Girls basketball: Morgan returns to form in swift 80-48 handling of Ogden in region opener
Senior Birkeland leads Trojans with 36 points
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- Morgan freshman Zoe Rockenfield (23) runs between Ogden juniors Jill Wood (51) and Salote Tonga (10) during a game Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Morgan.
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- Ogden senior Macy Vine, right, drives between Morgan senior Keira Brewer (21) and junior Kamry Wardell (15) during a game Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Morgan.
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- Morgan head girls basketball coach Sterling Mack directs his team during a home game against Ogden on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Morgan.
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- Morgan senior Ashley Burt and another teammate entrap Ogden junior Jill Wood (51) during a game Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Morgan.
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- Ogden senior Macy Vine (21) and junior Salote Tonga (10) defend a shot by Morgan senior Alexis Burt, center, during a game Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Morgan.
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- Ogden head girls basketball coach Andy Blodgett directs his team during a road game against Morgan on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Morgan.
MORGAN — Eva Birkeland entered the week as a top-10 scorer in the state, averaging more than 18 points a night, and certainly lived up to those expectations during Morgan girls basketball’s dominant, 80-48 showing against Ogden in Tuesday’s Region 13 opener.
The senior guard’s 36 points put the Trojans (7-7) back in the win column with an enormous first-half effort of 21 points, complemented by freshman Zoe Rockenfield (17 total points). Morgan hung a 32-point difference on the Tigers (6-8) by halftime and never let off the gas.
Tuesday’s win returns much-needed confidence to the Trojans at the onset of region play following an interstate losing skid with losses to Springfield (Oregon) and Prestonwood Christian (Texas) over the holiday break.
Morgan head coach Sterling Mack felt the competition met on the road tested his group’s communication skills to the point where a swift return once home was inevitable.
“There were some college girls on the court we were playing against,” Mack said. “We knew we were outsized with our athleticism but we understand that if we could just play, accept our mistakes and not hang our heads we’d give ourselves a chance when we got to this point.”
The Trojans limited Ogden’s roster to single digits in the first half, with senior Macy Vine leading the Tigers with four points at the break. Morgan held Ogden’s bigs, Salote Tonga and Lauretta Taukiuvea, to just 10 combined points in the paint.
Birkeland shared how the Trojans’ studious scouting throughout the preseason showed its worth against an Ogden team with multiple options at the basket.
“We’ve been talking all year about reading the defense and not rushing anything,” Birkeland said. “We knew they had height down low so we knew we had to move the ball the best we can and move (them) out of position to get easy layups.”
Asked about newcomer Rockenfield’s first-half contributions, Birkeland said the 6-foot-even freshman has certainly earned her place in the lineup throughout Morgan’s opening stretch.
“It’s definitely hard to come in strong but (Rockenfield) gained a ton of confidence,” Birkeland said. “She’s been a big contributor and been there for all of us.”
Vine and fellow senior Mindy Frost led the Tigers in a bit of a production spike in the second half, with Ogden amassing 19 points in the third quarter alone. It was hardly enough to challenge the Trojans down the stretch, however, as Morgan piled on 31 more points.
For Ogden, the loss to Morgan adds another setback to head coach Andy Blodgett’s agenda coming off a 45-26 loss to Bear River at home last weekend.
“We’re not ready for that transition yet and tonight that showed,” Blodgett said. “It’s a step up because you’re fighting for something and we saw Morgan come out tonight, shoot lights out and show the region they mean business. We just have to find that level and get there.”
On Thursday, Morgan travels to Grantsville. Ogden heads to South Summit.
Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.
