Girls basketball: Clearfield honors champs, keeps cooking by topping Weber 61-25
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- Clearfield’s Izzy Wyaskett, right, drives against Weber’s McKenna Whetton (1) on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Clearfield.
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- Clearfield and Weber players battle for possession in a game Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Clearfield.
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- Clearfield’s Ciara De La O (1) shoots over Weber’s Katelynn Butler (10) on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Clearfield.
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- Weber High’s Katelyn Poulsen passes the ball against Clearfield on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Clearfield.
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- Clearfield’s Xiyah Yarbrough (2) takes contact in a game against Weber on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Clearfield.
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- Weber High’s Katelynn Butler, left, dribbles against the defense of Clearfield’s Destini Gomez on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Clearfield.
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- Clearfield’s Amber Dankwa (15) passes against Weber on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Clearfield.
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- Weber High’s Allie Clark, center, tries to pass from the floor against Clearfield’s Destini Gomez, left, on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Clearfield.
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- Weber High’s Avery Shupe (20) drives against Clearfield’s Xiyah Yarbrough (2) on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Clearfield.
CLEARFIELD — Clearfield High girls basketball honored its 1977, 1985, 1987 and 1988 state title teams with a halftime ceremony on Thursday night.
Then this year’s undefeated iteration went out and played like it had championship aspirations of its own against Weber.
The Falcons led just 10 seconds into the game and never looked back, flying to a wire-to-wire, 61-25 non-region victory over the Warriors.
“We’ve seen the trophies in the cases and our coaches felt it would give us motivation in the game to pick it up and show what we’re about. It made us come together,” Clearfield senior guard Nevea Cordova said. “We have a motto at Clearfield. We always say ‘Falcon family on three.’ We want to see the older generation as part of the family.”
An extended family for sure, as the state championships came long before any of the current Clearfield players were born.
In a hint of karma, the game was played in the old gym — under the dome where many of the games were staged during those successful runs of the past — instead of the school’s newer facility due to a wrestling meet.
Clearfield led 23-10 at the half, scored 20 points in the third quarter alone and added 18 in the fourth, spurred on by the halftime activities which precluded the usual locker room chat.
“We wanted to honor them. It was best to do that instead of having a talk,” Cordova said. “It was inspirational and heart-felt and made us push hard in the game.”
Cordova and Isabelle Wyaskett combined for 18 of Clearfield’s 20 third-period points, scoring nine each.
“It was just the flow of the game. We came together, moved the ball around and made sure we had good sets every possession,” Cordova said.
A 13-1 burst to open the fourth quarter allowed Clearfield coach JT Soter to clear his bench midway through the final frame.
Cordova led the Falcons with 16 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, and Wyaskett finished with 12.
Ciara De La O netted seven points and Amber Dankwa and Amoree Scholer had six each.
Both Cordova and Wyaskett came off the bench, and Cordova jump-started the game early, scoring seven straight points in the closing minute of the first period as the Falcon lead expanded to 16-4 after one.
“It was just adrenaline; they (the championship team players) also gave us a pregame talk and I tried really hard,” Cordova said. “Come off the bench, go in and give it my all.”
For Weber (2-6), Logyn Howell scored six points, while seven other players had four or less.
Clearfield (6-0) continues to impress as it marches through its non-region schedule.
“I’m not quite sure why; we stick together and push forward. Taking it game by game,” Cordova said.