Tri-Valley had never won a state title entering the year. Now, it has two of them.
The walls at the Midvale School’s new gym started the year as a blank, white canvas. But they won’t remain that way for long.
Tri-Valley followed its first state volleyball championship in the fall with its first girls basketball title Friday, topping Kendrick 54-48 in the 1A Division II finals at the Ford Idaho Center.
“It’s a dream come true,” Midvale senior Josey Jones said. “I’ve been dreaming about this since I was in junior high.”
Tri-Valley (20-3) remains the only permanent athletic co-op in Idaho, a merger of Cambridge and Midvale. The two schools won a combined four girls basketball championships in the 1980s but joined forces for all sports in 2005-06 in the face of dwindling enrollment.
The combined program had never won a team state championship in any sport entering the school year. Thanks to its girls programs, it now has two title banners to decorate its gyms.
The schools duplicate any trophies or banners so both can display them.
The duo of Jones and Emma Hollon led the way Friday and showcased the power of the combined program. Jones, a Midvale senior, poured in a game-high 19 points. Hollon, a Cambridge senior, added 17 points and seven rebounds.
“They come at the big moments. They don’t run from them,” Tri-Valley coach Jeff Springer said. “They play their best in the biggest games.”
Kendrick (20-6) and Tri-Valley swapped five lead changes and seven ties in the first half alone. But Hollon opened the third quarter with a pair of 3-pointers, sparking a 12-2 run for the Titans that Kendrick never recovered from.
Kendrick kept pace in the first half by patiently working the ball inside to its 5-10 junior post, Erin Morgan, who finished with 17 points. But Tri-Valley’s pressure defense eventually wore down the Tigers, forcing 18 turnovers and allowing Tri-Valley to pull away.
Jones led the defensive effort, flying around and creating havoc in the backcourt to rack up six steals.
“She’s the shortest on our team but gets to the basket the most,” Hollon said. “I don’t know how she does it, but she’s amazing. And her defense, it’s really good. She’s so quick.”
Bailey Whitener chipped in eight points, Zoe Ertel added seven points and six rebounds, and Lauryn Mitchell grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds as the Titans received production up and down the roster to make history on the basketball court.
“It’s been in the works since these kids were in the seventh grade,” Springer said. “You could see it was there. The potential was there. It’s been well earned, well deserved.”
Neither Jones nor Hollon play volleyball, so they didn’t get to celebrate the Titans’ championship last fall. Hollon runs cross country, while Jones competes in rodeo.
So Hollon said she had to pause after the final buzzer to soak in the moment.
“It took a second before it really hit me,” Hollon said. “But it’s an amazing feeling, especially with such a great team that we have. It couldn’t have happened any better.”
This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 3:27 PM.
