Held to just six points in the first half Tuesday, the Bayfield Lady Wolverines ended up getting 10 points from senior Abby Tate, five from freshman Renae Foutz and four from both junior Alaysia Kremer and sophomore Madison Mead in a 51-23 loss at Montezuma-Cortez in the 3A Intermountain League District Tournament’s lone play-in contest.
“We played well at the very beginning of the game and then again in the third quarter,” BHS head coach Lauren Moran said via text message, “but just couldn’t put together a full game.”
“We know how it feels to play together, but sometimes we just don’t pull it off together,” Tate said.
The Panthers, meanwhile, went into intermission leading by a comfortable 23 points after senior Bri Comisky booked eight second-quarter points and senior Moshai John hit two three-pointers for six. Comisky finished with a reported 12 points, and junior Carlie McClellan would match her dozen with a strong second-half showing. Senior Kaydence Tom totaled seven, and John stayed at six, with senior Taiah Wilson and sophomore Markylla Jones each chipping in five.
“A lot of our faults in other games were from us just not communicating,” McClellan said. “I think we played as a team really well; that’s what our intention was.”
“All in all, I’m really proud of the girls for a team win,” head coach Brad Wright said. “We’ve been trying to gel on the run, integrating new girls throughout the process, and … it’s really important that everybody does their job.”
With the loss, BHS finished the 2021-22 season with a final record of 1-18 overall.
M-CHS improved to 10-10 and will next head to tourney-hosting Pagosa Springs at 5 p.m. Friday to face regular-season IML champs Centauri (12-7). PSHS (13-5) will play Alamosa (11-8) in the 6:30 semifinal. The third-place game is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, with the championship following at 4.
Storming out to a 15-1 lead after one quarter Tuesday, the Ignacio girls basketball team had no problem advancing at visiting Dolores’ expense, 50-15, into the 2A-District 3 tournament’s bracket phase.
Leading 24-7 at halftime and then 40-9 through three quarters against their fellow San Juan Basin Leaguers, IHS got scoring from nine players. Junior Laci Brunson led Ignacio with 10 points. Senior Avaleena Nanaeto, junior Harmony Reynolds and sophomore Darlyn Mendoza-Lechuga each booked seven points in a balanced attack, and sophomore reserve Lauren DeKay got in on the act with six.
Reynolds was Ignacio’s top rebounder in the “pigtail” with 10. Brunson and Nanaeto each doled out four assists as Ignacio won their third consecutive game and eliminated Dolores (5-14 overall).
Up next, the No. 4 seeded Lady ’Cats (10-9) will face Western Slope League power Cedaredge at 3 p.m. Friday at neutral M-CHS. Seeded No. 1 in the SJBL/WSL district, the 16-3 Lady Bruins have won 10 straight since a one-point loss Jan. 14 at Soroco and are ranked No. 7 in Class 2A by CHSAANow.com.
Seeded No. 2, Mancos (13-6) will clash in the 6 p.m. semi against either 3-seed Olathe or 6-seed Telluride, which were to play Thursday after snowy weather Tuesday prevented THS from traveling to OHS. The district’s third-place game is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, with the championship to tip off at 1 p.m.
