Farwell boys come through against Panhandle

PANHANDLE, Texas — Facing perhaps its toughest challenge during a lengthy winning streak on Monday, the Farwell boys basketball team came through down the stretch.

Senior Jonathan Mora hit a pair of 3-pointers to start the final period, erasing a three-point deficit and giving the Steers the lead for good, and Farwell went on to beat Panhandle 52-45 for its 15th consecutive victory.

Mora finished with 14 points for Farwell (16-1), while senior Leefe Actkinson and junior Leo Nunez added 10 apiece.

Trailing 23-16, the Steers went on a 17-1 run that spanned halftime to open a nine-point advantage. But the Panthers (6-3) rallied back for a 40-37 lead after three stanzas.

Farwell held Panhandle to just one field goal and five points in the final period. Senior Zion Mercer tallied 15 points and sophomore Landyn Hack 12 for the Panthers.

Farwell entered the contest ranked 15th in Texas Class 2A, while Panhandle was 16th.

On Saturday, the Steers posted a more-comfortable-than-it-looks 47-41 win at Nazareth. Farwell led the entire way, including a 17-point cushion in the second half, before the Swifts (5-5) closed the margin by scoring nine points in the final two minutes.

Mora and Nunez each finished with 13 points for Farwell, while Nazareth (5-5) got 15 points from senior Kaden Clevinger.

In girls games on Saturday:

Whitharral 45, Bovina 43 — The visiting Fillies led much of the way, dominating the middle two periods, but were outscored 20-9 in the final quarter as Whitharral erased a nine-point deficit.

Bovina (4-5) hit a 3-point shot in the closing seconds to pull within one, but after the Lady Panthers (5-8) added a free throw, a last-second Fillies attempt came up empty.

Junior Kate Saenz scored 11 points and senior Ireydi Villa added nine for Bovina, which begins its District 3-2A schedule on Friday at Olton.

Nazareth 51, Farwell 29 — The Lady Blue ran into a buzzsaw against the Swiftettes (13-3), who won their 10th consecutive game and limited Farwell to just 16 points over the first three periods.

Class 1A Nazareth’s three losses have come against Class 6A Frenship (by four points), Class 5A Amarillo High and Class 4A Canyon, which are a combined 35-6 this season. The Swiftettes have also beaten four teams in Class 3A and above this season.

Junior Makenzy Corrales led a balanced Naz attack with 13 points, including two of the team’s five 3-pointers and 5-for-5 from the free throw line. The Swiftettes were 10-for-11 overall on free throws, while Farwell finished 11-of-20.

Senior Presley Agee matched Coralles for game honors with 13 points for the Lady Blue, who open district play at home on Friday against Vega.