Vixens top Lady Wolverines

TEXICO – Defending Class 2A girls state champion Texico isn't far off where it was a year ago.

At 3-7, that's not exactly the way you plan it. The question is whether the Lady Wolverines can mount another late-season run towards a championship.

Playing without a couple of their key players due to family obligations, Texico gave Fort Sumner a decent battle on Saturday before the Vixens nailed down a 39-32 triumph.

Last season, the Lady Wolverines were 6-12 in late January before winning 11 of their last 12, capped by a 44-30 victory over top seed Escalante in the 2A finals at The Pit in Albuquerque. Texico was seeded seventh going into the 16-team event.

Coach Jaylyn Cook was disappointed her team didn't have its entire roster available against the Vixens, but noted that others stepped up.

"We had some young kids who had to play tonight," Cook said. "They've just got to learn how to handle (defensive) pressure."

Notably, sophomore Brylee Burgin went 7-for-7 from the free throw line and led the team with 11 points.

"She stepped up big-time," Cook said of Burgin, who has split time between the varsity and junior varsity this season. "We've had high hopes for her. She had a really good summer with us, and it was probably good for her just to see herself do good things (at the varsity level)."

Early on, it looked like it might be a rout. The Vixens (7-3) scored the game's first eight points in less than 2 ½ minutes.

Texico promptly responded with a 6-0 run, but was never able to catch up. The Lady Wolverines got within a point late in the third quarter and again early in the fourth, but cousins Emmarie and Allyssa Casaus hit 3-pointers to stretch the lead back to seven with just over three minutes left.

"I'm very pleased with the girls' effort," Cook said. "When we got down 8-0, I thought, 'This could go south really quick.'

"We spotted Fort Sumner about four minutes before we decided we could play."

Senior Cadence Smith also reached double figures for Texico with 10 points. Meantime, Emmarie and Alyssa Casaus each finished with 12 for the Vixens.

The Lady Wolverines hit the road to face Mescalero on Thursday night and Capitan on Friday night.