Ignacio boys beginning against Mancos
As much as an Ignacio Basketball team can typically – and traditionally has – out-run an opponent, or wants to, conditioning always proves most crucial and thus allows coaches to properly train players in the ways of the Bobcat.
It’s basically Trae Seibel’s favorite time of year.
“Right now it’s just about getting everybody into stellar shape, and we’re working on that,” he’d said during an early interview last season – which ended with IHS going a fifth-place 4-8 in the 3A/4A Intermountain League and ultimately 11-13 overall after falling to Loveland Resurrection Christian in the Class 3A State Tournament’s opening Round-of-32.
Which wasn’t surprising; the Cougars, which went on to capture the State Championship and complete a 28-0 season, were the 1-seed while the ’Cats were the 32. Unfortunately, the loss ended the prep careers of five seniors including usual starter Charley Pargin, plus regular reserves Angelo Frost, Coty Webb, Lincoln Gillespie and Marquise Cibrian.
But much established talent will be back for the 2025-26 grind. Now-senior Trace Crane returns to anchor the frontcourt, but with length enabling him to strike from almost anywhere.
“In our system that we implemented, the UCLA offense, we’re hammering on (getting) high-percentage shots,” Seibel said near the close of the ’24-25 season, “so we’re pounding the ball inside then looking for outside opportunities. Charley, he took advantage of it, and there were games where Trace took advantage of it. They were working their butts off, and so was everybody else.”
Senior backcourt regular Ambrose Valdez also returns along with senior Sonny Flores, capable of starting or filling a sixth-man role. After continuing to hone his skills last winter as an important reserve, senior Rance Rathjen is also back along with classmate Stoney White Thunder-Lucero.
Juniors William Mendoza-Lechuga and Thunder Windy Boy, junior-varsity regulars last winter (the latter did see some varsity minutes as the season progressed), will add depth along with junior Shaun Sanderson, sophomore Joseph Atencio, freshman Keyon Alston and senior Zaine Velasquez-Hight.
And while read-and-react may again drive Ignacio’s attack, the ’Cats may again rely defensively on a zone-based look.
“The boys got it down really well, and that goes to (former head) coach (Chris) Valdez who taught them a great zone,” said Seibel, who officially succeeded his mentor last season. “We were just building on that strength, really, but we still know how to match up (man-to-man) if we have to.”
Up first, IHS’ boys will host 2A Mancos on Tuesday night, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. With nowhere to go but up after a brutal 0-22 (0-12 3A/2A/1A San Juan Basin) campaign last winter, the Blue Jays are already off to a 1-1 start after winning their ’25-26 opener, 60-42 over 1A Lake City Community School, on the 5th at 2A Sargent’s two-day tournament. MHS, however, then fell 52-38 on the 6th to the hosting Farmers.
Results from inside IHS Gymnasium were unavailable at press time.
After meeting Mancos, the ’Cats will then creep into the San Luis Valley to contend at 2A Center’s 12/12-13 C-Town Showdown. Awaiting the gents at 7 p.m. on its first day will be Blanca-based Sierra Grande (No. 8 in the preseason CHSAANow.com Class 1A rankings), which went 6-0 in the 1A Southern Peaks last season and ended up 19-6 overall after losing to Elbert in the 1A State Tournament’s Sweet 16.
Ignacio’s December slate will conclude at Aztec, New Mexico’s Rumble in ‘The Jungle,’ Dec. 18-20. At present, the Bobcats are scheduled to square off against the hosting Tigers – off to a frightening 0-4 overall (0-0 NMAA Dist. 1-4A) start as of press time, including a 102-16 home loss to 5A Farmington, N.M., on Nov. 25, plus an 86-26 loss at Montezuma-Cortez (1-0, 0-0 3A/4A IML) on Dec. 2 – on the 18th at 7 p.m.