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Draper Journal

Corner Canyon basketball teams playin’ ball

Jan 01, 2022 11:03AM ● By Catherine Garrett

Corner Canyon High junior Jaxon Roberts (#3) has helped the Chargers to a 3-1 record so far this season. (Photo courtesy Jon Clifford, All Star Photography)

By Catherine Garrett | [email protected]

CCHS girls basketball

New head coach Craig Morris has been busy building the culture he’s trying to establish at Corner Canyon since he was hired early in the summer. But, that’s not the only thing he’s preaching; he believes that his group is the deepest team in the state and wants his girls to believe in themselves with the same confidence he has them. 

“We look good on paper, but we have to put it on the court,” he said. “I’m trying to convince them that they can win every game they play. Can they believe it? I see it. I hope it happens quickly.”

The coaching staff is “defensive-minded first,” according to Morris, and then run a motion offense aimed at putting everyone in a position to score. “We’re pretty fast, athletic and gifted, so we’ll use that to our advantage in passing up good shots for getting great shots,” Morris said. 

Senior captain Natalie Newtown along with twins Isabel and Lily Crofts, also seniors, are being looked to by Morris for leadership on and off the court along with junior captain Maddie White.

So far this season, the Chargers defeated Mountain Crest 54-44 Nov. 30 behind 15 points from sophomore Elina Mortensen and 10 from junior Caitlin Madsen. On Dec. 3, Corner Canyon dominated Kearns 66-28 with junior Hannah Shinall leading the scoring with 13 points followed by Mortensen’s 11 and junior Summer Larson’s 10. Against Green Canyon Dec. 7, the Chargers won 64-58 with 22 points from Shinall, 12 from Newton and 10 from Larson. The team suffered its first loss on the year to Judge Memorial 64-49 on Dec. 9.

Also on the 2021-22 CCHS team are juniors Ciara Hazar and Brook Yeomans; sophomores Noelle Bunker, Bostyn Carlson, Maia Rhay; and freshmen Liberty Henstrom, Maddison Little, Brooke Luper, Sorrelle Nielsen, Kenzie Randall, Taylor Workman and Addison Yeomans.

Corner Canyon is also scheduled to face Bonneville Dec. 16, Copper Hills Dec. 17, Provo Dec. 18, Layton Dec. 18, Riverton Dec. 21, Herriman Dec. 30, Bingham Jan. 4, RSLA Jan. 6 and Emery Jan. 11 before region play with American Fork, Westlake, Skyridge, Lone Peak and Pleasant Grove this year.

“No one expects us to win, but we’re going to surprise a lot of people this year,” Morris said. “It’s fun to be under the radar.”

CCHS boys basketball

Third-ranked Corner Canyon are off to a 3-1 start this season with wins over Taylorsville, Maple Mountain and Hillcrest, Idaho while losing a close one to Bingham 49-47.

Against Taylorsville Nov. 30, the Chargers won 97-36, scoring 61 points in the middle two quarters to finish off the Warriors.

Junior Max Toombs led offensively with 20 points while junior Kallen Lewis added 13, senior Tyler Burraston 12 and senior Ty Neibaur 10.

In its Tournament of Champions against Maple Mountain Dec. 2, Corner Canyon won 74-53 behind Toombs’ 20 points, Neibaur’s 14, junior Jaxon Roberts’ 12 and Burraston’s 11. In the loss to Bingham Dec. 3, senior Jaiden Feroah had 15 points with Toombs adding 14. The Chargers bounced back the next day, defeating Hillcrest (Idaho) 66-58 thanks to big games from Toombs (21 points), Burraston (17) and sophomore Wells Robertson (17). Against Murray Dec. 7, the team beat the Spartans 77-63 with Toombs scoring 31 to lead the way along with Burraston’s 20 and Feroah’s 12. In the Lehi Holiday Tournament Dec. 10-11, Corner Canyon beat nationally-ranked Kimball (Texas) 84-81 behind 25 from Burraston, 22 from Feroah and 21 from Toombs and then lost to Durango, Nev. 83-79 despite 20 points each from Toombs and Feroah and Roberts’ 15 and Tate Staley’s 11.

Also on the CCHS squad this season are seniors Taylor Harris and Tate Staley; juniors Everest Romney and Carson Tebbs; sophomores Tate Bowman, Sam Chandler, Taylor Feroah, Brody Kozlowski, Isaac Neibaur and Cash Richards; and freshmen Keaton Adamson, Donovan Averitte, Hudson Brown, Cash Dana, Brigg Jensen, Jack Knab, Peterson Lunt, Cooper Meyers, Enoch Mitchell, Paxton Naegle, Eli Paynter, Carsen Rasmussen, McKay Wells and Stockton Young.

The Chargers will also play Idaho teams (Highland, Rigby, Madison and Thunder Ridge) in the Idaho Tournament Dec. 15-18 and Copper Hills Jan. 7 before Region 4 home-and-away matchups with American Fork, Westlake, Skyridge, Lone Peak and Pleasant Grove this season.