The Lady Roadrunners are in a position where they need to pick up as many wins as possible in the final three weeks to make up for a slow start to the season. They earned two such wins last week with a hard-fought 2-point win over highly ranked Payson on Tuesday, followed by a 7-point win over rival Winslow on Thursday night.
Payson came into Holbrook ranked sixth in the 3A rankings while the Lady Birds were sitting in the No. 23 position. Payson was fresh off the heels of their upset win over Snowflake. Holbrook started well and wrapped up the first quarter with an 18-11 lead. Freshman Bailey Williams drew the start and netted 6 points in the first period on good basket cuts. Noheah Aberle added 4 as did Raelle Yazzie who hit one of her two triples in the first.
Holbrook extended their lead to 9 at the half behind 5 points from Holly Casamero. In the third, Payson trimmed 5 points off Holbrook’s lead with the Roadrunners getting just 7 in the quarter. The fourth saw both teams struggle to score but 5 points from Aberle, which included a huge 3-point shot after Payson had just taken the lead with a 3-pointer of their own in the final minute. Holbrook got their final two points from Maya Francisco on a driving layup then they held on to defeat Payson 44-42 earning just their second regular season win against eight losses.
Aberle led Holbrook in scoring with 11 points. Raelle Yazzie added 9; Francisco, 8; Williams, 6; and Alayna Yazzie added 1 in the win.
Holbrook made four of six free throws and hit four 3-point field goals. Payson made four of five free throws and hit two 3-point shots.
Thursday night, Winslow came to Holbrook. Despite the two teams both trying to overcome multiple injuries this season, the game was played in front of a large crowd and when these two teams meet records never really mean all that much.
Francisco and Aberle had a field goal and a pair of free throws each along with Williams’s three 3-point shots, which gave Holbrook an 11 to 6 lead after the first. In the second, both teams heated up. Holbrook netted 16 in the period, getting scoring from five different players including a buzzer-beating three just before half from Casamero. Winslow got 11 from Jauslyn Nells in the quarter keeping them within 6 points of Holbrook at the half.
Holbrook pushed that margin to 9 points by the end of the third. The Birds made just three field goals in the quarter but they were all treys. One each from Alayna Yazzie, Lynea Smith and Williams. Winslow also had three field goals in the quarter but they were each just 2-point shots.
Aberle scored 7 of her game-high 16 in the fourth quarter and Holbrook made four of six free throws in the frame to seal the 48-41 win.
Aberle led Holbrook with 16 points. Francisco added 10; Williams, 8; Alayna Yazzie, 5; Raelle Yazzie, 3; Smith, 3; and Casamero added 3. Holbrook made eight of 10 free throws and hit six 3-point shots.
Winslow was led by Nells’ 15 points. Meteighka James added 8, as did Taylin Puhuetvaya. The team made five of seven free throws but did not hit a 3-point field goal.
Holbrook will travel to Snowflake on Tuesday, and Round Valley on Thursday. On Saturday evening they will host Blue Ridge. Next Tuesday they travel to Show Low to take on the top-ranked Cougars.
“We needed both those wins. Payson was ranked very high and we knew Winslow would be a tough test. We still aren’t at full strength but in all honesty, our younger players are stepping up for us. We need at least two more wins this week to put us in a stronger position as far as making the state tournament. If we can get there, and get completely healthy at the same time, we might be able to make a little noise in the state playoffs. But we have to get there first,” stated Coach Greg Perkins.
Holbrook enters this week ranked 22nd in power points with a 3-8 regular season record. They are now 7-14 on the season.
