After two tough losses last week, the Montezuma-Cortez High School girls basketball team is hoping that a week of practice will help right the ship.
Playing at home against Alamosa High School on Jan. 17, the Panthers remained competitive from start to finish, but lost, 49-39.
M-CHS led 10-9 after the first quarter, but scored just four points in the second quarter and trailed 21-14 at halftime.
“Our goal was to get ahead in the first quarter and we did a good job of sticking to our game plan early on,” said Panthers head coach John McHenry. “In the second quarter, we missed a lot of easy shots and had trouble keeping track of Alamosa’s point guard.”
McHenry said that the play of senior point guard Nicole Demby and junior forward Tayla Topaha stood out in the loss.
“(Demby) was able to find some space and get some good shots off,” said McHenry. “Topaha was effective in the post. Our point guard, Kiselya Plewe, did a good job of driving into the lane and dishing.”
Prior to losing to Alamosa, M-CHS hit the road for a game against Pagosa Springs on Jan. 14 and lost 57-17. McHenry said that his team was completely unable to contain one of the state’s second-ranked Class 3A teams.
“(Pagosa) had the fastest, most physical high school girls basketball team that I have ever seen,” said McHenry. “They could beat any team in the Southwest League. That’s an eventual state championship team.”
Now 4-6 on the season, M-CHS will next play at home against Grand Junction Central on Jan. 23.