Wednesday’s First Look and Takeaways

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wednesday brought another slate of season debuts, and for several teams, it was our first real look at how they'd replace last year's production and who would rise into impact roles. We tracked multiple matchups, and the performances we saw offered clarity on rotations, leadership, and which players are ready to take the spotlight.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's what stood out from the gym floors:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Copper Hills vs Clearfield: 56-53</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Copper Hills entered the season coming off a title run but without the familiar starting lineup that carried them there, leaving a spotlight wide open for new contributors. Opening night gave us exactly what we hoped for—clear signs of who's ready to take the reins.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Clearfield, [player_tooltip player_id='796797' first='Isabelle' last='Wyaskett'] played the role we expected, leading with 18 points and anchoring the offense. But the real storyline was the emergence of [player_tooltip player_id='805802' first='Ciara' last='De La O']. She delivered 16 points, but her impact went far beyond scoring. She was electric—quick off the bounce, active in passing lanes, and constantly involved in the action, either creating opportunities or disrupting them. This is the version of Ciara we've been waiting to see, and she didn't disappoint.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On Copper Hills' side, with the game hanging in the balance, [player_tooltip player_id='922382' first='Ella' last='Creer'] put her stamp on the moment. She poured in 18 points and played with a level of confidence we haven't consistently seen from her. She attacked the paint, made aggressive drives into traffic, and shot decisively off the catch—exactly what Copper Hills needed from a new go-to. Alongside her, [player_tooltip player_id='1206007' first='Abby' last='Bush'] showed flashes of being another key piece in the developing puzzle for the Grizzlies.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This game didn't just reveal who can score—it showed who has the mindset to step into bigger roles. Both Creer and De La O have positioned themselves as must-watch players moving forward, and Copper Hills and Clearfield both gave us reasons to keep an eye on their early-season evolution.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Copper </strong> <strong>Hills</strong> <strong>Contributors</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1206007' first='Abby' last='Bush'] - 14 points</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='796851' first='Sela' last='Ama'] - 10 points</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1325144' first='Addie' last='Guymon'] - 7 points</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1248994' first='Makayla' last='Staker'], [player_tooltip player_id='952652' first='Riley' last='Greenwood'], [player_tooltip player_id='1238745' first='Elise' last='Southworth']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Clearfield</strong> <strong>Contributors</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1380717' first='McKinlee' last='Philpott'] - 7 points</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1380720' first='Jayla' last='Kearns'], Abbie Thayne, [player_tooltip player_id='796883' first='Brighton' last='Bernards']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Provo vs Cottonwood: 60-32</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Provo took the floor last night and showed depth and balance, with contributions coming from all over the roster. The Yenchik sisters delivered as expected, but the real eye-opener was [player_tooltip player_id='931426' first='Asha' last='Alletto'], who led the team with 12 points, added 5 steals, and recorded a block—impacting the game on both ends. Another breakout performance came from [player_tooltip player_id='921388' first='Valeria' last='Martinez'], who finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 blocks, showing energy in the paint and timing defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What stands out most for Provo is their scoring distribution and defensive presence. They aren't built around a single go-to player, but instead rely on multiple threats, making them tough to scout and harder to guard. Cottonwood relied on its experienced leaders, with [player_tooltip player_id='796803' first='Carley' last='Caton'] leading with 13 points and [player_tooltip player_id='1356503' first='Savannah' last='Staheli'] providing the steady floor presence expected from her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Provo</strong> <strong>Contributors</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='873280' first='Sage' last='Yenchik'] - 11 points, 9 assists, 4 steals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='938372' first='Lydia' last='Ibarra'] 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1246445' first='Mia' last='Martinez'] - 8 points, 3 assists</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1235143' first='Ember' last='Yenchik'], [player_tooltip player_id='1277738' first='Emma' last='Martin'], Chante Tuilevuka</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cottonwood</strong> <strong>Contributors</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1380745' first='Lei'la' last='Nu'usila'] - 5 points</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1380758' first='Kahlei' last='Nu'usila'] - 4 points</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1380744' first='Belle' last='Kellywood'], A'mya Jones</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">North Sanpete vs SLA: 61-11</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>North Sanpete put on a balanced display, with contributions coming from all over the roster. Eleven different players made their way onto the scoreboard, showing depth and versatility early in the season. [player_tooltip player_id='1319075' first='Mariah' last='Schlappi'] led the way with 14 points, but the real statement came from how well the group shared the floor, moved the ball, and executed together. In contrast, Salt Lake Academy struggled to find multiple scoring threats, with very few players making an impact offensively. This matchup highlighted North Sanpete's depth and potential, and hinted that they may have more weapons than originally projected.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>North Sanpete</strong> <strong>Contributors</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1319075' first='Mariah' last='Schlappi'] - 14 points</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kodi Gibson - 6 points</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1241378' first='Ava' last='Gardiner'] - 6 points</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Billie Bowles - 6 points</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brielle Sorensen, Jaycee Walker, Lucy Hiatt, [player_tooltip player_id='1319080' first='Savannah' last='Christensen'], [player_tooltip player_id='1230545' first='Malia' last='Schlappi'], Kiera Murphy, Afton Walker, [player_tooltip player_id='1357982' first='Aydree' last='Jacobson'], Elsie Bailey</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Salt Lake Academy</strong> <strong>Contributors</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Andrea Prieto, Maya Lynn Widerburg, Alicia Gonzalez</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->