Trojans Rally Past Panthers 46-42 in Gritty 2A District Thriller

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PEÑASCO, N.M.</em> — A high-energy crowd packed the gym for this 2A District 5 showdown on Thursday, Feb. 19, as the Mesa Vista Trojans (now 23-2, 8-1 away) outlasted the Peñasco Panthers (15-10, 7-4 at home) in a back-and-forth defensive war that lived up to the hype.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This rematch carried extra weight after Mesa Vista dominated the earlier meeting 64-40 on Jan. 31, but the Panthers came ready to flip the script. Peñasco won the opening tip and battled fiercely, trading runs in a game that featured four lead changes and three ties. Both teams flew around the court with relentless energy — physical, intense, but clean.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Trojans' full-court press set the tone early, swarming ball-handlers and forcing turnovers. Mesa Vista jumped to a quick 6-0 lead, but Peñasco answered with an 11-4 run to close the first quarter and take an 11-10 edge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Panthers carried that momentum into halftime, leading 20-14 after a low-scoring, grind-it-out first half.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Everything changed after the break. Mesa Vista cranked up the defensive pressure, holding Peñasco to just 6 points in the third while erupting for 15 of their own. Freshman standout [player_tooltip player_id='1648702' first='Aaliyah' last='Boies'] took over, attacking at all three levels and using her blazing speed to create havoc on both ends. The Trojans grabbed a 29-26 lead heading into the fourth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The final period stayed tense. Peñasco refused to fold, clawing back to within two points at 44-42 with 46 seconds left on a strong layup. But Mesa Vista stayed composed under pressure, sinking 2-of-4 free throws in the closing 25 seconds to seal the 46-42 victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Boies was electric, pouring in a game-high 28 points — including 20 in the second half — with three three-pointers. She was the only Trojan in double figures, carrying her team down the stretch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Peñasco, senior [player_tooltip player_id='648193' first='Rochelle' last='Lopez'] led with 16 points (8 in the fourth quarter), while junior Ashley Madrid added 10. Both showed tremendous motor and heart, keeping the Panthers in it until the final horn.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Head coach Jesse Boies' Trojans continue their strong season, while Guillermo Atencio's Panthers showed they can hang with the best in the district.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What's Next</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mesa Vista (23-2) travels to Mora (12-12) on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 2:00 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Peñasco (15-10) heads to Questa (11-13) on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 12:30 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->