PLAYERS TO WATCH

Lilly Mallory, Declo
Aspen Peterson, Declo
Brynn Silcock, Declo
Ainsley Clark, Wendell
Tanli LeMoyne, Wendell
Madi Myers, Wendell

Written by: Brandon Baney

Coaches in the Canyon Conference are in lockstep ahead of the 2023-24: the conference title will be a race between two teams. Of course, that’s because the Canyon Conference only has two teams. Yes, bad jokes aside, Declo and Wendell will once again fight for District 4’s lone bid available to the Class 2A State Tournament.

Declo has won the conference seven years running. That’s right; the last time Wendell finished in first place was way back in the 2015-16 season. So naturally, any conversation about the Canyon Conference starts with Declo.

Head coach Cody Powers welcomes back four starters from last year’s team. Seniors Lilly Mallory and Aspen Peterson return to the guard spots, while seniors Brynn Silcock and Ellie Erickson will play inside. The only starter lost was a significant one, though. Since-graduated wing Katelynn Koyle was the Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year last season.

“We will have the ability to play with different lineups that give us a lot of versatility,” Powers says. “We return the majority of our team, so team chemistry on the offensive end should hopefully be a strength for us. It’s the same on defense. That versatility is great, but we have to capitalize on it.”

With so many veteran pieces returning, winning the conference is only one goal for Declo. After the Hornets went 0-2 at the state tournament a year ago, the Hornets know they have to defend better against Idaho’s elite teams. “It’s all about our defensive mindset,” says Powers. “The ability is there to be a great defensive team. We have to have that mentality and execute night in and night out.”

Despite the 0-2 finish at state, Declo wasn’t that far off from some of its’ 2A peers. Consider: Declo fell in overtime to Ririe, 53-44, to conclude their season. Ririe then went on to win the consolation trophy. The Hornets are on the cusp of breaking through on a statewide level, and Powers says it all boils down to one simple word.

“Belief,” Powers declares. “This group has all the tools to be a great team and all the tools to be successful this season. If the mindset is right and this group believes in what they can do and believes in each other, we will have a great year ahead of us.”

As for Wendell, the Trojans will usher in a new era of basketball as Tia Standlee makes her coaching debut at the 2A level. Standlee previously coached at 1AD1 Lighthouse Christian, and she and Powers have crossed paths before.

“I’ve coached against Tia before when I was the coach at Raft River, and she was at Lighthouse,” Powers says. “We definitely had our battles and I know that she is going to have her girls ready to play and they are going to play hard every single game. If we want to conference this season, we can’t take them lightly by any means.”

Standlee will look to seniors Ainsley Clark and Madi Myers to lead Wendell on the floor. Clark recently won the State of Idaho Heisman High School Scholarship, edging out hundreds of other outstanding female student-athletes in the state of Idaho for the honor.

That senior duo will pair with sophomore guard Tanli LeMoyne, who came on strong at the end of her freshman campaign. “She earned a lot of respect from a lot of teams last season,” Powers says. “We know that when we play Wendell, the respect for what she can do on the floor has to be there or she can light it up.”

Declo and Wendell will battle twice in the regular season: December 18th in Declo and January 16th in Wendell. Those regular season games will set the tone for what should be another close-cut district tournament in February.