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Santa Fe High girls basketball team drops 45-44 count to visiting Kirtland Central

Santa Fe High girls basketball team drops 45-44 count to visiting Kirtland Central Tuesday night, plays next on Thursday night at Espanola Valley

St. Michael’s girls win by two over visiting Bernalillo and Capital has no answers in a loss at undefeated Moriarty, while Santa Fe Indian School drops close one at Taos

Arnie Leshin

By ARNIE LESHIN, Santa Fe Today

Another close setback for the Santa Fe High girl’s basketball team.

This one came as the result of Tuesday night’s visit from Kirtland Central that became a 45-44 final in non district play and dropped the Demonettes to 3-6 under first-year head coach Cindy Roybal.

This one was the tightest after previous 3-point, 2-point, 4-point defeats, all coming in Santa Fe, and tonight they head for Espanola Valley, which hung a 34-32 loss on Roybal’s team in the Capital City tournament.

Thursday night, they meet up again when the Demonettes head for Espanola in a non district test. They began with three straight setbacks, won the next three, and have now dropped their last three.

But it might take awhile to get over this loss to the Broncos (7-2) or it might be a wake-up call and a chance to avenge the previous defeat. Roybal was previous head coach of the Sundevils.

But St. Michael’s, home to 1-9 Bernalillo in non district play, had things its own way in another close contest by turning in a 39-37 triumph with the help of sophomore Carissa Padilla’s 3-pointer with five seconds remaining.

It was the second time she’s made a clutch play. Against Deming, she converted a free throw in overtime to gain a 42-41 victory, and this time It was the second win in a row for the Lady Horsemen (3-5).

“She’s been our go-to most of this season.” said first-year head coach Martin Esquibel regarding the 5-foot-6 Padilla. “She’s been in double figures in scoring in just about every game, and that’s who we go to late in a game.”

For Capital High’s girls, it was a disappointing non district visit to undefeated Moriarty (10-0), a 56-34 loss that put the Jaguars at 6-5 under first-year head coach Darren Casados.

The Pintos were led by 27 points from Alysssa Adams, 18 coming in the first half. They led 41-25 after three quarters.

Said Casados: “Moriarty, they are a well-coached team. They run their offense and play good, fundamental defense. That’s a good team.”

Most unbeaten teams are, coach.

Up at Taos, it was a 52-49 loss for Santa Fe Indian School to put it had 6-3 and advance the Tigers to 4-3. Junior Leanna Lewis led the Braves with 17 points, while Taos senior Aaliyah Quintana had the game-high 25 points.

In the lone boy’s contest, Santa Fe High took a 64-55 loss up at Espanola

Valley in a non district contest. The undefeated Sundevils (5-0) are also under a new head coach in James Branch. No more Martinez brothers running the show, but it hasn’t slowed down the program.

For the Demons, it was the fifth defeat in nine starts. They led 38-36 in the third quarter only to have the home team switch from a man-to-man to a zone defense. Espanola then led 41-40 entering the fourth quarter, and then upped it to 49-42 that became 58-48 with 3:12 to go.

Four first-year head coaches playing this night, two winning and two losing.

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