By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton took to the courts Saturday afternoon, January 27 to host the Clayton YellowJackets and Jackettes for the TigerFest games, the basketball version of homecoming for the Raton Schools.
The JV Boys (44-40) were the only winners of the day as the Clayton girls dominated and the varsity boys battled it out to the finish with a close game going down to the wire. The JV boys played over at the Raton Intermediate School while the girls playing as a varsity team Saturday played in Tiger Gym.
The girls struggled as Clayton took an early and commanding lead holding Raton scoreless in the first and fourth quarters and only allowing Raton to score four points in the game. At the final buzzer Clayton took the win 50-4.
The Raton boys fell behind early on but kept the game close despite missing several easy shots. The boys headed into the locker room with a low score of 23-18, a five point lead by Clayton. It was the third quarter where Raton battled on to take the lead and finish off the third quarter up by five.
As the fourth quarter took off it was a battle with several lead changes with Raton ahead late in the quarter. Missed shots and a couple of steals and bad passes allowed Clayton to take the lead. Clayton managed to hold off a last minute surge by Raton that closed the score to with in two. In the final minute of the game Raton fouled to regain possession of the ball but sent Taylor Crist to the free throw line where he sank five shots to extend the Clayton lead. Clayton pulled out by seven to finish off the game 55-48.
JV Game
Clayton 12 12 10 6 40
Raton. 8 14 14 8 44
Girls Varsity
Clayton 17 12 13 8 50
Raton 0 2 2 0 4
Clayton High Point
Annabel Vigil 13 1 of 2 free throws
Emerson Beiland 30 3 of 5 free throws
Free Throws 5 of 13 attempts
Raton High Point
Keauna Martinez 2 0 fo 2 free throws
Aurora Holling 2
Free throws 0 of 4 attempts
Boys Varsity
Clayton 14 9 7 25 55
Raton 9 9 16 14 48
Clayton High Point
Daniel Morquero 15. 2 of 3 free throws
Taylor Crist 22 10 of 10 free throws
Free Throws 12 of 19 attempts
Raton High Point
WD Hyer 10 2 of 4 free throws
Kaleb Salazar 11 2 of 3 free throws
Chase Walton 9 1 of 2 free throws
Free Throws 10 of 17 attempts