, I couldn’t believe it.  All those good teams through all those long years, and not even once had the title trophy been lifted over their heads. The wait is over, and the Savages and the Long Pin are on top of the 1AD2 world.  And with being a very young team, the wait for the next title might only take 12 months.  Coach Charlie Shepherd, Sr. now has his first.  Leighton VanderEsch can now brag with his sisters as to being a state champ.  Christian and Morgan won titles at Grangeville before him, and now he has his.  Quite a family legacy when it comes to state titles!    

Runner-up:  Nezperce Indians

3^rd Place: Kendrick Tigers 

Consolation: Dietrich Blue Devils 

Sportsmanship: Dietrich Blue Devils    

Academic:  Kootenai  Warriors  3.645 GPA

The Idahosports.com Players of the State Championship Games:

5A:  Isaiah Wright  (Junior, Borah Lions):  Isaiah Wright has the right stuff.  He is probably the best basketball player in Idaho, in my opinion, and he is only a junior.  He finished the championship game with 21 pts on 5/11 from 2 pt land, and ¼ from beyond the arc.  He made 8/11 from the charity stripe.  He had 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and only committed 1 personal foul.  He was last year’s player of the game, as well. He had a tremendous tourney and has a bright future ahead of him.  Many D1 universities should take a serious look next year at this outstanding young man.

4A:  Hyrum Prestwich  (Senior, Rigby Trojans):  Hyrum led his team with 14 pts on 5/8 from the field, which included 3/5 from 3 pt land.  He had 5 rebounds, was ½ from the foul line, and only committed 1 turnover in almost 31 minutes of play.  He helped them come back from an 11 pt deficit at halftime to repeat as state champs. He also sank the winning shot on a 15 foot jumper with 3.3 seconds left.

3A:  Jacoby Johnson  (Senior, Snake River Panthers):  Jacoby sizzled in overtime with 8 pts on two field goals and 4/4 from the free throw line.  For the game, he had 18 pts on 7/12 from the field.  He had 7 rebounds with 3 offensive ones.  He also had an assist and a steal, but it was his overtime performance that won him our player of the game.  Coombs had the only pts besides Johnson in overtime with a single bucket.  

2A:  Derrick Brown  (Senior, Grangeville Bulldogs): Derrick led his team, with 14 pts on 4/9 from the field and 1/3 from beyond the arc.  He had 6 total rebounds with 5 defensive boards.  He had an assist, a steal, a blocked shot, and only committed one turnover in over 28 minutes of play.  He was also ¾ from the foul line.  Grangeville hadn’t won the title since 1974, and Brown made sure they ended their long drought.   

1A Div 1: Tucker Framer  (Senior, Butte County Pirates): Tucker scored 14 pts in the title game on 5/13 shooting, which included 2/6 on three balls.  He was 2/2 from the foul line. He had 2 offensive and defensive boards, 4 assists, 3 steals, and only 2 turnovers in almost 27 minutes of play.  They trailed by one after 3 periods, but they outscored Kamiah 26-12 in the fourth period.  Framer had 8 of his 14 pts in that decisive fourth period of play.  Kyle Isham was also instrumental in the 4^th period with 8 pts, as well, on a field goal and 6/8 from the free throw line. 

1A Div 2:  Jimmy Shepherd (Sophomore, Salmon River Savages) and 

                  Leighton VanderEsch  (Junior, Salmon River Savages):  Because these two players stood out on Salmon River, we went with a Co-MVP of the game.  Both boys scored 21 pts.  Shepherd was 6/12 from the field and 11 of those attempts came from 3 pt land.  He made 6, which set a new record for a single game in the 1AD2 division. He had 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and was ¾ on his free throws.   He also tied the tourney record for the most three pointers with 11.  VanderEsch was 6/11 from the field, which included 2/3 on 2 pointers and 4/8 on three pointers.  He was also 5/6 from the foul line.  He had 14 rebounds, all defensive.  The bad news for the rest of the 1AD2 teams is that both of these young men are coming back next year.  It was the first time Salmon River and their league, the Long Pin, had ever won a boys title.  It may only take a year for that to happen again. 

The Idahosports.com All State Tournament Team  (5A Only)

One requirement we have- we will pick at least one player from each of the 8 teams at state for this all state team.

First Team

Tanner Percifield (Senior, Mtn View Mavericks)

Austin Andreasen (Senior, Highland Rams)

Matt Grooms (Senior, Rocky Mtn Grizzlies)

Hunter Young (Junior, Capital Eagles)

Lyle Sutton (Junior, Madison Bobcats)

Second team

Stockton Berry (Senior, Madison Bobcats)

Cody Spjute (Senior, Borah Lions)

Stefan Gonzalez (Sophomore, Highland Rams)

Derrick White (Sophomore, Capital Eagles)

EJ Boyce (Junior, Rocky Mtn Grizzlies)

Honorable Mention

Nick Reed (Junior, Borah Lions)

Nick Hall (Junior, Post Falls Trojans)

JJ Winger (Junior, Lake City Timberwolves)

Clark Wilkinson (Senior, Highland Rams)

John Sherle (Junior, Rocky Mtn Grizzlies)

MVP:  Isaiah Wright (Junior, Borah Lions):  Isaiah won this award last year, and he repeats as our MVP in 2013.  He scored more points than anyone with 67.  He nosed out Tanner Percifield who had 64.  His shooting totals were tremendous:  22/35 from the field (62.8 %); 18/29 on 2 pointers (62.1%); 5/9 on 3 pointers (55.6 %).  He also had 2 steals, 9 assists, 1 blocked shot, drew 13 fouls from the defense, and he only committed 7 fouls in 3 games.  He also played 94:46 out of 96 minutes.  In two games, including the title game, he played all 32 minutes.  And he will be back for his senior year next year.  The question everyone will be asking next year is: where will he be playing his college ball?  I’d call Chico State for you, Isaiah, but you’re going to a D1 school for sure!  He can now go for the hat trick with our MVP award next year.  Congrads on another great tourney, Isaiah!

The Idahosports.com “Coolest Names” of the Tournament

You can find out how many people in the U.S. have your name by clicking here.  There are lots of people named Gary Jones, but these cool names in the tourney are unique and that’s what we like about them.  We also have a category named “Awesome Alliterations”.

“Coolest”

First Team

Will Huntsman (Senior, Shelley Russets)

Augie Robinson (Senior, Notus Pirates)

Talon Pinkney (Freshman, Capital Eagles)

Zay Page (Junior, Declo Hornets)

Ridge Spackman (Senior, Sugar-Salem Diggers)

Second Team

Treighton Shepherd (Sophomore, Rocky Mtn Grizzlies)

Dallin Poulter (Senior, Rigby Trojans)

Zander Cook (Junior, Burley Bobcats)

Stormy Wyman (Senior, Senior, Clearwater Valley Rams)

Justice Kap (Junior, Grace Grizlies)

Honorable Mention

Terrun Zolman (Junior, Salmon River Savages)
McCall Alexander (Junior, New Plymouth Pilgrims)

Poncho Gamino (Senior, Carey Panthers)

Sterling Duggan (Junior, Twin Falls Bruins)

Kai Corpus (Junior, Borah Lions)

“Awesome Alliterations”

First Team

Cougar Coburn (Freshman, Butte County Pirates) One of the best names I have ever seen!

Bo Brogan (Senior, New Plymouth Pilgrims) His middle name is Hunter.  Terrific name!!

Devin Devine (Senior, Sho-Ban Chiefs) The perfect alliterate name!

Gunnar Gustin (Junior, Emmett Huskies)

Lane LaCrone (Senior, Fruitland Grizlies)

Second Team

Tanner Tingey (Senior, Highland Rams)

Kade Keller (Junior, Snake River Panthers)

Matt Munch (Senior, Kamiah Kubs)

Logan Lloyd (Freshman, Grace Grizzlies)

Hayden Hanson (Junior, Declo Hornets)

Honorable Mention

Logan Lee (Senior, Madison Bobcats)

Holden Hyde (Sophomore, Skyview Hawks)

Austin Allen (Sophomore, Timberlake Tigers)

Wyatt Wright (Senior, Genesee Bulldogs)

Nick Neill (Senior, Payette Pirates)

Idahosports.com Pep Club of the State Tournament:  There were several pep clubs that stood out to me.  What I look for are the school colors displayed by the vast majority of kids, and that the students get involved in the game by cheering and celebrating good things their team does.  These pep clubs did them well:  Rocky Mtn, Borah, Rigby, and New Plymouth.  My pep club, New Plymouth, was instrumental in helping both our boys and girls reach state.  They did a great job and my hat’s off to them for what they did in league, district and state.  However, in keeping in line with our CEO’s philosophy, I don’t want to be too much of a homer, so I will give the Pilgrims honorable mention.  The award goes to the purple crazies from Rocky Mtn, who went absolutely nuts when their team did well.  I was worried that the stands might come crashing down from all the jumping up and down they were doing.  And the color purple was predominantly displayed.  Here’s to a job well done, Rocky Mtn students. You were awesome.

The Idahosports.com Mascots of the Tournament:  This was not a good year for mascots dressed up at ball games.  We saw just one mascot at girls’ state, and two for the boys.  Shelley and Borah had the only two mascots at the Idaho Center, and they both share the award.  The Russet, nicknamed “Boomer”, was Jared Clinger, and he did a great job firing up the pep club.  At one point, he even retrieved a loose ball for the refs! During the game, I referred to him as “the potato” and I was quickly corrected by the crew in the booth.  They told me he was a Russet and should not be called a potato.  My Bad!  I’ll never do it again.  The Borah Lion was Kristine Bahmer, and she was equally good at doing what mascots do- firing up pep clubs players, and fans.  Here at idahosports.com, we love it when a team dresses up a mascot. Many teams that have had a mascot in the past, did not dress one up this year.  If the mascot costume exists, let’s put a student inside and take it on the road to state.  Congrads Jared and Kristine.  You guys were super!

States  & Countries That Shouted Us Out:  Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Idaho, Oregon, California, Tennessee, Arizona, Washington, North Dakota, Missouri, Virginia, Montana, Wisconsin, Alaska, , Hawaii, Illinois, Idaho, Oregon, California, Tennessee, Arizona, Washington, North Dakota, Missouri, Virginia, Montana, Wisconsin, Alaska, Minnesota, New York, Wyoming, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Italy, India, Japan, Panama, Peru.