IHS girls save seventh at AHS’ Rumble 

Beaten up, down and around Lillywhite Gymnasium by northwestern New Mexico heavyweights during the first two days of Aztec, New Mexico’s 2025 Rumble in ‘The Jungle,’ Greyhills Academy seized its chance during the decisive Saturday, Dec. 20, session to finally fight back. 

Located in Tuba City, Ariz., but a perpetual punching bag for in-state Class 2A powers such as St. Johns, Sanders-based Valley, Round Valley and Many Farms, the Lady Knights ably went toe-to-toe with a nearly-unknown Colorado foe called Ignacio – also hoping to pick itself up off the proverbial canvas after a pair of pummelings and win at least a round while wrapping up its pre-holiday schedule. 

But after earning a win earlier in the month for the first time since, based on all available accounts, Jan. 3, 2020, Greyhills was denied a second. Letting the Lady Knights – a tourney replacement for Wingate – get no closer than 26-24 with 5:07 left in the third quarter, IHS later began the final frame up 37-26 and ultimately won the tournament’s seventh-place contest 45-36. 

Including two crucial three-pointers driving the Lady Bobcats’ surge sewing up the third, junior guard Aubree Lucero totaled three treys and an impressive 18 points. Junior Maliyah Martinez, frequently filling the point guard role with senior Alyssa Atencio unavailable and senior Juliann Avila lost to a left ankle injured during the first quarter, drained a lifesaving four threes and scored 18 of IHS’ 23 first-half points en route to racking up a game-high 21. 

Freshman guard Makayla Red converted an ‘and-one’ three-point play with 6:12 left in the third, while sophomore guard Julia Torrecilla Bernal chipped in two points and sophomore forward Veronica Brown one as Ignacio recovered comparatively well from a 51-12 loss to 5A Farmington, N.M., Piedra Vista on the 18th and a 67-23 loss to 5A Durango the next morning. 

Junior guard/forward Taylor Lake led GA (1-7 overall, 0-2 AIA 2A North) with 11 points, grabbed no fewer than 11 rebounds and, thanks to making two of three free throws during the first quarter, helped the Lady Knights take an early 10-8 lead into the second. 

Back-to-back Martinez takes to the hoop, however, regained skipper Travis Nanaeto’s Lady ’Cats a 12-10 lead with roughly 6:30 left until halftime, but after a Martinez triple increased said lead to 17-10, Greyhills Academy strung together eight unanswered points, including a go-ahead trey by senior Rhyonna John. 

Assisted by junior forward/center Catori Aasland, Lucero countered with a three, and after two Lake FTs re-tied the game at 20-20 with 1:01 remaining, Martinez received a Lucero pass and cashed a three from the right wing only a couple ticks before the buzzer. 

And despite Aubrey Lake totaling ten points, John four and senior Hailey Russell four – including a revitalizing triple early in the fourth quarter – the Lady Knights, blasted 51-4 by 4A Aztec on Day 1 and 64-15 by 4A Montezuma-Cortez the next afternoon, never again had the upper hand. 

Statistics from the loss to PVHS had not been reported in as of press time, but Avila scored a team-best eight points against Durango and Lucero was right behind with seven. But after falling behind 21-5 after eight minutes and still trailing 34-17 through 16, the Lady ’Cats went almost completely silent after intermission, making just three two-point shots and earning zero free-throw attempts. Red and freshman Neeka Howe each made a three-pointer in defeat, as did Lucero and Avila, and Brown booked two points. 

DHS senior guard Claire Goodwin, meanwhile, made three threes and totaled a game-high 15 points (11 during the first quarter). Junior guard/forward Jaelyn Alston hit two treys and ended up with 14 points, and senior guard Josie Phare came off head coach Lauren Moran’s bench to tally ten. 

Looking ahead, Ignacio’s first outing after New Year’s is slated for Thursday, January 8, when the Lady ’Cats (now 1-5 overall, 0-0 3A/4A Intermountain) will travel to 2A Del Norte. 

2025 RUMBLE IN ‘THE JUNGLE’ GIRLS’ STANDINGS 

1.Farmington (N.M.) Piedra Vista, 2.Aztec (N.M.), 3.Grants (N.M.), 4.Belen (N.M.), 5.Durango, 6.Montezuma-Cortez, 7.IGNACIO, 8.Tuba City (Ariz.) Greyhills Academy. CHAMPIONSHIP – Piedra Vista 43, Aztec 39; THIRD-PLACE GAME – Grants 62, Belen 28; FIFTH-PLACE GAME – Durango 50, Montezuma-Cortez 35; SEVENTH-PLACE GAME – Ignacio 45, Greyhills Academy 36.