Elida's bid comes up short

ALBUQUERQUE - The effort certainly wasn't lacking, but the Elida Tigers failed to get the one thing they needed in Saturday's Class 1A state championship game.

That would be an off-night from Magdalena.

Leading by just two midway through the opening stanza, the defending 1A champion and top-seeded Steers (30-1) went on a 15-3 run the rest of the quarter and stayed in control the rest of the way en route to a 71-55 victory over the Tigers, who were playing for a state boys basketball title for the first time in school history.

Senior guard Jordan Mirabal, averaging around 25 ppg for the season, managed just seven in the first half and finished with 21. But junior guard D'Shaun Vinyard more than picked up any slack, knocking down three 3-pointers en route to 30 points.

"We needed them to have a bad game," Elida coach Jared Fraze said of the Steers. "And that just didn't happen."

The overwhelming favorites to win the title and outscoring their opponents by an average of nearly 50 ppg, Mag got two of its tougher games of the season from District 4-1A members Dora (57-39 in the round-of-16) and the Tigers (23-6), who were the No. 2 seed.

Consecutive baskets by junior guard Aiden Yates pulled the Tigers to within 10-8, but they simply weren't able to keep pace.

The second quarter was relatively even, but Elida was unable to take advantage of a cold stretch by the Steers. Magdalena went into halftime leading 37-19.

To their credit, the Tigers never let Magdalena get completely away from them. The biggest margin was 26 points before Elida made a late push to get it closer.

"They (Steers) can explode," Fraze said. "They're just fast."

Three players reached double figures for Elida, led by senior Rylan Creighton with 16 points and nine rebounds. Junior Jose Jimenez added 15 points while Yates had 13, and both players finished with six rebounds.

With reserves on the floor in the final minute, Tigers junior Dalyn Taylor landed awkwardly under the basket and was carried off the floor on a stretcher. Fraze said late Saturday night that Taylor appeared to be doing better and had regained the feeling in his extremities.

Besides Creighton, Elida also lose starter Gavin Hartman to graduation. Jimenez, Yates and the fifth starter, Mason Pritchett, will all be seniors in 2022-23.

"We've got some up-and-coming kids," Fraze said. "Hopefully, we'll be improved next year."