Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Dora players celebrate their 49-44 Class 1A state tournament first-round victory at Melrose on Friday night. The Lady Coyotes advance to a 3 p.m. quarterfinal game on Tuesday against Cliff at Bernalillo H.S.
MELROSE – Dora limited Melrose to 19 points through three quarters and the 10th-seeded Lady Coyotes held on late for a 49-44 victory in a first-round Class 1A girls state tournament game on Friday night.
Senior Bre'Ann Rodriguez led a balanced attack for Dora (19-7) with 12 points, while sophomore Justice Deason and freshman Karen Inge scored 11 points each and senior Faith Jasso added nine. The Lady Coyotes face second-seeded Cliff (26-2) in a 3 p.m. quarterfinal tilt on Tuesday at Bernalillo H.S.
Trailing 8-4, the Lady Coyotes went on a 15-4 run in the second quarter to lead by seven at halftime. They got five points each from Rodriguez and Inge in the period, with both players hitting a 3-pointer.
Dora stretched the lead to 11 heading into the final stanza before the seventh-seeded Lady Buffs (21-7) mounted a comeback with a 25-point stanza. Melrose took a two-point advantage about midway through the segment before Dora rallied back.
Inge was able to hold Melrose senior standout Graci Odom scoreless for three quarters in a box-and-one set. Junior Kinlee Bradley led the Lady Buffs with 16 points while Odom, senior Kye Saulsberry and sophomore Skyla Wicker all finished with eight.
Dulce 49, Texico 45 – Senior Mattie Dale scored the go-ahead bucket in the final minute and seventh-seeded Dulce eliminated defending champion and 10th-seeded Texico in a first-round Class 2A matchup at Dulce.
The Lady Wolverines (12-16), who went on an 11-1 run and won last year's title as a No. 7 seed, led for most of the first three periods before the Lady Hawks (19-10) rallied back.
Dulce opened a five-point advantage with about three minutes left, but Texico came back to tie on a 3 by senior Kaya New with about a minute to go.
Dale led Dulce's attack with 11 points, while seniors Kelby Enjady-Vigil and Alaina Vigil scored 10 points each and senior Bailey Vigil chipped in nine. The Lady Hawks meet second-seeded Tatum (26-2) in an 8 a.m. quarterfinal on Tuesday at Rio Rancho Events Center.
New led all scorers with 15 points for the Lady Wolverines, while sophomore Briley Burgin added 11.
