At times against Alamosa and Centauri, the Montezuma-Cortez High School girls basketball team flashed its vast potential.
Turnovers and scoring droughts haunted the Lady Panthers, however, as the team lost to Alamosa, 52-37, on Jan. 18, and fell to Centauri, 57-34, on Jan. 19. The losses dropped M-CHS’ record to 3-7 overall and 0-4 in the Intermountain League.
Opening its game against Alamosa with one of its best eight-minute stretches of the season, M-CHS jumped out to a 15-9 lead behind the shooting of junior Dimery Plewe, who scored 7 points in the first quarter.
Among Plewe’s most impressive plays was a high-arcing three-pointer from the left wing that brought fans to their feet. After the junior followed up with a pull-up jump shot in transition on her team’s next possession, Alamosa coach Shawn Cody called a timeout as the home fans roared.
Positive results continued for the Lady Panthers throughout the second quarter as sophomore forward Paige Yarbrough showcased her impressive range when she banked in a three-pointer from the top of the key to give her team an 18-11 lead.
Alamosa responded with an 11-2 run, and heading into halftime the Lady Panthers trailed 24-20. Keying Alamosa’s second-quarter run was a balanced attack that saw five different players score.
After Alamosa opened the third quarter on a 7-1 run, M-CHS regained its energy thanks in large part to a three-pointer from junior Hayden Leggett, which drew cheers from the large crowd.
An offensive rebound and put-back by Plewe and a three-pointer by Taelynn Comisky cut Alamosa’s lead to 31-29 and at that point, it appeared as if M-CHS was poised to score an upset.
“I really thought it wasn’t going in, but once it did, I felt everybody’s energy on the court come up,” said Leggett.
The final eight minutes proved to be unkind. M-CHS turned the ball over and were outscored 17-8. Plewe led M-CHS in scoring with nine points, and Malia Begay and Leggett each had six.
Alamosa was led by junior Lilly Lavier, with a game-high 16 points. Senior Alma Martinez had 12.
“We did not give our best effort, but we win as a team, and we lose as a team,” Leggett said.
One day after losing to Alamosa, M-CHS played at home against Centauri and lost, 57-34. Next up for the Lady Panthers will be a road matchup against Pagosa Springs on Jan. 26.