The Richfield Wildcats girls basketball team celebrates winning the 3A girls state championship on Friday, February, 24, 2024 in Richfield.
Matthew Harris, Deseret News
A better storybook finish for the 3A girls basketball season could hardly have been written.
Within the confines of the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield, 24-year coaching veteran Marc Peterson stood on the sidelines and watched the last game of his coaching career unfold, and as the clock struck zero, he walked off the hardwood for the final time as a champion.
No. 2 Richfield delivered on its goal of bringing a fourth and final championship to its beloved coach, fighting off an opposing rally from No. 5 Emery to seal a 56-49 victory and claim the 2023-24 3A girls basketball state championship in front of an overwhelming host of blue-clad Wildcat fans.
Even as celebratory chaos ensued around him, Peterson looked cool as a spring morning as he gazed on the final victorious panorama of his tenure leading what the fans ecstatically called “Wildcat Nation.”
“I don’t think there are words that can describe it,” Peterson said. “It’s what we dream about. I couldn’t be more proud of these girls and their fight. I love this team, and I’m just proud of them.”
When asked how he will remember this night in his retirement years, he simply answered, “How could you forget it?”
Peterson finishes his decorated coaching career not only with four state titles, but with 361 total victories, the seventh-most all-time in state history.
Getting this photo finish for Peterson was the highest priority for Richfield’s team and its seven seniors.
“It’s very special,” junior forward Abbee Albrecht said. “He’s helped us grow not only as players but as people, too. We’re just grateful for the opportunity to be able to do this for him.”
Although neither team started off well and it took over 3:30 for either of them to make a field goal, Richfield was firmly in control for much of the game thereon, leading by as many as 14 points early in the second half when senior guard Hallie Janes nailed one of her three 3-pointers.
Lest anyone in the arena think the title game would be anything less than a thrill, however, the Spartans turned up the physicality, sinking free throw after throw to chip away at their deficit.
Emery’s frontcourt had some temporary injury issues that forced both Kenadie Maughan and Katelyn Nielson to the bench, but the Spartans closed the third quarter on a 7-0 run to trail just 40-35 entering the fourth.
Albrecht put up an incredible performance against the tall and imposing Emery defense, leading the Richfield offense with 14 points on 4 of 8 shooting while netting 6 of her 7 free throws.
Senior Kamryn Knutson also had 14 points on 5 of 8 shooting.
Particularly in the fourth quarter, almost every Albrecht drive resulted in good news for Richfield.
First, she broke up an Emery run with a scoop-and-score through the arms of the 6-foot-5 Maughan. Then after Emery responded with yet another quick 6-0 run that tied the game and had Emery’s crowd rocking, the ice in Albrecht’s veins got a little colder as she drove and sunk a layup, one that initiated a game-sealing 6-0 run by the Wildcats.
Junior guard Kali Jensen led Emery with 12 points on 4 of 7 shooting, and senior guard Aliya Lester added 10 more.
What providence it was that this was the year for the 3A tournament to essentially be held in Richfield’s backyard on the Snow College-Richfield campus, and the fan presence showed it.
The arena’s 4,400-person capacity was nearly filled, and most of that was for Richfield. As the Wildcats collected their coveted trophy, Peterson walked away amid loud chants from the student section of, “That’s our coach!”
Said Peterson: “You cannot describe how I feel towards all the teams that I’ve coached. I’ve been a blessed coach, (and I’m) grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had here.”