Mariah Murdie

The Jeff West lady Tigers finished out the regular season riding a five-game winning streak and head into the postseason with a 12-8 record. A key part to the team’s recent success and play this season has been the play of sophomore, Mariah Murdie who has blossomed into a solid around player in just her second year in high school.

Murdie and her teammates finished out the regular season last week with a hard fought 41-39 win over Hiawatha and the sophomore made sure she left an imprint on the game as she tallied 21 points on 10-17 shooting, while grabbing nine rebounds, posting two assists and blocking five shots. During the Tigers five game win streak Murdie has posted double figures in four of the five games.

With the graduation of post player Olivia Brees, Murdie came into the season as a player the Tigers would look to for a great post presence and was asked to step her game up this year and that she has. Mariah who averaged 3.5 points per game as a freshman is averaging 10.8 points per game this year and has filled the stat sheet regularly with 8.6 rebounds per game, 1.3 steals per game, one assists per game and 3.8 blocks per game.

On the year Murdie has recorded double figures in 12 of the teams 20 games, while posting eight games with five or more blocks and has recorded six double-doubles this year. Murdie also had a near triple-double against Riverside with 19 points, 14 rebounds and nine blocks.

The Tigers have put things together to finish out the regular season and head into the postseason riding a wave of momentum as they look to make noise in a tough 4A-DII Sub-State and the play of Murdie will be key if Jeff West looks to make a postseason run.