IHS sweeps season pair against BHS
Ignacio Girls’ Basketball head coach Trae Seibel had just one concern going into IHS’ game Saturday, Feb. 3, at Bayfield: That his Lady Bobcats would have a ‘hangover’ from the previous evening’s thrilling 34-33 upset win at Pagosa Springs and come out not playing to their potential. They came ready.
Bayfield senior guard/forward Renae Foutz and senior forward/center Madison Mead fouled out seven seconds apart near the midway mark of the fourth quarter, and moments after the latter’s disqualification, IHS sophomore guard Alyssa Atencio sank a three-pointer increasing the visitors’ lead to 47-11 – enacting CHSAA’s 35-point ‘mercy’ rules – en route to a 52-13 win.
Picking up where she left off against the potent Lady Pirates, IHS junior guard Marissa Olguin drilled two first-quarter threes, helping Ignacio (7-8 overall, 3-4 3A/4A Intermountain) pile up a 16-0 lead through the opening eight minutes.
The Lady ’Cats then went inside during the second quarter, with senior center Solymar Cosio equaling her two first-quarter baskets plus making four of five free-throw attempts (IHS went 9-of-11 from the stripe during the second) as the guests went into halftime up 33-6, having held the Lady Wolverines (3-11, 0-7 IML) scoreless for the first 11:32 of regulation.
Foutz, who picked up her fifth personal foul with 4:23 left in the contest, netted BHS’ first two points – her only hoop in the game – with 4:28 remaining in the second quarter, snipping IHS’ advantage down to 23-2. Senior guard/forward Michelle Kirk nailed a trey before fouling out with 1:23 left until intermission, and Mead (who fouled out after Foutz) made one of two FTs for her only point against an IHS squad minus junior forward DaLaney Wesner, senior Lauren deKay and freshman Lily Quintana.
Senior guard Genesis Barrera matched Kirk’s three points for the team high, while senior Anna Vasgird and freshman guard Vivien Clance each recorded two points coming off the bench. Cosio finished with 15 points for Ignacio, Olguin totaled three treys – giving her seven for the weekend – and 11 points (she’d booked 14 at Pagosa Springs; PSHS senior center/forward Annie O’Donnell also netted 14), and senior guard Maci Barnes contributed eight points. Atencio totaled six, while senior guard Darlyn Mendoza-Lechuga and freshman guard/forward Maliyah Martinez each went 5-of-6 from the foul line for five points apiece.
The Lady ’Cats will resume IML work Friday evening, Feb. 9, at Montezuma-Cortez, then return to host Centauri the next afternoon. Results from IHS’ non-league home game on the 6th versus 1A Dove Creek (11-2 overall) were unavailable at press time.