IHS earns IML win away, 66-34
Late-arriving fans didn’t really have to enter BHS Gymnasium Thursday, Jan. 19, to get a sense of how the girls’ varsity showdown between Bayfield and Ignacio was unfolding.
Needing not necessarily a trained eye, but more so a casual ear, all one needed to do was stand by the doors nearest the visiting Lady Bobcats’ bench and listen for one of several shouts emanating from skipper Trae Seibel, stoked to see his high/low-style offense threaten from the perimeter, then zip pass after pass into the paint to repeatedly pounce upon point-blank opportunities.
And with senior Harmony Reynolds booking four two-point baskets, plus junior Solymar Cosio her first two, IHS’ 1-2 low-post punch produced 15 of the visitors’ 20 first-quarter points, with BHS managing just four Alaysia Kremer points in reply.
Helped by a three-pointer and five total points from junior Michelle Kirk, Bayfield lost the second stanza by a much-closer 16-11 margin. But after going into halftime trailing 36-15, the Lady Wolverines saw the deficit re-grow to 53-24 beginning the last eight regulation minutes in a 66-34 home loss.
“We played our game, so that we’re prepared for other games,” said Cosio, who totaled 16 points – right behind Reynolds’ game-high 17. “We wanted to make sure that we were disciplined, and we came out with the win.”
“My guards, they’ve got to look inside and go for a high-percentage shot,” Seibel had stated earlier this season. “Whether it’s Soly or whether it’s Harmony … whoever is posted up on the block, we’re looking inside. We’re just trying to get the repetitions to make that move and be confident.”
Kremer, a senior, totaled a BHS-leading ten points before fouling out with 3:58 left in the contest, and Bayfield (2-7 overall, 0-3 3A/4A Intermountain) caught a fright when emerging junior cog Genesis Barrera collapsed 51 ticks later, clutching her left calf after being fouled on a shot attempt.
Fortunately, her departure appeared to be due to a cramp rather than serious injury, and the Lady Wolverines collected a morale boost when freshman Lily Muir came in ice-cold off Lauren Moran’s bench and netted both resulting free throws. She and Barrera each finished with two points, sophomore Renae Foutz and senior Abria Thayer each recorded four, junior Madison Mead five and Kirk seven.
With two three-pointers and eight total points during the third quarter, sophomore Marissa Olguin totaled 12 for Ignacio (7-4, 1-2 IML), and classmate DaLaney Wesner came off the bench to contribute seven points. Entering as a reserve following a doctor’s appointment earlier in the day, senior Laci Brunson buried two treys for her six points, and starting-lineup juniors Darlyn Mendoza-Lechuga and Maci Barnes each scored four.
All told, Ignacio made five threes and went 9-of-18 from the foul line while Bayfield (one three) ended up 9-of-17.
“(Seibel) just wanted us to be mentally prepared, no matter what,” explained Cosio (4-5 FT). “Just stay disciplined in our offense and our defense, that we can become better for when we play Pagosa and Alamosa again.”
The Lady ’Cats will next see action Friday, Jan. 27, when they travel to La Jara to face Centauri. Ignacio will then overnight in the San Luis Valley, in order to visit AHS – scheduled to play on the 27th at BHS – the next evening.