ORDER GAME PHOTOS

In our Friday update of the Idaho Girls Basketball Daily Top 25 rankings, we highlighted Rockland and Mackay, the top two teams in the 1AD2 classification.

The Bulldogs temporarily overtook Mackay for the top spot in 1AD2 according to the IdahoSports.com Power Rankings with a head-to-head win over the Miners.  But Mackay took the top spot back over the weekend with a 61-49 win over Sho-Ban on Saturday night.  Rockland and Mackay play again on Tuesday; a second Bulldogs win should give Rockland the number one ranking the rest of the way.

How about the team at #3 in 1AD2 girls hoops, though?  Believe it or not, it's another member of the Rocky Mountain Conference, giving the District 5-6 league the top three teams in the power rankings.

The Leadore Mustangs have quietly gone about their business this year, compiling a 13-2 overall record and a 7-2 league mark.  Their only two losses this year came to, you guessed it, Rockland and Mackay.  The Mackay game, in particular, was a tight one: the Miners escaped with a 60-55 victory back in November.

It's easy to forget, but it wasn't Rockland and Mackay that went to state from this conference a year ago.  It was Rockland and Leadore.  Last year's appearance at state for the Mustangs was their first since the 2000 season.  That team featured 6-foot-3 Hollie Tyler, a future University of Montana legend and the Gatorade Athlete of the Year recipient in both basketball and track.

Over twenty years later, it's a new group of Leadore girls leading the program back to prominence statewide.  Seniors Mackenzie Mackay and Sadie Bird are co-captains and reigning 1st Team All-Conference performers.  They've paired nicely with underclassmen Lexi Bird and Chloe Carver to form a solid nucleus for third-year coach Janet Proulx.

Proulx herself is an alumnus of Leadore, graduating in 2009.  She's brought strong leadership to not only the Mustangs' girls basketball program, but also serves as Leadore's Athletic Director.

The most impressive part of Leadore's recent run?  According to enrollment figures, Leadore is the fifth-smallest high school in the entire state.  Rockland and Mackay's student population is nearly double of what Leadore has.

And therein lies the crux.  Between Rockland, Mackay and Leadore, only two bids to state are available.  That means someone who deserves to be at state won't be.  It will also make the District 5-6 Tournament a must-see event.

Here's the rest of the Top 25 Daily Girls Basketball Rankings:

CLASS 5A

1. Boise (16-1)
2. Thunder Ridge (17-0)
3. Rigby (15-2)
4. Timberline (15-3)
5. Post Falls (17-0)

CLASS 4A

1. Shelley (15-1)
2. Bishop Kelly (13-3)
3. Mountain Home (14-3)

CLASS 3A

1. Parma (15-2)
2. Weiser (15-2)
3. Snake River (14-3)

CLASS 2A

1. Melba (18-0)
2. North Fremont (13-2)
3. Soda Springs (14-3)
4. Cole Valley Christian (13-4)
5. West Side (11-5)
6. Ambrose (11-6)

CLASS 1AD1

1. Lapwai (15-1)
2. Raft River (13-2)
3. Carey (12-2)
4. Murtaugh (12-4) 

CLASS 1AD2

1. Mackay (15-2)
2. Rockland (15-3)
3. Leadore (13-2)
4. Dietrich (12-3)

IN: Murtaugh, Leadore
OUT: Lake City, Deary

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