|
 |
| Click Here for more sports
Articles
|
 ’ ball: Lady ’Cats survive at BHS
Written by: Joel Priest
2/8/2013
Valerie Armstrong’s game-opening three-pointer hinted to all inside BHS Gymnasium that Ignacio might finally buck a long-running, pro-Bayfield trend in the Valley neighbors’ hardwood history.
But the Lady Bobcats’ 49-46 victory depended most upon the game’s M-V-P: Mariah Vigil, Post.
“It’s my senior year and we’re playing Bayfield,†she said, after a 21-point outing included 11 key free throws in 14 attempts. “And we all know that Bayfield’s our rival; we just wanted to get to ’em.â€
With over 20 fouls called in the first half however, it was tough for either team to sustain any momentum gained; IHS took a 10-5 lead after one, but with Lady Wolverine junior Jaida Ross matching Vigil in getting to the charity stripe [each tried ten] early, the halftime deficit facing BHS was just 27-23.
Two Haley Clarke FT’s with 2:17 left in the third quarter finally pulled Bayfield even at 34-34, but Ignacio reserve guard Jordan Cuthair responded immediately with a crucial three-pointer, and senior Michelle Simmons followed shortly after with a hard-driving lay-in, drawing a foul on Clarke.
Leading 39-34 entering the decisive eight minutes, the Lady ’Cats caught a break with 7:03 left when Clarke received her fourth personal, and junior Gabriela Garcia capitalized with two free throws for a seven-point advantage. That joy did not last even a full minute (and was virtually gone in 61 seconds).
Simmons picked up her fourth with 6:18 left, and her fifth—though Ellie Seibel appeared to have been the officials’ initial target—with 6:02 remaining, DQ’ing her from her last IHS-BHS clash with six points. With alternate point guard Sky Cotton already observing from the bench due to injury (incurred before Tuesday), and Armstrong (nine points) carefully watched, the loss could have been crippling.
“Trying to get the girls pumped up before the game—some, their last time playing here in this gym—I reminded them we’re probably not always going to get a call that we want,†agreed head coach Justa Whitt. “And that was proven. Some of our second-stringers stepped up…very proud of them.â€
“I think everyone that subbed in for whoever had foul trouble really stepped up,†Vigil concurred, referring to the work of Cuthair (three points), Seibel (five) and Chrystianne Valdez—but unintentionally expressing a truth for the 3A Lady Wolverines (7-8, 1-3 Intermountain) as well.
Ross finished with eleven points, and senior Micaela Knickerbocker earned every one of her team-high 15, but BHS—especially after starter Destini McGhehey fouled out with 5:59 left—stayed close thanks to efforts of senior Layne Bulwan (four points), junior Carrie Yost (six) and junior Andrea Lahoz.
Already with a three-pointer in the frame, Lahoz went to the line for three foul shots when Ignacio’s Cloe Seibel fouled out with 1:29 to play. Making one, BHS was back to 46-42, and a Ross putback with 0:19 left sliced the Lady Bobcats’ lead to just 47-46.
There was little doubt it was must-foul time for Bayfield, particularly if IHS looked to simply stall with no plans to shoot. Sure as the sun, a foul was committed—unfortunately with Vigil taking the contact.
With feet shoulder-width apart, knees well bent, a robotic cock of her left elbow and proper snap of her wrist, twice the ball left her hand and twice it stretched the strings—though Ignacio couldn’t fully celebrate a rare triumph until Knickerbocker’s desperation toss from midcourt sailed underneath the basket.
“Played their butts off, and I’m so proud of them,†said Whitt, once a Bayfield Volleyball coach in the mid-1990’s after her basketball-playing days at the University of Colorado.
“We haven’t beaten Bayfield in…I don’t know how long,†she added [research found more than a few victories, including a three-game sweep in the 2004-05 season—likely the most recent, prior to Tuesday—and a 57-42 verdict during the ’95-96 season, after Whitt led BHS’ C-team spikers in the fall].
“To have a win like that, at this point in their season, we can move forward on that momentum [pauses] more than I can ask for,†she said.
Improving to 9-7 overall (still 4-1 in the 2A/1A San Juan Basin), the Lady ’Cats host Mancos tomorrow evening in league action. Bayfield hosts Monte Vista (2-10, 0-4) in IML play tonight.
|
Articles:
5/17/2013 Pole vaulters power BHS into State
4/26/2013 Soccer shows SWL title-worthiness
2/22/2013 Ignacio shocked at loss to Telluride
2/14/2013 Lady ’Cats: Move aside, Mancos
2/8/2013 Wolverines burn out against IHS
First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page
|
|
|
