RIO GRANDE COUNTY – Even with a roster more or less back at full strength, the Ignacio Bobcats were overpowered at Monte Vista in a 50-13 road loss Thursday evening.
Held to only two field goals, a trey and a deuce, both made during the third quarter, and both scored by senior forward Juliann Avila, all game, IHS couldn’t get anything to fall until junior guard Maliyah Martinez hit one of two free throws with 0:41.8 left in the second quarter.
MVHS had quickly and authoritatively built upon senior guard Reagan Futrell’s game-opening layup and led 11-0 after the first quarter.
The Pirates owned a 17-0 advantage before Martinez was fouled by Pirate junior Destiny Pacheco and stepped to the charity stripe. But not long after Ignacio (4-18 overall, 2-10 3A/4A Intermountain) avoided being shut out on the scoreboard, freshman forward Justina Jessepe was hit with her third personal foul, and MVHS junior Krissa Padilla made one of two FTs with 27.3 ticks left.
Down 18-1 through 16 minutes, the Bobcats showed life early after intermission, with Martinez making one of two FTs only nine seconds after play resumed, and Avila draining her 3-pointer with 6:21 left and clipping the Lady Pirates’ lead down to 18-5.
But Monte Vista junior guard Reminee Mascarenas then netted the home team’s first two-pointer of the new half, junior Janessa Marquez drilled especially damaging back-to-back threes, and junior Cindy Cereceres added two FTs as the gap regrew to 28-6 – and reached 32-10 before the third quarter expired.
Avila ended up with a team-leading five points, while Martinez (4-6 FT) logged four. Beltran and Marquez finished with eight points apiece to pace postseason-bound MVHS.
Ignacio will miss the playoffs after losing its last four games.
