The Mancos Fieldhouse has seen some crazy comebacks this year.
In a season in which the Mancos girls rallied from 18 down to topple Ignacio, the Bluejays nearly saw a 21-point lead over county rival Montezuma-Cortez disappear Thursday before regaining control in the final minutes to win, 49-40.
The Bluejays entered the game with a lock on a second consecutive winning season, a feat not achieved since they posted winning seasons from 2007 through 2009. The Panthers, meanwhile, had moved a step closer to a winning record for the first time in nearly two decades, after stunning Ignacio the night before in overtime.
From the opening tip, however, the two teams appeared to be on two levels. Mancos (12-6, 5-2 2A/1A SJBL) capitalized on a flat-footed start for the Panthers, creating first quarter turnovers and attacking the basket.
Bluejays senior Rhiley Montoya led the charge, scoring a dozen points in the first half and forcing the Panthers into foul trouble. Classmate Makayla Wayman played steady defense on Panthers standout Brianna Comisky and contributed to the offensive onslaught.
Mancos shut out M-CHS 12-0 in the opening quarter and continued to pile on points early in the second quarter. It took M-CHS 12 minutes of game action to get their first field goal, a three-pointer from senior Taiah Wilson, but Montoya responded with two threes of her own to build the Mancos advantage to 25-4 midway through the second quarter.
Suddenly, the Bluejays offense dried up.
M-CHS started to execute on offense, mostly through Wilson’s initiative, and the Panthers closed the first half on a 7-0 run to come within 14 points of the Bluejays.
The tenor in the gymnasium shifted, even with the Jays still comfortably in front. M-CHS head coach Brad Wright’s Panthers (9-10, 2-6 3A IML) continued to chip away at the Bluejays’ lead early in the third quarter, with some offense coming from reserve Markylla Jones. The sophomore scored five of her seven points in the third quarter, as the Panthers cut the lead to single digits midway through the third quarter.
Wilson added a pair of perimeter shots, with a three right before the end of the quarter to bring the Panthers to within three, 30-27.
The foul trouble that had plagued M-CHS shifted to Mancos, and a pair of Bluejays starters fouled out. Wilson dropped in a jumper early in the fourth quarter, and the Panthers cut the deficit to 34-32 with six minutes remaining.
Then, Quincy Montoya emerged.
The Bluejays sophomore, quiet through three quarters, revived the attacking style that had helped the Bluejays build their large early lead. Montoya made a layup, then drew fouls as she blazed to the rim.
She knocked home six free throws down the stretch, while her team’s defense clamped down on the Panthers’ last comeback attempts.
Montoya (10) joined her sister Rhiley (17) and Wayman (11) in double figures, as the Bluejays defeated M-CHS for the second consecutive year. Senior Hailey Veach added five points.
Wilson led all scorers with 22 points for the Panthers, while Jones posted seven points and Savannah Haselroth added four. Comisky, who had been a force in the Panthers’ most recent victories, was held to a solitary free throw.
Mancos, looking for a top two seed in the upcoming district tournament, faces Dolores to cap off its regular season, when the Bears visit for their second meeting this season. The Colorado Highway 184 rivalry is set for Friday, Feb. 18 at 5:30 p.m.
M-CHS, its regular season complete, will face Bayfield in the pigtail game of the IML tournament, with the winner moving on to face Centauri in the league semifinals. The Panthers will host Bayfield on Tuesday, Feb. 22, with a win sending the Panthers to a Friday date with the Falcons.
