With the triumvirate of Ali Tripp, Ciel Budge and Alivia Hutton graduated, there were questions about what the Cottonwood Colts girls’ basketball team would do this preseason without that power trio.  

Those questions were partially answered by a 12-3 start. 

“We are having a really good season. We lost a tough one at Tooele the other night but bounced back really well against Hillcrest,” said coach Tes Soracco. 

Cottonwood’s game at Tooele Jan. 7 had the Colts staging a second half rally after trailing by 11 to end the second quarter. By the conclusion of the third, Cottonwood outscored the Buffs 14-9 to trim the lead to six points. Were it not for a shot clanking off the iron handing the Colts their first league loss, they’d still be unbeaten in Region 10. Seniors Ashlyn Tripp led Cottonwood with 11 points and Avea Van der Beek had 10, while Taylor Workman and Carley Caton each had eight. 

On Jan. 10, the Colts hosted crosstown rivals Hillcrest. In that game, Cottonwood made no mistake about who the better team was on this night, taking a commanding 13-point lead into the locker room that the Colts stretched for a 60-38 victory. Caton led all scorers with 16, while Workman drilled three triples for a total of 13 points. 

To give an example of how dominant Cottonwood [13-3, 6-1 Region 10] has been before it finally suffered its first loss of the regular season back in mid-December, the Colts outscored five of their first seven opponents by a 24 point-per-game average. 

Part of that reason is that senior Van der Beek and junior Caton have rounded into form and are both averaging 12 points per game. In addition, senior Workman transferred to CHS from Brighton High School this past summer and had two years on the Bengals varsity before arriving at Cottonwood and is also averaging 12 points per contest. 

That’s given the Colts the power trio they had last year—albeit a different one.

For a team that lost its leading scorer Ali Tripp and two of its floor generals in Hutton and Budge to graduation, the balance this new group has been displaying this season has not just come from the Colts’ three leading scorers though. 

Seniors Bella Morris and Ashlyn Tripp –Ali’s younger sister – are each averaging eight points per game. From a three-point shooting standpoint, the two are knocking down one or more triples in every contest and Workman herself is averaging a team-high two three-point shots made.  

In addition to the Colts’ shooting prowess, Morris and Ashlyn Tripp highlight five players averaging two or more rebounds per game. And, it’s an unselfish group, as three players also make one or more assists during every contest, led by Workman’s four assists per outing. 

By the time this article goes to press, the Colts will have completed region play and will be getting ready for the 4A state tournament that begins in mid-February. 

With nine players back from last year’s 17-7 team, this team has the potential to surpass that win total with seven games left in the regular season. It’s a group Soracco said is one she looks forward to molding into a cohesive unit as her team enters the home stretch. 

“The girls come every day willing to work hard, learn and grow,” Soracco said. “They are an incredibly close-knit group and watching them grow together has been really fun. I feel lucky to coach them.” λ