EPAC TOURNAMENT: Top seeds advance to finals

Top-seeded Tatum and second-seeded Texico advanced to the girls championship in the Eastern Plains Athletic Conference tournament on Friday night at Eastern New Mexico University's Greyhound Arena.

CMI photo: Tony BullocksFort Sumner junior Taylor Riggins tries to work her way past a Texico defender for a shot during the first half of Friday's EPAC girls semifinal clash at Greyhound Arena. The Lady Wolverines advanced to the finals with a 31-27 win over the Vixens.

Tatum (10-1) dominated the middle two quarters to beat fourth-seeded Floyd 59-34, while Texico (8-4) eked out a 31-27 victory over Fort Sumner in the other semifinal. The Lady Coyotes and Lady Wolverines face off at 6 p.m. today for the title, with Floyd and Fort Sumner playing for third place at 3 p.m.

In boys semifinals, top-seeded Texico (8-3) advanced with a 70-55 win over No. 4 Dora while second-seeded Logan (9-3) rallied in the second half to edge third-seeded Fort Sumner 55-48. The boys final is set for 7:30 p.m. tonight, with Dora (8-4) and Fort Sumner (8-3) playing for third at 4:30 p.m.

In guarantee games on the boys side on Friday, Tatum edged Melrose 45-43 and Floyd beat Clovis Christian 68-40, while for the girls it was Eunice over Clovis Christian 61-23 and Grady over San Jon 48-30.

Tatum's girls led just 11-10 at the end of the first quarter against Floyd, but outscored the Lady Broncos 43-9 over the middle two stanzas. Sophomore Abby Medlin led a balanced attack for the Lady Coyotes with 13 points while 10 others scored, including three with nine points.

Junior Tabitha Ornelas led the Lady Broncos (9-5) with three 3-pointers and 12 points.

Texico and Fort Sumner's girls (8-3) had a defensive slugfest that was close virtually all the way. Freshman Brianna Reyna scored four points early in the final period to stake the Lady Wolverines to a four-point lead which Fort Sumner senior LaNay Crenshaw trimmed in half with two free throws at the 5:23 mark.

There was no further scoring until Texico senior Mel Lucero iced the win by hitting both ends of a 1-and-1 free throw opportunity with 14 seconds left.

Reyna finished with a pair of 3-pointers and 13 points for Texico. Senior Ashley Landreth led the Vixens (8-3) with 14 points.

CMI photo: Tony BullocksDora senior Jake Tayler tries to put up a shot over Texico junior Miguel Reyna during the second half of Friday's boys EPAC semifinal game at Greyhound Arena.

Texico's boys opened a 12-point halftime lead and kept the margin in double figures most of the remainder of the game against Dora. Sophomore Miguel Reyna had a pair of 3-pointers and 24 points for the Wolverines, while junior Dylan Privett and senior Tyler Sites kept the Coyotes in the hunt with 25 and 15 points, respectively, including four 3-pointers for Sites.

In the other boys semifinal, a rematch of last year's EPAC final won by Fort Sumner, Logan erased a 12-point, first-half deficit, and sophomore Wyatt Strand scored seven of his 13 points late to put the game away.

Strand's 3-pointer with 2:10 left gave the Longhorns a 48-46 lead. He scored on a steal and feed from senior Hayes Frost with 1:45 left to make it a four-point game, then iced it with four free throws in the final 21 seconds.

CMI photo: Tony BullocksDora junior Dylan Privett goes for the block against Texico sophomore Justin Rucker during Friday's boys EPAC semifinal game at Greyhound Arena.

Junior Chris Roberts scored 19 points, Frost had 16 and Strand 13 for Logan. Senior Shilo Boyle took game honors with 21 for the Foxes, while junior Talen Crist added three 3-pointers and 11 points.

Fort Sumner won four of six matchups against its district rival last year, but lost to the eventual Class 1A champion Longhorns 71-67 in overtime in the state semifinals. Logan has won both meetings this season.

In earlier girls games, junior Bea Limas scored 14 points and senior Laura Clack added 10 as Eunice (4-8) controlled its game throughout against Clovis Christian. Senior Katlyn Cook led the Lady Eagles (2-8) with seven points.

Grady (5-8) opened an 18-1 lead after one quarter and stayed in control against San Jon. Seniors Breanna Thomas and MacKenzee Starbuck scored 18 points apiece for the Lady Bronchos, including four 3-pointers for Thomas, while the Lady Coyotes (2-10) got 12 points from senior Allie Benally.

In earlier boys action, Floyd (4-11) jumped on Clovis Christian 24-10 in the first quarter and cruised as junior Colby Rogers had 14 points and seven others finished between six and eight. The Eagles (3-7) were led by 21 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, from senior Zech Lucero.

Tatum (5-7) opened a 19-7 lead at the quarter against Melrose, but the Coyotes had to hold off the Buffaloes (4-11) down the stretch. Junior Cristian Hinojosa scored 17 points and senior Seth Slover had 15, each making a trio of 3-pointers, while the Buffs got four 3-pointers and 16 points from senior Colton Draper.