The Montezuma-Cortez girls basketball team rattled off three consecutive wins to start the season.
On Thursday, the Panthers traveled to the Meeker Tournament and opened with a 37-27 victory over Rangely.
“Getting off a long six-hour bus ride, we were a little flat,” explained head coach John McHenry. “The gym was a little dark and our shots were off, so we were having to rely on our defense.”
But after a slow start, the Panthers loosened up and shots began to fall as they pulled away for a 10-point win.
Kelsie Ralstin led the team with 13 points, Kiselya Plewe added nine, and Simone Lopez and Abri Conklin chipped in five a piece.
Coach McHenry said that the team’s second game of the tournament, against Soroco, was probably its toughest.
“It was an intense game,” he said. “Soroco had a couple of pretty good scorers, and we just battled back-and-forth. And as much as we pressed, they pressed back. But I was pleased with how we broke the press.”
McHenry noted how the up-tempo game was beneficial because it helped the team learn to stay under control offensively, and that he expects Intermountain League games to be played at a similar pace.
The Panthers were able to come away with a 55-46 win over the Rams to move into the finals. Lopez led the team in scoring against Soroco with 13 points, while Plewe scored 10 and Yanibah Bayles, Conklin and Tayla Topaha each added eight.
On Saturday, M-CHS took on host Meeker in the championship game.
“We had been running our press all weekend, and I kind of figured that Meeker would figure it out,” McHenry said.
Meeker may have been expecting to face the high-pressure defense, but it was unable to handle it, and the Panthers won the Championship game 35-16.
Ralstin scored a team-high 10 points in the final contest, Plewe dropped in eight, and Lopez scored seven.
McHenry credited the Panthers’ defense in the win, specifically noting Kiselya Plewe’s performance.
“Kiselya had – I don’t have my stats right now,” McHenry said. “But maybe double-digit steals in the middle. That’s what got her noticed from the other coaches – running the center of the press.”
Plewe’s play throughout the tournament led to her selection to the all-Ttournament team.
McHenry was pleased with his team’s showing over the three-day tournament, and noted how the trip also served as a bonding experience to bring the team together.
Now, after the long weekend, McHenry and the Panthers have an open week to recover and refocus, with their next game scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 15.