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By N. Waddell
Before going on their Christmas break, the Hayden Jr. High Lobo basketball teams had one more game to play and the assignment was no easy task – taking on the always tall, always running Braves teams from San Carlos Jr. High. The task proved to be a bit difficult with the Braves taking three of the four scheduled games.
The only success the Jr. High Lobos had was a victory by the seventh grade girls’ team over the Braves seventh grade team. Behind the scoring of Brandi Lopez, the Lady Lobos pulled out to a 10 to 5 lead after a quarter of play and combined with some good defensive play increased their lead by one point when the first half of play ended, 15 to 9.
Unable to find their scoring touch in the second half, the Lady Lobos relied on their defense and rebounding to hold back the Lady Braves winning with a 19 to 15 score.
Only three Lady Lobo players got on the score sheet with Brandi Lopez leading the way with 12 points and help from Aliyana Perez with six points. Jaden Gonzales had one point in the Lady Lobo win.
Up next were the seventh grade boys’ Lobo team and the height advantage the Braves had as well as their three-point accuracy proved to be too much for the Lobos. The Lobo team gave it all they had but were no match for the taller Braves losing 12 to 36. Again, only three Lobo players got on the score sheet with Julian Cruz leading the way with six points followed by Emitt Sims with four points. Gavin Torres scored two points for the Lobos.
The eighth grade girls’ game turned into a wild one after the first half of play. The first half was a back and forth game with the lead exchanging several times before the half ended with the Lady Lobos ahead by one point, 14 to 13.
The second half was a tale of two different games. In the third quarter, the Lady Braves came out of the locker room running and gunning outscoring the Lady Lobos, who could not buy a basket, to take a 16 to 30 lead after three quarters of play. The fourth quarter was all Lady Lobos defense holding the Lady Braves to no score in the fourth period while making an exciting comeback that fell just short finally losing 26 to 30.
Brandi Lopez again led Lady Lobo scoring with 10 points followed by six points from Lexy Gomez. Jessica Lopez had four points with three Lady Lobos, Leticia Vargas, Aliyana Perez and Brittney Arbizo, scoring two points each.
The eighth grade boys’ game turned out to be very exciting, at least for three quarters of play. The first quarter of play turned out to be a battle of who would miss the basket the most with the Lobos coming out on the short end trailing 8 to 10 at the end of the first period. The second quarter was also a game putting the ball back in the basket after misses with Hayden’s Chris Rabago having much success under the boards to lead the Lobos with four baskets to trail the Braves 16 to 17 at the half time break.
The third quarter was a quarter of who would win the running up and down the court and put the ball in the basket. The quarter was a standstill with the score 23 all at the end of three quarters. It would be as close as the Lobos would get to the Braves. The Lobo scoring went by the way side unable to land a basket while watching the Braves hit for four scores to claim the hard fought win over the Lobos 23 to 31.
Again, only three Lobo players got on the score sheet with Chris Rabago leading the way with 12 points followed by Santiago Pina with six points and John Henry Gaona with five points.
The game was the final scheduled game of the year with the Lobo teams taking a break for Christmas.
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