Three minutes and eight seconds was all visiting 3A Bloomfield, N.M., needed to assemble a decisive 14-0 scoring run, and blow wide open what had been only a 24-16 advantage against the Ignacio girls’ junior varsity through three quarters of the teams’ Tuesday, Dec. 3 season-opener.

And after having earlier scored the game’s first three points – via a Bekah Powell layup and a Deja Herrera free throw – Ignacio would get no closer down the stretch than 38-20 after consecutive Tori Archuleta baskets near the final frame’s midway mark as Bloomfield (1-0 overall) prevailed 46-20 and spoiled the prep-level coaching debut of former Mancos standout Dylaina Morelli.

Trailing 7-5 after one quarter inside IHS Gymnasium, Ignacio’s Roshae Weaver hit 3-of-4 from the charity stripe to put the Lady Cats (0-1) ahead with 5:58 before halftime, but the like-named opponent closed out the second on a 13-2 blitz to double up Ignacio at the break, 20-0.

Archuleta began the third with a jumper, and Weaver provided the team’s other four points in the stanza with a free throw and a late three-pointer – the last threat to the visitors’ lead, as it would turn out.

Up next for the JV was a Tuesday, Dec. 10 trip to face 1A Shiprock (N.M.) Northwest’s varsity, and a Thursday, Dec. 12 trip – both were completed after the Drum’s deadline – to Telluride for the start of 2A/1A San Juan Basin League play. A non-league road date on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 2A Sargent then followed.

The rematch with Bloomfield is slated for Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014, prior to the boys’ JV clash.