School is almost back in session and so are high school winter sports.
The Montezuma-Cortez High School girls basketball team kicks off the new year in style on Friday and Saturday with a tournament. The Lady Panthers will host five regional teams in the second annual Four Corners Classic. Delta and Bayfield are the instate squads. Shiprock, N.M., schools Northwest and Shiprock High are coming in, and Monticello (Utah) rounds out the docket.
Im pleased with the lineup. I think its going to be a competitive tournament, Lady Panthers coach Justine Bayles said.
M-CHS (3-6) will play three games before opening 5A/4A Southwestern League play next week.
Our league play is starting pretty quick, Bayles said. This is always a good tournament to showcase what we learned in the preseason. Im excited to get back on the court again.
The Lady Panthers won its home tourney last season, but it will be very challenging to defend their crown. M-CHS has already played three of the five teams in the tournament, only going 1-2 against its familiar foes. The Lady Panthers lost at home, 65-44, to Bayfield, and were handled 64-31 by the Lady Chieftains at their tournament, before knocking off Northwest at Shiprock high School, 60-43.
M-CHS opens the Four Corners Classic on Friday at noon against 4A Western Slope League member Delta (5-2).
Theyre always a really good team to play. That will be an interesting game for us, Bayles said. Hopefully, well have our game shoes on and be ready for them on Friday.
Not that the coach is looking past anyone, but she would certainly like another shot at Bayfield (2-1) and Shiprock (5-4).
I would love to play those two teams again, Bayles said. They are quality basketball programs. Its really kind of a good gage to see where were falling with the teams in our area. Its kind of a good gage to figure out what we need to work on. Theyre such competitive programs. Im excited to see them in the lineup.
The Lady Panthers will cap off the day at 8 p.m. against Northwest. Saturdays game time depends on Fridays results.
Many of the early season struggles for M-CHS has been because of a lack of offensive rhythm.
However, coach Bayles will employ a new starting lineup of seniors Laura Heaton (center), Sydney Bayles (forward), Baylee Lindsley (shooting guard), junior Randy Elliot (small forward) and freshman point guard Naomi Pinnecoose. Coach feels this lineup has gelled the most offensively on the court.
If we were to stay competitive for two, two and a half, three quarters straight, and not have to try and play catch up, then I think well do a lot better, Justine Bayles said. It seems like we always have one really bad quarter and we spend the whole game trying to make up for that.
M-CHS concluded 2011 with a 1-2 mark at the Palisade High School tournament. The Lady Panthers earned their first true road win, beating Palisade 32-20. That tournament was a great learning experience for Justine Bayles young team.
Coming back from Palisade, the girls have realized what its going to take to stay competitive with our intensity level, she said. Thats always a really good tournament for us to go to, because we just grow so much as a team.
In boys basketball action, the Panthers play today through Saturday at the Aztec (N.M.) tournament. The M-CHS (7-2) boys will conclude nonconference play on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at home versus San Juan (Blanding, Utah) at 7:30 p.m.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.
