Girls survive Demon comeback, Boys ride good start to impressive win

Angelo Ramirez (15) drives to the basket with a full head of steam. Ramirez picked up his fourth double-double of the season with 18 points and 14 rebounds.

ALAMOSA— On Tuesday night the Mean Moose took a well-deserved break from the Intermountain League to welcome the Buena Vista Demons to the Valley. The Alamosa girls found the gas pedal in time to stifle a rally from Buena Vista to claim a 51-42 victory. The boys got things rolling early kept the momentum all game long for a 44-25 finish.

Alamosa’s girls (7-4-0) have found some real momentum as of late having won five of their last seven. They also entered Tuesday on a high with a tough road win in Bayfield. The game stayed pretty tight until it entered double digits where Alamosa started pulling away.  

The highlight of Alamosa’s most productive quarter was senior Tara Sowards. Against the Demons Sowards hit the only three-pointer by a Moose and had her most productive game of the season. What’s more Sowards collected all seven of her points in just the first quarter. Leaving the first chapter the Moose owned a comfortable 17-10 lead. Alamosa didn’t rest and continued to stack until they were looking at a 30-18 advantage at the half.

Lilly Lavier was at her strongest in the third quarter netting three buckets. Lavier was sent to the free throw line once and sunk both chances for a perfect free throw percentage on her way to leading the girls with 18 points. At the start of the fourth Alamosa looked to be in firm control with a ten-point lead and 8 minutes to play.

Alamosa's Lilly Lavier (00) glides by Kassie Schell on her way to the hoop. Lavier led Alamosa with 18 points and was perfect from the free throw line. (courier photos by Stephen Jiron)

What followed was every coach’s nightmare. The Moose stumbled into a quicksand pit of turnovers and missed shots.  Before you could say ball control, the Demons had a nine-point flurry and loomed behind Alamosa 43-42. Lavier hit Alamosa’s first points of the fourth quarter to end the skid and put the Moose back on the offensive.The Demon’s would not score for the remainder of the game as the Moose hit their own hot streak riding an eight-point run to the games 51-42 finale.

Alamosa’s boys (11-1-0) are looking good and currently own a first ranked .693 RPI. Entering Tuesday’s contest the Moose had dispatched 6 straight to earn a target on their back as the team to beat in the IML.

For the first time since Pagosa Springs the Moose didn’t have to rely on a monster second half to bail them out. Alamosa had the luxury of getting their wake-up call with under three to play in the first when the Demons tied everything up at nine points. Alamosa would go on a 10-2 run that spanned quarters to take the lead for the second and final time.

With two three’s in the first, senior Ry Adams wrapped up his most productive quarter for Alamosa. Adams would tack on another 3 as part of a four point play in the fourth and was second on the team in scoring with 10 points.The Mean Moose’s lead was unchallenged as senior Angelo Ramirez wrangled another double-double, leading the Moose with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Alamosa would switch into full ball control mode with five minutes left to play only taking shots when Buena Vista was giving them away via the charity stripe. The Mean Moose would breeze to a 44-25 victory.

Up next Alamosa will go on a five-game road trip starting with Monte Vista Friday Jan. 26th. The road trip will conclude in La Jara against the Falcons on Saturday Feb. 3rd.