‘It feels like a dream.’ Sisters carry Melba girls basketball to its first state title
The Clark sisters had a front-row seat as the Melba girls basketball team suffered heartbreak after heartbreak at the state tournament.
They made sure it didn’t happen again Saturday.
Kate and Kendall Clark led Melba to a 51-40 win over Bear Lake in the 2A state championship game at the Ford Idaho Center, carrying the Mustangs to the first state title in program history.
“It’s just awesome,” Kate Clark said. “It’s insane. I don’t know how to explain what I’m feeling right now. Honestly, it feels like a dream.”
Kate Clark, a senior guard, scored 17 points and racked up six steals. And Kendall Clark, a sophomore forward, poured in 16 points to help erase years of painful memories.
Melba (22-4) coach David Lenz built the Mustangs into a perennial contender, leading them to the state tournament five years in a row with a 113-13 record after Saturday’s victory.
The Mustangs won a state tournament trophy every year. But despite all the No. 1 rankings, college-bound players and preseason expectations, the Mustangs could never capture that elusive championship — until now.
“I think it makes it that much sweeter, especially for Kate, who has been a part of all those games,” Lenz said. “She was just a great leader for us all year. She gives everybody else confidence.”
Kate Clark graduates with a 91-10 record and as the Mustangs’ all-time leading scorer. She broke the scoring record set by her older sister, Emma Clark, whom she’ll join next season at Northwest Nazarene.
But one hole remained in her high school experience, and she ensured the Mustangs filled it Saturday.
Bear Lake sat back in a 2-3 zone, daring Melba to beat it from the outside. Kate Clark obliged, sinking two 3-pointers and scoring seven points as the Mustangs raced out to a 13-4 lead in the first quarter.
Bear Lake couldn’t recover, never getting any closer than six points the rest of the way.
Kate Clark didn’t set the gym on fire, finishing 4-for-12 behind the 3-point line and pointing out a couple air balls with a smile. But she said another gut-wrenching loss wasn’t an option.
“It was something I never wanted to feel again,” Kate Clark. “I was going to make sure that I didn’t feel it again today.”
Lenz saved the last state championship medal for Kate Clark, wrapping his four-year starter in a bear hug and lifting her off the ground in the postgame ceremony.
“There’s just nobody that works harder,” Lenz said. “She works every single day. She doesn’t take a day off. She’s in the gym every weekend. So when other kids see that, they can’t slack off.”
The Mustangs flew a bit under the radar this year, finishing third in 2A Western Idaho Conference standings and second at the district tournament. But Melba embraced that role and enjoyed playing without the pressure of an undefeated season or a No. 1 ranking, Kendall Clark said.
“It’s just an amazing feeling because we’re making history, the first team to ever do it at Melba,” Kendall Clark said. “I’m just really happy that I got to do it with my sister. But it was a huge team effort, and I’m really happy.”
Freshman Brooklyn Dayley added nine points, sophomore Keylee Willson tallied six points and seven rebounds, and Hallie Arnold added three points to round out Melba’s scoring.
The Mustangs’ celebration ended a Cinderella run for Bear Lake (13-13), which entered the state tournament with a losing record.
The Bears were the fourth seed in their five-team district tournament, needing to win a play-in game to stay alive before mounting a run to make it to state, then another one to make it to the finals for the third time in program history.
Senior Hailey Humphreys scored a game-high 21 points to go with three assists. And junior forward Kalisha Parker added 13 points and seven rebounds.
NEW PLYMOUTH TAKES THIRD: The Pilgrims (18-6) secured their best state-tournament finish in 11 years, beating Grangeville 41-32 in the 2A third-place game.
Senior post Alyssa Christensen recorded a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds, and junior post Eboni Shaw added seven points and 16 rebounds as New Plymouth out rebounded the Bulldogs 45-19.
SODA SPRINGS GETS TROPHY: The three-time defending state champ finished with hardware for the seventh straight year, edging Ririe 35-32 in the consolation final.
Tayler Thompson led Soda Springs (14-12) with 14 points and seven rebounds.
This story was originally published February 20, 2021 at 3:29 PM.
