If the first week of district play is any indication, expect local basketball teams to be facing tight, nail-biting action almost every night as they position themselves to make a final push for the post season.
Boys basketball
Jan. 20
Pojoaque Valley 58, Española Valley 56
In a tight District 2-4A opener, the visiting Elks (8-10, 0-1) got 19 points from Joziah Salazar and Serafin Mendez added a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds to pull off the win over the Sundevils (4-15, 0-1).
Peñasco 45, McCurdy 38
After falling behind 23-18 at halftime, the visiting Bobcats (7-8, 0-1 in 5-2A) cut it to 30-29 behind a strong defensive effort, but their rally came up short in the fourth quarter to the Panthers, who were led by 16 points from Kaileb Atencio.
Jan. 22
Escalante 52, Questa 32
RJ Atencio scored 21 points with six rebounds and Richard Glover grabbed 10 boards of his own for the visiting Lobos (13-4, 1-0 in District 5-2A), who turned in a strong defensive effort that included eight blocks, including two each from Glover, Charlie Ferrell and Braylon Emery.
Mesa Vista 65, McCurdy 22
Laguna Acoma 64, Dulce 63
To’hajiilee 68, Coronado 61
Jan. 23
Taos 70, Pojoaque Valley 45
A 14-2 Tigers’ run spanning the first and second quarters turned the game against the Elks (8-11, 1-1 in District 2-4A), who trailed just 15-14 prior to the surge.
Española Valley 53, Moriarty 39
Jan. 24
Mesa Vista 60, Escalante 55
The host Trojans (15-3, 2-0 in District 5-2A) tied three quarters with the Lobos (13-5, 1-2), but Mesa Vista won the second quarter 14-9 behind an 8-3 run to close the half and that was the difference.
Girls basketball
Jan. 19
Española Valley 40, Santa Fe 29
The host Lady Sundevils (9-8) used a 12-5 third quarter run to erase much of a 24-12 halftime deficit, then put the game against the Demonettes away with a 16-0 run.
Jan. 20
Peñasco 36, McCurdy 31
Kaylee Martinez scored 12 for the visiting Lady Bobcats (12-5, 0-1 in District 5-2A) and Isabella Archuleta added 11 rebounds with nine steals, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their poor shooting in a loss to the Lady Panthers.
Jan. 22
Mesa Vista 45, McCurdy 34
Aayileah Boies scored 22 points with eight steals and four assists, and Aubrey Maestas added 11 points and four steals for the host Lady Trojans (15-2, 1-0 in 5-2A) in a win over the Lady Bobcats (12-6, 0-2).
Laguna Acoma 62, Dulce 43
Mattison Vigil scored 13 points, with Amari Castleberry adding 12 and Emma Martinez-Pierce with 10 for the visiting Lady Hawks (9-6, 0-1 in District 1-2A), but their fourth-quarter rally was too late and too little against Laguna Acoma.
Española Valley 35, Pojoaque Valley 33
Lady Sundevils coach Ray Romero got his 100th win as Kaydence Arrey scored nine points and Christiana Branch had eight for Española (10-8, 1-0 in District 2-4A) to pull out a tight victory over the host Elkettes (13-6, 1-1), who got 14 points from Monique Arrieta, including seven in the fourth quarter to keep it tight.
Questa 50, Escalante 44
To’hajiilee 70, Coronado 29
Jan. 23
Española Valley 58, Moriarty 24
Leah Vigil went off for 21 points, including nine in the second quarter and Christiana Branch added 13, with eight in the opening quarter, to power the host Lady Sundevils (11-8, 2-0 in District 2-4A) to the win and a four-game winning streak.
Jan. 24
Mesa Vista 54, Escalante 28
Aayileah Boies continued her breakout season with 21 points, seven steals and five assists and Aubrey Maestas added 12 points, while Rebecca Lopez grabbed nine rebounds, including six on the offensive end for the host Lady Trojans (16-2, 2-0 in District 5-2A) against the Lady Lobos (4-13, 02).
Pojoaque Valley 41, Taos 25
The visiting Elkettes (13-6, 1-1 in District 2-4A) used an 11-0 second-quarter run, spurred by four points from Savannah Pacheco, to turn a 13-12 lead into a 24-12 advantage that they would not relinquish against the Lady Tigers.
Wrestling
Española Valley’s Daniel Purdy grabbed gold in the 144 lb. weight class at the Spencer Cole Memorial Invitational Saturday in Las Vegas, despite splitting his two matches. Purdy beat Robertson’s Evan Marrujo 39 seconds into the first period.
Overall, the Sundevils took third with seven points among the five teams that managed to make the event because of the bad weather. Izaac Rivera at 215 lbs. and Juan Maestas at 157 each finished third.