SANFORD— Sanford welcomed Sargent for a Saturday night showdown in which Sargent’s girls fell short of a comeback 37-27 while the Sanford boys controlled the game from the first tip off to the final buzzer in a 60-45 finish.

The Sanford girls (7-4-0) saw their three game winning streak come to an end when they faced Pagosa Springs earlier this week. Pagosa Springs is placed fifth in the RPI rankings in 3A girls basketball. Since their win against Custer County the Sargent girls (4-6-0) have suffered a three game skid in the wrong direction. Both girl’s squads entered Saturday looking to start notching stats in the correct column once again.

Karly Caldon looks for a crack to drive through midway through Sanford's 37-27 victory over Sargent on Saturday night. Caldon  was perfect from the free throw line and led her team with 13 points.

Sargent came out hungry and opened with an early 10-2 lead in the first quarter. Both teams stayed busy but defense reigned as they combined for 19 points in the first quarter, closing the first chapter of play 12-7 in Sargent’s favor. It would be the only quarter than Sargent got the best of Sanford. The two teams locked down the paint stifling each other’s offense making for another low scoring period where the two groups combined for 10 points. Entering the half at 16-13 with the Farmers holding on to a narrow lead.

With under a minute to play in the third Sargent held a 21-19 advantage. Sanford junior Karley Caldon hit an open three pointer to give Sanford their first lead of the game. After the Farmers answered, Caldon would strike again to start the fourth and a five-point run for Sanford to make it 27-23 midway through the fourth. Caldon was sent to the charity stripe three times in the fourth quarter and made good on all three trips for 6 points.

The Indians would mature that four point lead into a 37-27 final. Caldon led Sanford with 13 points going a perfect six of six from the free throw line. Save for Lanie Dillon Sargent would struggle with their free throws leaving 8 points unclaimed. Junior Dillon hit all six of hers and led the Farmers with 14 points.

The Sanford boys (7-4-0) entered Saturday’s bout with a similar 3 game rhythm interrupted by Pagosa Springs earlier in the week. Sargent’s boys (5-6-0) also fell down the wrong path for three games after defeating Custer County on Jan. 6. The boys game started rather even until Sanford’s Zach Sittler buried a tre to snag a 5-4 lead, from there Sanford was off and running. Sittler made good on his perimeter shots hitting 3 threes and leading Sanford with 15 points. From there the Indians would march out to a three-possession lead.

Early in the second quarter junior Eddie Gonzalez would finesse a lay-up to slice the lead to two making it a 19-17 game. Unfortunately for Sargent that would be as close as they would get to re-taking the lead for the rest of the game. Sanford would make it incredibly difficult on Sargent to close the gap pacing them all the way to the game’s 60-45 conclusion.

Zach Sittler recieves a pass on the edge and contemplates the twenty foot jumper in the first half against Sargent. Sittler was successful with his threes hitting 3 and led Sanford with 15 points. (Courier photos by Stephen Jiron)

Eddie Gonzalez buried two shots from beyond the arc and led the Farmers with 16 points.Up next for Sanford they will be getting their opportunity to see what they can do against Custer County on Jan. 26. For Sargent the girls travel alone to face the Bayfield Wolverines on Jan. 25 then both teams face off against Center on Jan. 25.