Pershing County High School hosted Virginia City on Wednesday (Dec. 21), the first night of winter break.
The Pershing County girls overwhelmed the Muckers 49-12 and the boys overcame an eight-point deficit to win 64-57.
The mood in the gym was festive. Even the principal wore a Grinch sweater.
To add to the holiday vibes, Anna Happy sank a half-court shot at halftime on her second try.
She won Aces tickets from announcer Steve Evenson.
With the win, the girls now stand at 7-2 overall and the boys rank 5-6.
The girls came out strong, scoring 21 points in the first quarter while holding the Muckers to two.
Pershing County dominated throughout. Virginia City scored 10 of their 12 points in the fourth quarter. For most of the game they could not break through Lovelock’s defense to score.
The Lady Mustangs continue to build on the strengths they showed during preseason.
Their speed at the guard position is a plus. Kaydance Happy and Aaliyah Allen secure the paint while Taylor Garland, Kyria Angel and Anna Happy keep up the defensive pressure. Ayren Sam, Yasmine McKinney and Kaylen Halverson round out the versatile team.
There’s nothing like coming from behind to win, especially when the comeback happens in front of a home crowd.
The boys got off to a slower start than the girls. At the end of the first quarter, they trailed by eight points (18-10).
But they took care of business in the second quarter. The Muckers fought back and threatened to take the lead again. But the Mustangs handled the pressure like pros.
Marshall Happy, a junior returner, put his height (6’6’’) to good advantage. He, Izayuh McGlothin, Aaron Kienbaum, Travis Donaldson and others scored points when needed.
Kaden Chambers delivered the interior defense. Noel Zaldivar’s defensive energy got the team going and helped turn the game around. Michael Reitz, Eduardo Herrera, Luis Sanchez and Taylor Montes added speed and skill.
Both Pershing County teams created turnovers and turned them into points.
They’re comfortable with each other on the court and it’s starting to show. The program looks forward to competing within their league.
On Tuesday, Jan. 3, the Mustangs travel to Portola, Calif. On Friday, Jan. 6, they’ll host a league contest against Incline. The girls play at 6 p.m., and the boys start at 7:30 p.m.
