Early run lifts Elida past Floyd

FLOYD – Elida's boys used a 17-0 blitz in the first quarter to take control, but the Tigers had their hands full late before holding off Floyd 64-56 on Thursday in the District 4-1A opener for both squads.

Junior Seth Jimenez led four players in double figures for Elida (4-8 overall) with 17 points, followed by senior Jose Jimenez (13) and sophomores Hardy Fraze (12) and Gunner Tipton (10).

Floyd (4-8) got within a point in the final stanza before Elida was able to put the game away. Leading scorers for the Broncos were senior Brayan Gallegos with 15 points and juniors Benton Cain with 13 and Isaias Nieto with 12.

Meantime, Elida's girls earned a district-opening 46-31 triumph over the Lady Broncos.

Eighth-grader Kembri Norman posted 13 points for the Lady Tigers (3-10), and freshman Charity Smith chipped in nine. For Floyd (2-9), junior Jona Baros scored 18 points while sophomore Nevaeha Brown added eight.

No worries for Buffs, Lady Buffs – Melrose had no problems getting to the semifinals of Reserve's Mountainair Invitational, the boys routing Animas 72-21 while the girls notched a 56-32 triumph over Rehoboth Christian.

The Melrose boys (10-3) had enough points by the end of the first quarter (22-8) for the win. Junior Michael Cardonita netted 14 points for the Buffaloes while senior Nash Martin, sophomore Cy Draper and freshman Jaxon Odom followed with eight each and three others had seven.

For the Panthers (3-7), junior Diego Renteria tallied 11 points.

In the girls tilt, the Class 1A top-ranked Lady Buffs (14-1) struggled a bit at times, but were never in danger after opening a 16-5 cushion at the quarter.

Seniors Paityn Nicholson with 14 and Sorrell Allen with 13 topped Melrose, while junior Karlee Elliott finished with eight. The Lady Buffs won their eighth in a row since their lone loss to Class 4A No. 1 Kirtland Central in the finals of a tournament in Moriarty last month.

High scorer for the Lynx was 5-foot-2 senior Shaundeen Manygoats with 11 points.

In other boys games on Thursday:

Tatum 58, Dora 53 – In another District 4-1A opener, Tatum (6-8) built an eight-point halftime lead and held on late in a battle of "Coyotes" at Dora.

Seniors Taylor Garner and David Mendoza scored 18 points apiece for Tatum while Dora (10-4), which closed to within a point late before coming up empty on five consecutive possessions, got 20 points from senior Steven Masini and 19 from junior Cole Kircher.

Roy/Mosquero 53, Grady 36 – The host Blue knocked down five 3-pointers and took control with a 13-6 run in the second period to turn back the Bronchos (4-6).

Sophomores Jackson Fudge and Ayden Clavel paced Roy/Mosquero (6-9) with 20 points apiece. For Grady, eighth-graders Zander Ciancio and Hays Rush combined for all three of the team's 3-point baskets and each finished with 12 points.

In other girls action on Thursday:

Tatum 49, Dora 45 – Dora had a 14-3 scoring edge in the second quarter to take a five-point halftime lead, but Tatum went on a 16-7 run in the third stanza and held on late.

Junior Valeria Marizcal and sophomore Louann Villasenol posted 13 points each for Tatum (7-4), while Dora (10-7) was led by 18 points from junior Faith Jasso, 10 from freshman Dakota Jones and eight from sophomore Justice Deason.

Roy/Mosquero 75, Grady 26 – At Roy, the Lady Blue (13-2), ranked third in Class 1A, held Grady to 11 first-half points and cruised.

Senior Tanna Crisp had 21 points, senior Selma Baca 15 and sophomore Sylvania Baca 10 for the winners. Junior Shayla White paced the Lady Bronchos (5-5) with 14 points, including eight in the opening canto.