COLORADO SPRINGS – Erasing memories of last year’s one-point loss to Woodland Park in the 2023 Class 3A Girls’ State Tournament’s opening Round-of-32, senior guard Darlyn Mendoza-Lechuga’s close-range, buzzer-beating basket Friday night gave underdog Ignacio a 44-43 victory over Timnath beginning the 2024 title chase.
After junior guard Marissa Olguin gave the Bobcats the ball near Ignacio’s bench with 2.5 ticks left, Mendoza-Lechuga got the ball and hustled cross-court to the far side of the lane.
Electing not to dish off to senior center Solymar Cosio, Mendoza-Lechuga managed to get her attempt up, which teetered momentarily on the rim before dropping through the net as time expired.
Ignacio improved to 9-13, while Timnath’s season ended at 16-7.
Ignacio rallied from being down 41-34 with 2:25 left in regulation. Senior guard Maci Barnes was erroneously credited with a made free-throw after she had missed a pair. Timnath’s supporters – and perhaps the Lady Cubs’ coaches – immediately saw the problem, but their pleas to the officials (and official scorekeeper) went unanswered.
Barnes made her next two tries, bringing Ignacio back to 43-38, and Olguin drained a clutch 3-pointer with 22.6 seconds remaining.
Timnath had a chance to inbound with 11.9 left and perhaps draw a foul, but a desperate throw into the backcourt went completely over its intended recipient’s head and out of bounds. That not only saved the determined Lady Bobcats precious time, but shortened the length of court they’d need to cover.
And with fewer than five ticks left, Timnath freshman guard Gracyn Redmon hacked Mendoza-Lechuga, whose singular make apparently tied the contest – something which would have certainly been disputed, much to the knowing Lady Bobcats’ chagrin, prior to any possible overtime inside St. Mary’s High School Gymnasium.
But in the end, Ignacio pulled off the upset.
All told, Mendoza-Lechuga scored 13 points in helping 22nd-seeded Ignacio climb out of a 27-20 halftime deficit, as well as a 33-30 deficit entering the fourth. Totaling two treys, Olguin booked 10 points.
Sophomore guard Gretchen Deines scored seven first quarter points and ended up with 13 points for No. 11 Timnath in defeat. Sophomore forward Tiana Guzman scored 10 points, including a trey putting the Lady Cubs up 32-24 late in the third.
From the foul line, Ignacio shot 12 of 20 from the foul line, while Timnath ended up 9 of 15.
Advancing deeper in the postseason than last winter, Ignacio went on to face Region VI-hosting St. Mary’s on Saturday. The sixth-seeded Lady Pirates (19-4) ousted No. 27 Arvada Forge Christian (8-15) in Friday’s opening showdown, 59-28.
The 31st-seeded Bobcats gave the second-seeded Bishop Machebeuf Buffaloes all they could handle, but ultimately fell 63-54 in Friday’s 3A boys state tournament opener.
Ignacio’s season ended at 8-15 overall.
