Serving the High Plains

Rattlers, Lady Rattlers take on rival Lions in district play

link The Rattlers’ Michael Eldridge (22) shoots back a rebound as Rattler Zedric

Henderson-Green (32) tries to avoid a collision. Santa Rosa defender Dante

Torello (22) attempts to block the shot as Nathan Sanchez (21), Joseph

Esquibel (11) and Pryce Marez (23) watch for another rebound.

By Steve Hansen

QCS Managing Editor

In a night of roof-raising spectator noise and good, hard, clean basketball, the Tucumcari Rattlers and Lady Rattlers ended their regular season by taking on their archrivals, Santa Rosa’s Lions and Lady Lions, Friday at the Snake Pit.

The Rattlers—now 21-4, 4-2— won their contest against the Lions 50-40, but the Lady Rattlers—now 8-15, 1-3—lost to the Lady Lions 46-40.

The Rattler boys finished regular play ranked fourth in the state among 3A teams, according to MaxPreps, which tracks high school sports nationwide.

Until the fourth quarter, the Rattlers’ contest against the Lions could have gone either way. The score at the half was 24-22 Rattlers, and the Lions outscored the Rattlers 15-11 in the second period.

The Rattlers tied it up 36-36 during the third period, then kept climbing past the Lions. In the fourth quarter, the Rattlers scored 13 points to the Lions’ 4.

Head coach John Span praised the Lions for not letting up, even as the Rattlers widened the lead in the fourth quarter.

“It was a hard-fought game,” Span said. “There was no quit in either team. It’s a shame sometimes that somebody’s got to lose.”

The key, however, was free throws, he said.

“We shot 85 percent from the line,” he said, “and that made the difference.”

The Rattlers’ first playoff game will be Thursday against the winner of tonight’s Raton-Santa Rosa contest.

Game time: 6 p.m. at the Snake Pit

For the Lady Rattlers, the story was also free throws, but that explained the loss, head coach Gary Hittson said.

“We were only 12 for 27,” he said.

Overall, however, he said, “It was a great ball game--a great ball game.”

“Both teams played their hearts out,” he said.

He did not say, as he has in the past, that the Lady Rattlers lost energy as the game wore on.

The Lady Lions scored just before the end of the first half to make the score 24-22.

The teams traded leads all through the game, but with seconds remaining, the Lady Lions sunk a three-pointer, making the score 45-38. The Lady Rattlers answered with a two pointer, but the Lady Lions hit on a free throw, leaving the final score at 46-40.

The Lady Rattlers have a chance to avenge the loss tonight as they again face the Lady Lions in their first playoff round.

Game time: 6 p.m. at Santa Rosa.