Coahoma wins district opener
COAHOMA — Bullodgette basketball returned on Tuesday night with a matchup against Andrews at the Coahoma Elementary School competition gym.
Madison Rodgers led the Coahoma varsity squad to a 33-28 win over the 4A Lady Mustangs with a game high of 15 points. The Coahoma High School senior also sank three out of four baskets from the charity stripe.
From the tipoff the Bulldogettes played a fast-paced offense and got off multiple but unsuccessful shots until senior Katelyn Johnson nailed a three-pointer at the 4:45 minute mark. Tied at 3-3, Rodgers sank a free throw to put Coahoma in the lead 4-3. Teammate Annalyse Mendoza followed with a two-point basket.
However, by the end of the first quarter the Lady Mustangs got five unanswered points to end on top 6-8.
“They were a little rusty at the beginning. You can expect that,” said Bulldogette Head Coach Joe Mireles. “We only had a few days of practice with many of them coming to us straight out of volleyball, but we regrouped with our defense. It kept us in the game.”
By the second quarter any remaining rust had been stripped away with a 14-point rebound by the Coahoma team. Junior Shae Lang started the early Bulldogette onslaught 27 seconds in when she nailed a basket to even the game at 8-8.
Rodgers was quick to capture another two points. CHS freshman Hannah Wells and Johnson added two more baskets before Rodgers buried both of her free throws to give the Bulldogettes an eight-point lead by mid quarter.
Andrews wasn't done. The Lady Mustangs chipped away at the deficit thanks mostly to multiple Coahoma fouls to end the half down by three (20-17).
Returning from the locker room, the Bulldogettes ramped up their defense allowing the Lady Mustangs only two points the entire third quarter while adding nine more to their score. At the start of the last quarter, Rodgers nailed a couple of two-point baskets and sophomore Isabella added a third, which was enough to hold off an Andrews' ninepoint rally for the win.
“You could tell we had a little fatigue at the end,” Mireles said. “Our legs are not with us yet, but it didn't hurt.”
This year's Bulldogettes features a 12-member squad with five returning varsity players and consisting of three seniors, two juniors, three sophomores, four freshmen, and a new coach.
Before taking over the helm of the girls program, Mireles served as the head coach for the Coahoma boys basketball program for a number of years. He replaced Jim Kinnear, who retired from education at the end of the 202021 academic year.
In sub-varsity action on Tuesday, the Bulldogettes fell to the Lady Mustangs. Next, Coahoma (1-0) hosts the Ozona Lady Lions in a non-district game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at the CES competition gym. The sub-varsity game begins at 1 p.m. COAHOMA 33, ANDREWS 28
Coahoma: 6, 14, 7, 6 -- 33
Andrews: 8, 9, 2, 9 -- 28
Coahoma — Shae Lang, 3, Isabella Cox 4, Katelyn Johnson 5, Annalyse Mendoza 2, Madison Rodgers 15, Hannah Wells 4.
Andrews — Cassidy Jacquez 2, Charlice Rondan 5, Mackenzie Miller 14, Jesslyn Espinosa 1, Mya Jones 2, Mallorie Subia 2, Shantie Hernandez 2.