Holding visiting Del Norte to only three baskets after intermission and outscoring the Lady Tigers 25-8 during the same time span, Ignacio’s Lady Bobcats had little difficulty erasing a small halftime deficit Saturday, Dec. 10, in winning 43-30.
“Our goal was to break through the mental and emotional challenges that come with having an emotional win the night before, and giving everything you’ve got,” said IHS head coach Trae Seibel, alluding to his team’s 45-31 triumph at Sanford. “Our girls were able to do that in the second half … and were able to grind out a win.”
“Friday night when we went to Sanford, we played such good basketball and stuck to our game plan … really ran our offense and shut them down defensively. It was a team win to celebrate. But you know, I’m proud of our girls for this whole weekend; all the effort they gave – both wins were ‘team’ wins.”
Following up on their upset of Class 2A’s third-ranked [CHSAANow.com poll, 12/5] Lady Mustangs, 3A Ignacio (4-1, 0-0 3A/4A Intermountain) got 15 points apiece from junior Solymar Cosio and senior Harmony Reynolds, plus one key three-pointer each from senior Laci Brunson and junior Darlyn Mendoza-Lechuga.
Playing with three fouls, Brunson’s trey regained IHS a 23-22 lead early in the third quarter; Mendoza-Lechuga’s expanded the Lady Bobcats’ 28-24 advantage at the end of the third to 37-28 in the fourth … not long before junior reserve Maci Barnes put the last point up on the scoreboard with a free throw resulting from DNHS senior Shelby Vanzalinge’s disqualifying fifth personal foul.
Each of the two starting guards totaled five points, providing some balance to a potent post presence – first announced when Cosio went off for 11 first-quarter points, helping the Lady ’Cats build an 11-6 lead. But a triple in the closing moments by DNHS senior Abigail Rivera sliced the home team’s lead down to 13-11, giving the guests momentum entering the second stanza.
And with Cosio rested extensively during the second, the Lady Tigers (0-3 overall) managed to scrap ahead 20-17 before Cosio checked back in with 1:34 left until halftime – when, helped by 7-of-11 FT shooting, Del Norte’s lead stood 22-18.
5-of-9 herself from the charity stripe in the game, Reynolds then took over with ten second-half points – two via an uncontested layup before the officials paused play with 0:29 remaining so IHS’ trainers could aid Mendoza-Lechuga, who’d been face-planted near the scorer’s table during the breakaway sequence.
“We had a good inside game; Soly and Harmony were able to post up and look for options – it showed with Soly in the first half, and in the second with Harmony,” Seibel said, “and I saw some of the guards hit threes and have good penetration. Looking inside and looking outside … our plan today was to have a balanced attack.”
In winning their 2022-23 home opener, the Lady ’Cats also got two points from sophomore Marissa Olguin. Rivera totaled 12 points to pace Del Norte, with Vanzalinge and Kelci Madrid each ending up with five.
Against SHS, Reynolds led Ignacio with 17 points – 13 coming during the first half, helping IHS go into halftime leading 31-8. Mendoza-Lechuga and Olguin each scored nine points, Cosio contributed six before fouling out (as did a scoreless Barnes), and Brunson booked four. Sophomore Shasta Bond managed ten points for the Lady Mustangs (1-1 overall) in defeat, senior Makenzie Reynolds sank two treys and finished with eight points, and senior Alyssa Edgar cashed a three and totaled five points.
Wrapping up the pre-holiday portion of their schedule, the Lady ’Cats will host 2A Sargent (1-3) Friday evening, Dec. 16. Results from IHS’ road trip on the 15th to 2A Mancos (also off to a 4-1 start) were unavailable at press time.