WINNEMUCCA - Just two weeks into the season, the Winnemucca Junior High School seventh-grade girls basketball team is off to an impressive start.
The Warriors are 8-0 on the year, with their closest game being an 18-point victory over McDermitt.
"We are off to a good start," said WJHS head coach Larry Renteria. "From the start of the season the girls have embraced the opportunity to represent WJHS and the community of Winnemucca in a positive light and carry on the winning tradition and sportsmanship that we have experienced as of late."
Winnemucca opened its season on Friday, Sept. 6, in Carson City and defeated Carson Middle School 39-11 and Eagle Valley 45-8.
In the victory over Carson, Julia Garcia led the Warriors with 12 points as she outscored the Solons by herself. Madi McClellan, Hailey Fernandez and Brooke Hansen each scored six points. Hannah Growcock added four points and Sydney Connors and Rebecca Kuskie netted three and two points, respectively.
In its second game in Carson City, McClellan paced Winnemucca with 12 points against Eagle Valley. That was four more points than the Eagles' total. In addition, Connors contributed eight points.
Julia Garcia added six points, Tatyana Carlson and Kuskie each had four points and Fernandez three. Julianne Montero, Kailey Hudson and Brooke Hansen netted two points apiece and Growcock had one point.
Winnemucca's busy opening weekend continued on Saturday, Sept. 7, in Fernley. The Warriors opened with an easy 53-24 over host Fernley, which included 10 points from Connors.
McClellan and Growcock added eight points apiece, Kuskie and Hansen each scored seven and Julia Garcia had six. Montero and Carlson rounded out the scoring with four and two points, respectively.
Winnemucca won by the same 29-point margin later in the day, with its 47-18 victory over Fallon. Connors nearly outscored Fallon by herself with 17 points, which included a 4-for-4 performance from the 3-point line.
Growcock contributed six points, McClellan and Fernandez each added five points and Julia Garcia, Lili Garcia and Hudson had four points apiece. Hanson finished with two points.
"They worked hard prior to the first game and continue to work hard to insure a competitive chance in each and every contest," added the coach. "They have done an excellent job. The girls continue to work hard on strengthening their defense and honing their basic skills. We have had some standouts each game and some amazing shooting, but at the end of the day we realize we are a team and we must each do our part."
Winnemucca traveled to Lovelock on Friday, Sept. 13, for the opening weekend of Tri-County League play. In the opening 46-21 win over Battle Mountain, Connors proved to be unstoppable as she scored 30 points, including 8-of-11 shooting from the 3-point line.
Julia Garcia, Kuskie and Fernandez each scored four points and Lili Garcia and McClellan each had two.
Winnemucca's closest game of the year came in its 36-18 win over McDermitt. The Warriors picked up a balanced scoring attack from eight different players. Julia Garcia and Connors led the squad with seven points apiece. Hanson and McClellan contributed six each, Fernandez had four and Lili Garcia and Kuskie two each.
Three different players outscored Fallon in the Warriors' 35-5 victory over the Greenwave. Connors led the way with nine points, Fernandez added eight at McClellan six. Carlson and Growcock had four points each and Lili Garcia and Hudson had two points apiece.
In the final game of the day, Winnemucca recorded a 41-0 shutout of Pershing County. Growcock led the Warriors with 10 points, Fernandez and McClellan had six each, Julia Garcia, Montero and Kuskie four each, Connors three and Rachel Garrsion and Hanson scored two points each.
"Each week the girls have set team goals and worked as a team to achieve those goals," Renteria said. "All the while they keep in mind that academics come first and willingly support each other academically. Both the eighth grade and seventh-grade girls have done excellent this season on and off the court. We hope this continues."
Winnemucca travels to McDermitt on Saturday for the second round of Tri-County play at 10 a.m.
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