Pepper spices things up from beyond the arc

Sargent's Kage Pepper (22) completes a four point play for the Farmers. Pepper hit five three pointers and accounted for 16 points in the win. (Courier photo by Stephen Jiron)

By STEPHEN JIRON

Courier Sports Editor

MONTE VISTA — Center is a stone's throw away from neighbor Sargent and the snow would not stop the league meeting. In a competitive game on Friday night the Sargent Farmers (4-4) dispatched the Center Vikings (2-6) by a score of 63-50.

Since the Mountain Top Classic, where they went 1-2, Sargent has been looking for a turning point to their season. However games against highly ranked Sangre de Cristo (6-1) and 3A’s Lamar (8-2) have been something of an impediment to that goal.

Center earned an early win against Centennial (1-4) to start the season at the Thunderbird Shootout Center faltered with two  losses to finish the tournament in fourth place. Two more losses to start December and the Vikings were in the midst of a four game losing streak. Since then Center ended the streak with a 66-43 win over Sierra Grande (2-6) before the holiday break.

Things stayed tight through the first quarter of play Friday night. With three pointers from Kage Pepper and Frank Torres the Farmers took a 14-12 lead. Nine of the Vikings 12 points came thanks to Devin Porres who drained a three pointer of his own. \

In the second quarter leading 23-20 Pepper drained another three-pointer to spur an 8-3 run for the Farmers who would take a 31-23 lead into the half. Having built space between themselves and Center the Farmers would maintain that lead through the remainder of play.

Pepper would lead the Farmers in scoring in the third period with another pair of threes putting Sargent ahead 48-35 entering the fourth. Pepper was on the mark Friday night hitting his fifth trey in the fourth quarter to lead Sargent in scoring on the night with 16 points. Center’s leading scorer was Devin Porres who totaled 17 points on Friday night.

The win makes it two in a row heading into Sargent’s league meeting with Custer County (2-6) on Saturday at 7 p.m. Center will look to cleanse their palette with their Saturday game against Del Norte (3-4), tip off is slated for 6 p.m.