Enterprise The Idaho
Oneida County's News Since 1879 Malad City, Idaho
March 7, 2024 |Vol. 144 No. 10
Terry Jones’ 1992 MHS Team celebrated at State Tournament Over the weekend, the 1992 state champion undefeated Malad Boys Basketball Team was given another prestigious title to add to its legacy, when it was honored as a “Legend of the Game” for 2024 by the Idaho High School Activities Association. With his wife Marsha by his side as she has been over the course of his coaching career, Coach Terry Jones met with almost all the members of the team at the Idaho Center in Nampa for the presentation of a medallion and plaque commemorating the achievement. Although Jones was strenuous in suggesting that the award was a celebration of the team and not him as a coach, there can be no denying the amazing record of success that Jones brought to the Malad Basketball program. Jones began his teaching and coaching career at Hawthorne Middle School in Pocatello, where he “learned the ropes” from coaches at nearby schools, such as the athletic powerhouse of Pocatello High School, winners of this year’s 4A state tournament. In 1981, he moved to Malad and began coaching at Malad High School. Within a few years, the seeds of what would become a legendary program had begun to flower. Between the years of 1984 and 1996, Jones’ teams would go on to reach the state tournament 13 straight times. Of those trips, the teams netted six state championship trophies, and four runners up. They also acquired seven other awards of various sorts along their journey. Even outside that remarkable run of seasons, the teams put on the court with Jones at the helm were always fiercely competitive and a major force in the Southeast Idaho and state brackets they found themselves facing. Out of all the championship teams,
NEWS IN BRIEF Super Tuesday this week
The presidential nominating contest is (as everyone has been saying now every week for months) expected to be clinched Tuesday, when 16 states will be voting in caucuses and primaries. There are very few states in which President Joe Biden faces any substantial headwinds for the Democratic nomination, and on the other side former President Trump faces only Nikki Haley in terms of other candidates still running and receiving significant votes. If trends that have been obvious to this point continue, a rematch of 2020 is almost certainly in the cards.
Credit card late fees to be capped at $8
Championship MHS Coach Terry Jones and his wife Marsha stopped by the Enterprise office to chat about last weekend’s awarding of the “Legends of the Game” title to the 1992 boys team.
the 1992 team one has a special place for him. “The first one was super in 1985, because we weren’t expected to win. The second one in 1992 was a bit different because there was a lot of pressure on us. We were ranked number one the whole time.” “In 1994 we went 25-1. And in 1996, we also went 25-1, so they were super teams too.” “Justin broke his foot in the district tournament, so that was an issue. In the first two games he took it kind of easy, but in the last one he went all out to make sure we would win.” Jones shared the humorous anecdote that Justin also experienced severe stomach distress as the result of a flu during the district tournament in Soda Springs. At halftime, “we go into the locker room, and Justin goes into the bathroom and he’s sick to his stomach, throwing up and ev-
erything. So, I’m trying to talk to the rest of the team, and their eyes are as big as basketballs, and they’re going ‘oh dear…’” he related. “Justin had a broken foot and the flu—it was a tough tournament for him,” Jones laughed. In addition to the satisfaction of coaching his hometown team to repeated victory, he also had the pleasure of coaching his sons Justin, Tyler, and Trevor, who have all gone on to become very successful coaches in their own right, including Trevor’s fantastic run this year with the Malad Girls Basketball team, and Tyler’s success at Preston and Justin’s at Rigby. As a cross country coach, he also had the opportunity to coach his daughter Erin. Asked whether they TERRY JONES On Page 2
Legends of the Game
It was an honor they didn’t quite grasp until the MHS Boys ‘92 basketball team was called out on the court. After more than 30 years since their incredible undefeated season and championship win, the 13 players, managers and coaches have since moved on from their big win, but the awesomeness of the accomplishment has never gone away. Beginning in 2001, the Idaho High School Activities Association (IHSAA) established the “Legends of the Game” award, an honor given to outstanding basketball teams of the past. The only requirement to be nominated for the award is that the team must have played more than 30 years earlier. Important considerations to receive the award include the teams overall record, player and coaches accomplishments, and state championship wins. It can take several years of nominating a team before it is considered for the award and even longer before it is chosen. But on their first attempt at the nomination, the MHS ‘92 was selected to be the 2024 “Legends of the Game” because they had a truly remarkable season. Through their season, players overcame serious injury and illness, had record breaking shooting games, approached 100% free throw shooting and a near perfect offensive and defensive execution. While there were
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Idaho Falls woman arrested for fentanyl after giving birth
According to Eastidahonews. com, an Idaho Falls woman was arrested after her newborn was tested for opiates and found to have fentanyl in its system. The woman, who had been living in a camping trailer outside of town and using the illegal drug. She apparently had taken the drug on her way into delivery. Such an offense is punishable by jail time, and she was sentenced to 3 to 7 years for the offense, given as a suspended sentence requiring 100 hours of community service a week, mandatory family treatment counseling, and restitution.
Illegal intestines seized by authorities
1992 MHS State Championship Team
individual stand out players, every member of the team played a part in their victorious season. Decades later, all but two of that ‘92 basketball team returned home to Idaho Saturday, March 2 in celebration and honor of what they together accomplished. With complimentary hotel stay and banquet provided by the IHSAA, the team reveled in the moments of the past and the opportunity to catch up with their longtime teammates. Gathered in the top box of the Idaho Ford Center in Nampa, Idaho for their team banquet, Head Coach Terry Jones took some time to reflect and talk about that special season and to once again thank everyone for the
INSIDE THE ENTERPRISE
Obituaries..................................................... Pg. 3 Evening of the Arts...................................... Pg. 4 Puzzles ........................................................ Pg. 6
part they played, from the players to his assistant coaches to the managers and to even his dear wife that, in her words, “washed a LOT of jerseys back then.” The celebration and honor was given in conjunction with the 5A State Boys Basketball championship game between Owyhee and Timberline high schools. As the game broke for half time, Coach Jones led his team around the sports arena to the applause of the packed stadium to midcourt where they were individually presented with a medallion and plaque to commemorate them as “Legends of the Game.” Current LEGENDS On Page 12
Social Media Report...............................Pg. 9 MHS State Champs 1992 reprint.......Pg. 11 Spring Sports Preview...........................Pg. 12
The Associated Press reported, in an unusual filing, that six people had been arrested in New York on charges of importing illegal goose and duck intestines from China. As if that weren’t odd enough, the contraband organ meat was sometimes hidden under packaged rattlesnakes, or mislabeled as pet grooming items on customs forms. Authorities report that 1,966 cartons of the intestines were shipped from China to the Port of Long Beach, where they passed through customs. They were discovered to be illegal intestines when they landed at JFK Airport in New York by an air carrier cargo service. Other than…what? the main question to come out of the incident is…wait a minute, you can mail rattlesnakes to people?