Led by senior Calyn Permann, Rockland runs away from Genesee to win 1A State Championship title

NAMPA — The Rockland Bulldogs have relied on their defense all season. They used that stingy defense to complete a 22-4 regular-season record, then kept leaning on it to earn a berth into Saturday’s 1A Girls Basketball State Championship game.

“When all else fails, play solid defense,” head coach Jordan Black said.

Rockland’s aggressive full-court press wreaked havoc on a Genesee team dependent upon its offensive firepower. Genesee entered the Ford Idaho Center Saturday having averaged around 60 points per game, but could muster no more than 11 in any quarter as Rockland claimed its third state title since 2020.

Behind its patented defense and 35 combined points from seniors Calyn and Alexa Permann, Rockland sealed a 56-39 win completing its championship run.

Alexa, who along with her cousin Calyn was on the Rockland championship squad in 2020, said the duo has been manifesting a title they could call their own since they were end-of-the-bench freshmen.

“It’s a dream, honestly,” she said. “We’ve wanted this since our freshman year and we knew we could do it.”

Like Friday, Rockland’s defense showed up early but had to wait for the offense’s arrival.

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Trailing 4-0 more than three minutes into the game, Black was forced to take an early timeout. Coming out of the timeout, Sydnee Freeman, who along with the Permanns makes up Rockland’s three-person contingent of seniors, responded with a pair of jumpers to jumpstart the Rockland offense.

Prior to the game, Black pulled the seniors aside and told them what she wanted from them.

“I told them, ‘Go out and empty the tank. Give it everything you’ve got … take risks, do something you’ve never done before and have fun,’” the coach said.

The trio did exactly that. Freeman finished with eight points, nine rebounds and two assists. Alexa, the hero of Rockland’s semifinal victory over Carey, contributed 15 points, 10 rebounds, one block and three steals.

And on the biggest stage, playing in her final high school game, Calyn was everywhere — at times seeming to be in multiple places at once. The point guard led all scorers with 20 points, adding five rebounds, four assists and a block.

She cited the age-old cliche “offense wins games, defense wins championships” after the game, discussing how defense leads to offense.

During the game, she proved it. With six steals, several of them resulting in breakaway layups, she was the proverbial thorn in Genesee’s side all game.

Her coach called Calyn a “game-changer and momentum-shifter.”

“We can run our press for four quarters,” Calyn said. “If you can be a lockdown D team, you’re going to win a championship.”

Calyn’s defense came alive in the third.

After taking a 25-18 advantage into the halftime break, Rockland saw Genesee score the first five points of the third quarter.

Once again, Black called a timeout to regroup.

She implored her squad to stick to its own gameplan, not allow Genesee to the game and leave Rockland disjointed. “Just stay focused, stay the course,” she told them.

Rockland finished the third quarter on an 18-to-five run, leaving Genesee with only slim hopes entering the fourth.

Calyn quickly snatched those as well, with a steal and runout on the first possession of the fourth period.

Watching her cousin sprint down the court alone, Alexa was nearly overcome with excitement.

“It makes me so happy, like, ‘she’s go another one, we’re going to score, we’re going to get ahead,” she said.

Calyn had a bit of a different thought:

“Don’t miss. Don’t miss. Don’t miss,” she said with a laugh.

With an insurmountable lead late in the fourth, Black was able to empty her bench and let some of the younger players feel the excitement of playing in a championship game.

“I want these girls to be back here, that’s the goal,” Black said. “So, getting them out there, even if it’s only for a minute, to have that experience on the floor, it lights a fire inside of you. … I believe that we can get back here with that younger group.”

Now, all that is left for the Rockland girls is getting back to eastern Idaho to celebrate with their town — though many Rockland residents were in attendance Saturday.

As for the ride home in their little Rockland van, Black said she expects a dance party — much like the one the team put on Saturday morning during the ride from the hotel to the arena. And for the new accoutrement they’ll have in tow?

“I might have to hold the trophy on my lap, and we might have to put the banner across a couple laps, because we’re not letting those out of our sight,” she said.

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