LA JARA – The Sanford and Monte Vista high school boys basketball teams both scored semifinal victories in the Class 2A District 1 Tournament as the Mustangs defeated Del Norte 57-30, and the Pirates held off Sargent 41-36 Thursday at the Centauri High School gymnasium.
Sanford 57, Del Norte 30
Kelby Mondragon gave the Tigers an early 3-1 lead, but the Mustangs scored eight straight points. Tytus Atencio hit a 3-point basket to bring Del Norte within 9-6 at the end of the first quarter.
Mondragon scored five more points to give the Tigers a 13-11 edge. But Cash Caldon got hot and scored 10 points in the quarter to give the Mustangs a 23-16 advantage at the intermission.
Caldon hit another three to give Sanford a double-digit lead. He scored three more points and Ben Sittler and Trason Gartrell both scored two to extend the lead to 33-20.
Caldon scored six more points to give Sanford a 43-24 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Ben Sittler score four points early in the fourth for a 49-27 advantage. The Mustangs outscored the Tigers 8-4 in the final four minutes to sail to the win.
Caldon led all scorers with 29 points including four 3-pointers. Ben Sittler was next with 12.
Mondragon was Del Norte’s leading scorer with 10 points.
Monte Vista 41, Sargent 36
Alex Marquez gave the Pirates a 5-1 lead to start the game, but the Farmers pulled to within 7-5. Kaden Mellott and Marquez both scored to give Monte Vista a 12-5 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Hayden Lester scored four points and Lucas Garcia scored two to help the Farmers narrow the deficit to 12-11. The Pirates maintained a one-point lead on three occasions before Darrien Archuleta made two free throws for a 20-17 Monte Vista lead at halftime.
Garcia scored early in the third to again close the margin to one point at 20-17. The Pirates led 22-21 before Hurtado scored two baskets for a 26-21 advantage.
But the Farmers outscored the Pirates 7-2 in the final 1:48 to deadlock the score at 28-28 at the end of the period.
The teams exchanged baskets to begin the fourth quarter before Marquez scored two baskets to increase the lead to 36-30. Sargent then rallied to reduce its deficit to 36-36, but Monte Vista scored the final three points to secure the victory.
Hurtado led the Pirates with 18 points, followed by Marquez with 15.
Garcia was the Farmers’ leading scorer with 12 points.
Championship game is Saturday
Sanford (17-4) and Monte Vista (14-6) will play for the district championship Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Del Norte and Sargent are 7-14 and 15-6 respectively.
Sanford 57, Del Norte 30
Del Norte – Trujillo 2 0-0 4, Atencio 2 2-4 7, Pacheco 1 0-0 3, Williams 0 1-2 1, Mondragon 4 0-0 10, Eagles 0 0-0 0, Worz 0 0-0 0, Gonzales 1 0-0 2, Bailey 1 1-2 3, Estrada 0 0-0 0, Quintana 0 0-0 0. Total 11 4-8 30.
3-point goals – Mondragon 2, Atencio 1, Pacheco 1. Total 4.
Sanford – A. Sittler 0 0-0 0, Caldon 11 3-4 29, B. Sittler 6 0-0 12, Reynolds 1 4-6 6, Gartrell 3 0-0 6, Larson 1 0-0 2, E. Larsen 1 0-0 2, C. Canty 0 0-0 0, T. Canty 0 0-0 0, C. Larsen 0 0-0 0. Total 23 7-12 57.
3-point goals – Caldon 4, Total 4.
Del Norte 6 10 8 6 – 30
Sanford 9 14 20 14 – 57
Fouls – Del Norte 18, Sanford 12.
Monte Vista 41, Sargent 36
Sargent – Co. Wright 2 0-0 5, Lester 3 2-2 8, Temple 2 1-2 5, Garcia 5 2-2 12, Paskett 1 2-3 4, Aguilar 0 0-0 0, Peterson 0 0-0 0, Castillo 1 0-0 2. Total 14 7-9 36.
3-point goals – Co. Wright 1. Total 1.
Monte Vista – Madrid 0 2-2 2, Marquez 6 2-4 15, Mellott 0 2-2 2, Medina 0 0-0 0, Hurtado 9 0-2 18, Jiron 0 0-0 0, Naranjo 1 0-0 2, Gonzales 0 0-0 0, Archuleta 0 0-0 0. Total 16 8-12 41.
3-point goals – Marquez 1. Total 1.
Sargent 5 12 11 8 – 36
Monte Vista 12 8 8 13 – 41
Fouls – Sargent 17, Monte Vista 17.
