Eleven Panthers girls basketball players suited up for away action Tuesday afternoon, and eleven Panthers logged at least one point offensively as Montezuma-Cortez left Ignacio having ran away, via a 23-point fourth quarter, with an important 61-33 win beginning a late-season stretch of three winnable 3A/4A Intermountain games.
“It’s kind of where we need to start for (getting into) regionals,” said Panthers sophomore guard Kyndall Schmitt, whose three-pointer with 1:41 left in the first quarter put M-CHS up 11-7, and the Bobcats got no closer than 11-9 via senior forward Juliann Avila’s last-second put-back deuce.
Starting junior forward Shoshawna Washburn and reserve sophomore guard Mia Glazner got the second quarter underway expanding the guests’ lead to 15-9, and after IHS senior guard Alyssa Atencio drove hard for a layup—fouled on the shot, she failed to make the bonus free throw—with 6:08 left until halftime, the Panthers then went on a game-changing 7-0 run keyed by a three by reserve junior guard Abigail Baker.
Schmitt’s second three-ball increased Montezuma-Cortez’s advantage to 27-13 late, before Ignacio (4-16 overall, 2-8 IML) closed to 27-16 going into intermission. Timing perfectly her next hit from downtown, Schmitt started the second half with another trey, and M-CHS’ lead seemed to peak when a Washburn leaner in the lane made the margin 33-16.
Still ahead by 15 points, 38-23, through three quarters, the Panthers (9-12 overall, 3-7 IML) picked up their pace by starting the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run—keyed by Schmitt’s fourth triple, coming with 6:47 remaining, and a Schmitt-assisted, short-range Baker shot with 6:11 to go.
IHS head coach Travis Nanaeto used a timeout, and the ’Cats suddenly showed life; junior forward Aubree Lucero made two of three FTs after being fouled on a long-range attempt, then promptly swished two long-awaited 3-pointers helping bring the Lady ’Cats back to 53-33. But even with victory visible on a fast-approaching horizon, the Lady Panthers continued playing hard to the final buzzer.
Schmitt ended up with a team-leading 12 points, while Washburn and starting freshman Raya Hall (2-2 FT) each scored eight.
Seven-of-15 from the free-throw line, Atencio ended up with a game-high 13 points in defeat. Lucero (3-7 FT) totaled nine points as the ’Cats ended up a woeful 13-of-32 from the charity stripe; the Lady Panthers were 6-of-8.
The Panthers will, predicted wintry weather permitting, next host 3A Monte Vista (11-9, 5-5 IML) at 6 p.m. Friday, then close out regular-season play on Feb. 27 when 3A Bayfield comes west for a 5:30 p.m. start.
“I think we could go a little bit faster with our offense, a little bit more clean. Other than that, I think we’re doing good,” Schmitt said. “We need to get on a winning streak so that we go into playoffs very strong.”
Ignacio is slated to next welcome Alamosa (15-5, 8-2), ranked No. 8 in 4A, on Friday for a 5:30 p.m. senior night tip, and then head out to MVHS the next day to play at 2:30 p.m.
