All four Indian Wells Elementary School basketball teams have finished yet another successful season. Each team made great strides over the course of the season. The IWES teams played close to a 20-game season, including some non-league games, two tournaments and the league finals. Coach Corey Hollins, who coached the boys, and Coach Erica Chee, who coached the girls, saw their greatest improvements this year due to returning most of their players from the previous year. Standouts were Cordell Begay, Shylan Shay and Malcolm Secody for Coach Hollins’ team. Tara Dodson, Kyaena Kabinto and Ryel Runninghawk played a fierce brand of basketball for Coach Chee. Both teams held their own during finals and walked off the court proud of the accomplishments they made during the season. Coach Cale Allen saw his biggest challenge yet coaching a new batch of girls this season. With his strongest basketball players leaving last season, he found a way to mold this new group together to get the most out of each player. Kylei Qumyintewa, Shinay Gorman and Brianna Miles stepped in to their new roles of being leaders and competed hard all year. Newcomer Mica Joe proved to be a solid ball handler and helped run the team’s offensive attack. In the end, Brianna Miles couldn’t be stopped in the championship game and helped lead IWES to its third championship in a row, beating Seba Dalkai 25-18. Coach Orton was excited to see the best competition he’s seen in years for the boys in the Nava-Hopi Area Junior High League. After running the table last season the competition was greater this year and the games were harder fought. Jeremiah Thomas and Jaken Todacheenie lead this team to a 17-3 season. But it was the combination of newcomers Preston Olney, Anthony Nelson and Damian Clark that proved to be the balance this team needed to be successful. The past four years it had been Indian Wells vs. Little Singer in the championship game at finals. This year proved to be no different. Indian Wells came out victorious with a smothering man-to-man defense that Little Singer had no answer for and won the contest 41-26. Indian Wells has consecutively won both boys and girls finals in the league. *Mr. Roadrunner