LONGMONT – When the calendar flipped from 2019 to 2020, something also flipped inside Erie sophomore Grace Moyers.
In the seven games the Tigers girls basketball team has played in the new year, Moyers is averaging 22.1 points a night and has scored 20 or more points in six out of the seven. On Tuesday night at home, Moyers put up a modest, for her lately, 12 points to help pace a balanced attack and a 66-58 win over Tri-Valley League rival Mead.
“We didn’t start off with very much intensity and that showed,” Moyers said. “But it was a great team effort to pick it up and play better. We’re a young team so we’re still working and learning what works for us. My teammates have been setting me up with really good opportunities and I’m just trying to do my part.”
Erie (12-2, 5-2) is ranked eighth in Class 4A by the latest CHSAANow.com poll, and it led 30-21 at halftime. The Tigers opened the second half on a 14-0 run and pulled ahead by a significant margin to lead 52-38 before playing mostly reserve players in the fourth quarter.
Alongside Moyers, who leads the Tigers with 16.8 points per game on the season, senior Alyssa Barnett scored a team-high 14 points for the Tigers on Tuesday. Anna Hefner and Genevieve Gudino, who has been playing with a broken nose since Jan. 8, each scored 12.
“You know, we had a horrible shooting night,” Tigers head coach Sarah Pfeifer said. “Our effort was subpar in the first half but in the second half, it was a different intensity and we knew that we would eventually go on a 10-0 run. I don’t think the final score reflects the game. There was a lot of pressing our JV team there at the end and that’s a good experience for them.”
Sophomore guard Maddox Boston, who leads Mead (7-7, 3-4) with 11.1 points per game, scored 12. Junior Savanna Griebling scored a game-high 15 points and Kyra Haan had 13.
The Mead girls will have another tough test when they host league-leading No. 5 Holy Family (10-4, 7-0) on Thursday. Erie will host Frederick (5-9, 1-6) on Thursday.
In the boys game of Tuesday’s doubleheader, No. 8-ranked Erie (10-4, 5-2) led 13-4 early but Mead (13-1, 7-0) responded with a 16-0 run and led 22-15 to start the second quarter. The No. 2-ranked Mavericks led 51-27 at halftime before winning 90-60 to remain unbeaten in league play.
“Defensively, we got going,” Mavericks head coach Darin Reese said. “We changed our defense but we probably should have started in that defense because it always gives us some good energy. When we get going, it’s because we defend and that got us some transition and led to some runs tonight.”
The Mavericks had four players – Will Maher (22 points), Trey Ward (18), Nick Jacobs (16) and Jacob Bartholomew (14) – score in double figures. Senior LaDorian Havard led Erie with 20 points.
The Mavericks will host Holy Family (5-8, 2-5) on Thursday while the Tigers host Frederick (9-4, 3-3).
