It’s been a long time coming.
In the stacked 3A Intermountain League, wins have been hard to come by for the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers. They turned a corner on Friday night, notching their first league victory since February 2016 with a 49-34 victory over visiting Bayfield.
Early game intensity from the home team flustered Bayfield, but the Panthers (3-11, 1-4 3A IML) failed to cash in around the rim. Despite chances close to the basket in the first quarter, the Panthers failed to score in the opening five minutes, and fell behind 7-0.
Even in the struggle to score, it was apparent that the Panthers were surging with confidence. Their defense marauded the Wolverines (4-10, 1-4 IML) every time up the floor, and the Panthers dominated the glass.
Once the lid finally came off the basket, the Panthers shifted from ice cold to red hot. Over a 10-minute span beginning late in the first quarter, M-CHS knocked in shots from all angles, including four triples. Sophomore Hayden Leggett and classmate Presley Frost benefited from steals to tally easy lay-ups. In one of their best quarters of the season, the Panthers turned a first quarter deficit into a 23-13 halftime lead.
Bayfield closed within seven points early in the third quarter, but the Panthers responded. A 13-4 run for M-CHS, thanks in part to five points from Frost, ballooned the lead to 41-25. From there, the home team maintained its smothering defense, keeping the Wolverines at arm’s length to seal the win.
“It was a total team effort,” coach John McHenry said, noting that every Panther on the floor scored.
“We settled in and took care of the basketball,” added McHenry. “We handled their pressure, spread the ball around, and really worked more as a team tonight.”
MacKenzie Begay led the way with nine points for the hosts. Leggett and classmate Taelyn Comisky each added eight.
With the challenges of league play, some of the small goals against the league’s top teams had built the young Panthers’ confidence.
“It’s tough for a young team to cut their teeth against some of the top teams in our league,” said McHenry. “It just takes some time to gain confidence.”
M-CHS split their Intermountain League weekend match-ups after falling to Alamosa, 33-19. The Panthers again held the Mean Moose to 33 points, as they had in their earlier meeting this month. However, Friday night’s offensive eruption did not carry over to Saturday. The Panthers fall to 3-12 and 1-5 in league action.
The Panthers will spend the week preparing for Centauri and Monte Vista, who both visit next weekend.
