Written by: Jack Davis

Photo credit: Steve Conner

NAMPA — The top-seeded Eagle Mustangs pulled away from the No. 3-seeded Middleton Vikings 57-48 in the 6A State Championship Game on Saturday.

The Mustangs forced 17 points off turnovers as they captured their second state title in school history.

Middleton came out hot in the first quarter, going on an 11-3 run and taking a 19-10 lead by the end of the period. Eagle responded in the second quarter as its offense found a rhythm, outscoring the Vikings 18-9 to even the game at 28 heading into halftime. The back-and-forth battle continued in the third quarter, with both teams tightening up defensively and making it difficult for either offense to get going. Eagle edged Middleton 7-6 in the period to take a narrow 35-34 lead with eight minutes left to decide the state championship. The Mustangs then put the game away in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Vikings 22-14 on their way to the 57-48 victory.

Head coach Jeremy Munroe reflected on the championship performance.

“The girls were fantastic. Trinity Holsinger stepped up huge as a senior leader, and the girls all battled through and did their job,” Munroe said. “They never panicked, even when Middleton got out to that big lead. They understood Middleton was a good team and that it would be a battle tonight. They knew they would face adversity and overcome it. One word I would use to describe this group is family. They bought in together, they love each other, they battle together, and they don’t stop fighting. ‘The team, the team, the team’ was our motto this year, and that’s what this is.”

Trinity Holsinger was named the IdahoSports.com Player of the Game after scoring 23 points to lead Eagle. Berkley Jones added 13 points and seven rebounds, providing key contributions for the Mustangs.

“It was a super fun game. This team has been special all season,” Holsinger said. “This is one of my favorite teams I’ve ever played on, so being able to pull it out at the end and overcome adversity was really special.”

For Middleton, Wyoming commit Zoey Blackwell delivered a standout performance with 26 points, five rebounds, and four assists in the loss.

“We worked hard all season to make it to this point, and we fell short, but we did everything we could,” Blackwell said. “I’m excited for what’s next. I’m ready and hungry to get out there and play for Wyoming. I’m excited to be a Cowgirl.”


MIDDLETON (21-5) - Zoey Blackwell 26, Megan Stewart 11, Dawn Holman 5, Olivia Blackwell 3, Aysha Fried 3, Cadence Steele 0, Gracie Coombs 0, Mikylee Apple 0

EAGLE (25-2) - Trinity Holsinger 23, Berkley Jones 13, Ryann Ellsworth 8, Bella Thompson 6, Taya Nelson 5, Amelia Mitchell 2, Izzy Elitharp 0