(St. George, UT) – It was a showdown for Region 9 girls’ supremacy. The visiting Desert Hills Thunder and the Snow Canyon Warriors met Tuesday night in a much anticipated contest by prep sports fans who understood the weight of the contest.

The game drew a sizable crowd who wanted to see which team would leave the gym with the top spot in the girls’ basketball standings.

Desert Hills (6-0 region, 12-3 overall) entered the fourth quarter leading 40-38, raised its lead to five points only a minute into the quarter, and then saw the Warriors tie the game at 43. But after the 43 tie, Desert Hills began distancing itself from the Warriors (4-1, 8-5) with composed play, especially by their sophomore guard Blair Bliss. Thunder coach Chris Allred has a talent-laden team with some young players who provide leadership.

Bliss helped close the game out for the Thunder with her 10 fourth quarter points, mostly knocking down freebies.

“Sometimes we give her a hard time because she waits until the fourth quarter to get after it, she kind of did that tonight,” Allred said. “She didn’t play her best game for three quarters, but when it comes down to the wire, you know she’s going to compete hard. She’s not afraid.”

Bliss certainly had no shaky nerves. She went to the free-throw line six times in the final seven minutes and made of the charity shots. Bliss finished with 13 points, and five rebounds (three offensive).

Another Thunder sophomore with a strong performance was 6 foot 3 Haley Bodnar. Bodnar helped solidify the first half for the Desert Hills by scoring 11 points, and blocking four shots. She finished the game with 18 points. Symbolic of Bodnar’s development and progression as a young talent, she knocked down a 12-foot jumper with a minute and a half left on the clock—as if showing that she has a soft shooting hand to go with her go-to size and strength.

“She had a stretch there where she got some easy put-backs, some lay-ups, but the biggest thing is defensively,” said Allred. “She provides that presence, and that changes things.

“Haley’s a good shooter. Some people in the stands might wonder what’s she doing shooting the ball out there, but we see her do it, it isn’t surprising to us.”

Going against the sophomore movement was Desert Hills' junior Alyssa Tomlinson. Tomlinson hit four treys in the game to register her 12 points.

Snow Canyon’s Amy Harris was the game’s leading scorer (22 points) and Autumn Shipp added 11 for the Warriors in their first region loss.

It was a tight contest the whole way, as expected by the Thunder.

“They shot the ball well tonight, they hit some shots early tonight,” Allred said about the Warriors. “That required that our girls stay with it and continue to play and compete hard.

“Snow Canyon’s a good team; they wanted to protect their home court. It was a great win for our girls.”

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BOX SCORE

Desert Hills 13 – 16 – 11 – 18 < 58

Salem Hills 15 – 11 – 12 – 15 < 53

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OTHER REGION 9 TUESDAY RESULTS

Hurricane over Canyon View 38-30

Dixie over Pine View 53-30

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REGION 9 GIRLS BASKETBALL STANDINGS

Desert Hills 6-0 (12-3 overall)

Snow Canyon 4-1 (8-5)

Cedar 3-2 (12-2)

Dixie 2-3 (9-5)

Hurricane 2-3 (5-8)

Canyon View 1-4 (3-10)

Pine View 0-5 (4-9)

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