Red Devils Teaven Fredericks (left) and Alexandra Gomez try to grab the ball away from Duchesne player Mashaylee Giles during Jan. 18 contest. Photo by Jeff Richards
The Lady Devils’ only other win of the year thus far also came against Pinnacle. Grand won that previous game 44-20 at Moab on Dec. 4.
This time around, the score was closer, but the Lady Devils managed to build a 15-10 halftime lead and stay ahead for the remainder of the game. Brook Schultz led Grand with 13 points, while teammates Teaven Fredericks, Alena Geiser, and Linda Minor each added six points. Symony Call contributed five points and Torrie Lopez added four for Grand.
Two nights later, on Thursday, Jan. 17, the Lady Devils traveled to Blanding for a region game against San Juan. Grand fell behind 16-4 in the first quarter and was unable to close the gap as the Lady Broncos coasted to a 52-23 victory. Call led the Lady Devils in scoring for the game with seven points, while Schultz added six.
San Juan was led by Tyla Morris, who had 18 points. The Lady Broncos converted 19 of 25 free throw attempts during the game, while Grand made only nine of 17.
The following evening, on Friday, Jan. 18, the Lady Devils hosted the Duchesne Lady Eagles in a non-region game at Moab. Duchesne got off to a hot start thanks to several fast breaks, and jumped out to an 18-0 lead before Torrie Lopez hit a 3-pointer to get Grand on the scoreboard. The Lady Eagles then went scoreless for the next few minutes as Grand closed the gap to 18-7.
Early in the second quarter, the Eagles’ shots started falling again, and Duchesne went on to take a 28-9 halftime lead. Duchesne stayed ahead by about 20 throughout the second half, eventually winning 49-26.
“We let them get a big lead early on, but then we pretty much stayed with them the rest of the way,” said GCHS head coach Rick Lopez. “We were passing the ball a little better, but our shooting percentage still needs work.”
Lopez noted that the Lady Devils made just 12 of 53 shot attempts from the field against Duchesne. Torrie Lopez led the Lady Devils with 12 points, while Schultz and Geiser each added six and Call made two.
Remarkably, Grand went the entire game without attempting a free throw, while Duchesne converted eight of its 11 free throw attempts.
This week, Grand is scheduled to play two games on the road: a non-region game at Dove Creek, Colo., on Tuesday, Jan. 22 (a late addition to the schedule), followed by a region contest at top-ranked Richfield on Friday, Jan. 25. The Richfield Lady Wildcats have a 14-2 overall record so far this season and have won their last 13 consecutive games.
“Hopefully we will be able to give [Richfield] a good game this time,” said coach Lopez. “Last time, I don’t think we showed up to play. Our goal is to try to keep improving right up until the end of the season.”
In early February, the Lady Devils are scheduled to play two more games on the road – at South Sevier on Feb. 2 and at Emery on Feb. 5. Grand’s only remaining home game is the season finale against San Juan on Thursday, Feb. 7.