SARGENT SCHOOL – The Sargent High School girls basketball team got off to a good start when it hosted Sierra Grande Thursday at the SHS gym.

The Lady Farmers had an 8-0 lead after the first quarter and they increased the lead to 14-0 as Sargent went on to defeat the Lady Panthers 39-17.

“Our girls came out after battling with sickness the last few weeks, and I was pretty impressed with the way we had some younger kids step up,” said Sargent coach Cameron King. “We had a little bit of an injury bug hit our team lately and we responded well. We have some good senior leadership and some good younger classmen who stepped in really well and impressed me so far.”

Bailey Asbell scored the first points of the game for Sargent, and Mary Willis made back-to-back baskets. Azzy Lister scored to give the Lady Farmers an 8-0 lead at the end of the opening period.

Gabby Jones made three straight baskets early in the second quarter to increase the Sargent lead to 14-0.

Jaylyn Quezada s cored Sierra Grande’s first points, and Mia Esquer Montoya also scored to cut the Lady Panthers’ deficit to 14-4. Willis scored for the Lady Farmers, but Esquer Montoya also scored for a 16-6 halftime score in favor of the Lady Farmers.

There was no scoring for the first 3 ½ minutes of the third quarter. Jones split at the line for the first free throws by either team. Willis made two free tosses for a 19-6 Lady Farmers lead.

Sofia Minchaca and Quezada brought the Lady Panthers within 19-10, but Asbell made a free throw for a 20-10 Sargent lead at the end of the period.

The Lady Farmers opened the fourth quarter with six points – four by Jones and two by Willis. Esquer Montoya scored the Lady Panthers’ first points of the period, but Jones answered with a 3-point basket on the other side.

Vivian Carrell scored for Sierra Grande, but Willis scored again and Kamryn Holland also scored for the Lady Farmers. Esquer Montoya made Sierra Grande’s only trey of the game to bring the Lady Panthers within 33-17.

But the Lady Farmers scored the final six points of the game with Willis scoring four and Holland adding two.

Two Lady Farmers scored in double figures with Willis scoring 16 and Jones 14.

Esquer Montoya led the Lady Panthers with nine.

Sargent (6-2) will host Trinidad on Saturday at 1 p.m.

“They’re struggling a little bit, but you always have to prepare,” King said. “Everybody can have their good days and bad and we’re anticipating a good Trinidad team showing up here. We’re going to prepare like we normally do.”

Sierra Grande (3-5) will host Antonito on Jan. 28.

Boys game called off

The Sargent-Sierra Grande boys basketball game also scheduled for Thursday was postponed because of COVID issues within the Sargent program. The boys game against Trinidad of Saturday has also been postponed.

Sargent 39, Sierra Grande 17

Sierra Grande – Paine 0 0-2 0, Minchaca 1 0-0 2, Esquer Montoya 4 0-0 9, Carrell 1 0-0 2, Martinez 0 0-0 0, Quezada 2 0-2, 4, Garcia 0 0-0 0, Molina 0 0-0 0, Clark 0 0-0 0. Total 8 0-4 17.

3-point goal – Esquer Montoya 1.

Sargent – Holland 2 0-0 4, Willis 7 2-4 16, Lister 1 0-0 2, Asbell 1 1-3 3, Jones 6 1-3 14, Buser 0 0-0 0, Rockey 0 0-0 0, Camacho 0 0-0 0, Brown 0 0-2 0. Total 17 4-12 39.

3-point goal – Jones 1.

Sierra Grande0     6     4 7 – 17

Sargent         8     8     4 19 – 39

Fouls – Sierra Grande 13, Sargent 10.