Monument Valley girls win showdown between top two Utah 1A teams

by David Boyle
News Director
The Monument Valley girls basketball team put an exclamation mark on their #1 ranking in the Utah 1A standings over the weekend with a signature win to open the new year.
The Lady Cougars made a 500-mile one-way drive on January 5 to Wendover High School to play the #2-ranked Wildcats.
Monument Valley jumped out to a quick 18-6 in the first quarter and maintained a 31-21 lead at halftime. They extended their lead to 50-35 after three quarters with the final score favoring Monument Valley 63-48.
The Lady Cougars were led in scoring by Shimequa Hudson who poured in 23 points, including three three-point buckets. Mariah Begaye and Nevaeh Wilson each scored 14 points, with Shikeeya Hudson scoring five. Malaya Blackmountain scored three points and Precious Bedonie and Shilah Williams each scored two.
The Lady Cougars kept it rolling with a decisive 67-30 victory at St. Joseph on Saturday, January 6. Wilson led the scoring in that game with 19 points, while Shimequa Hudson scored 13 and Begaye scored 12 points.
Shikeeya Hudson scored seven, Bedonie added six points, and Enderya Hernandez-Cipriano scored five. Blackmountain and LeighAn Atene also scored two, with Kaylisa Tome scoring one point.
The Monument Valley boys and girls played at Rock Point, AZ after the San Juan Record print deadline. They'll host the Pinnacle Panthers in 1A Region 19 matchups this Saturday, January 13.