Lady Cats run away from Espanola Valley

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Clovis High’s girls struggled in Monday’s quarterfinal matchup against Espanola Valley in the Plateau Holiday Classic, but only after the game got out of hand.

Staff photo: Tony Bullocks

Clovis High freshman Teya Morris applies defensive pressure to Espanola Valley sophomore Leah DeAguero during the first half of Monday’s girls matchup in the Plateau Holiday Classic at The Rock. Morris scored a season-best seven points in the Lady Wildcats’ 65-47 victory.

Senior Danni Williams matched her season best with 33 points and the Lady Wildcats built a 33-point lead early in the final period before the Lady Sundevils rallied against subs in garbage time, Clovis cruising to a 65-47 victory at Rock Staubus Gym.

The Lady Cats (10-1) face Dumas, Texas, which knocked off Piedra Vista 56-48 on Monday, in a 6 p.m. semifinal today at The Rock.

“It was ugly,” Reed said. “I’m hoping part of it was the Christmas break. We had our spurts, but we couldn’t sustain anything.”

Williams put the Lady Cats on her back early, scoring 10 points in the first quarter as Clovis went on a 12-1 run to take a 17-5 lead.

By halftime, she had 19 points and Clovis led 30-15. Then Williams and freshman guard Teya Morris each scored 11 points as Clovis ran the Lady Sundevils (9-2) out of the building with a 27-point third period.

“We really turned up the (defensive) pressure on them,” Reed said. “We got in some foul trouble in the first half; if we don’t do that, I think we could’ve had a (bigger) lead at halftime.”

Senior guard Leah DeAguero scored 15 points and sophomore guard-forward Alexis Lovato added 10 for the Lady Sundevils, whose only previous loss was at Class 6A Mayfield.

Staff photo: Tony Bullocks

Clovis High senior Danni Williams matched a season best with 33 points on Monday night as the Lady Wildcats beat Espanola Valley 65-47 in the quarterfinals of the Plateau Holiday Classic at Rock Staubus Gym. The Lady Cats take on Dumas in today’s 6 p.m. semifinal matchup.

Morris, the only non-senior starter for the Lady Cats, finished with a season-best 12 points and said she’s adjusting well to the varsity level.

“It’s getting much easier,” she said. “It’s not as much pressure as I thought it was going to be.”

Clovis could be headed for a rematch in Wednesday’s finals from last year’s state semifinals, when the unbeaten Lady Cats were knocked out by eventual champion Volcano Vista. The Hawks opened play in the tournament on Monday with a 61-26 win over Amarillo Caprock.

Morris, who said Monday’s game was one of her best so far, said the Lady Cats have their eyes on a run at the big prize at the end of the season.

“We’ve striving for the (6A) championship, but we still have a long way to go,” she said. “We have to work together and trust in each other.”

TOURNAMENTS

At Rock Staubus Gym

Boys

Big XII Holiday Classic

Monday

Volcano Vista 56, Lovington 43

Clayton 73, St. Michael’s 55

Tuesday

Clovis JV vs. Clayton, 11:30 a.m.

Lovington vs. St. Michael’s, 4 p.m.

Volcano Vista vs. Clovis, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday

Clovis JV vs. Lovington, 11:30 a.m.

Clayton vs. Volcano Vista, 4 p.m.

St. Michael’s vs. Clovis, 7:30 p.m.

GIRLS

Plateau Holiday Classic

Monday’s quarterfinals

Gallup 76, Lovington 49

Volcano Vista 61, Amarillo Caprock 26

Dumas 56, Piedra Vista 48

Clovis 65, Espanola Valley 47

Tuesday’s semifinals

Consolation

Lovington vs. Caprock, 1 p.m.

Piedra Vista vs. Espanola Valley, 10 a.m.

Championship

Gallup vs. Volcano Vista, 2:30 p.m.

Dumas vs. Clovis, 6 p.m.

Wednesday’s finals

7th place, 10 a.m.

5th place, 1 p.m.

3rd place, 2:30 p.m.

Championship, 6 p.m.