A special Ignacio High School girls basketball season came to a close Friday morning.
The eighth-seeded Bobcats lost 47-34 to No. 5 Simla in the CHSAA Class 2A Girls Basketball State Tournament at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland.
The loss came in the consolation semifinals a day after Ignacio lost to top-seed Yuma 43-18 in the opening round of the Great 8.
“We cried, we laughed, but we committed to really get after it this next year to get back here,” IHS head coach Shane Seibel said.
The Bobcats (16-8) didn’t let the game get away until the fourth quarter. Simla led 14-13 after one quarter and 22-19 at halftime. The lead grew to 34-29 going to the final 8 minutes.
“We fouled out some girls in that fourth,” Seibel said. “Gosh, the girls played their butts off. This is such a huge spark for them to really get after it in the summer. They’re making commitments, want to work on weaknesses.”
Senior guard Alejandra Lujan was in foul trouble early Friday. She had the toughest defensive assignment of the game against Simla’s top guard. She finished with three points.
Avionne Gomez, a junior, rebounded from a scoreless game Thursday to lead the Bobcats with a game-high 13 points. Makayla Howell, a freshman, had 11 points.
Simla (20-5) was led by 12 points from Jerraldawn Rector. Kegan Hamcher had 10 points, and Taylor Warnecke finished with nine.
Simla will play No. 6 Haxtun in the consolation championship game Saturday.
Though they didn’t win a game in Loveland this week, the Bobcats hope their third-ever appearance in the state Great 8 kick starts a new era of girls basketball at Ignacio.
“We want to make this a tradition,” Seibel said. “We know where we’re going and the expectations. The team is staying to watch the Final Four, and some will stay Saturday to watch the state championship game. They’ll get the feel of it and see what that’s like.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
