Kirtland Central captures 22nd state title, defeats Gallup in 4A championship

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

ALBUQUERQUE

When Kirtland Central and Gallup meet in March, the stakes are usually high. Friday night at The Pit, a state title was on the line once again.

Behind a dominant performance from sophomore Allyson Tsosie, Kirtland Central beat Gallup 52-33 to win the program’s 22nd state championship.

Tsosie finished with a game-high 17 points, 10 rebounds and six steals, while Elaina Clani added 15 points for the top-seeded Lady Broncos, who turned a close first half into a runaway win.

Gallup got 11 points from Mykeia Vicenti, who knocked down two 3-pointers. But the Lady Bengals struggled to find offense, shooting 10-of-38 from the field. Their toughest stretch came in the third quarter, when they went just 1-of-9.

The title game was the latest meeting between familiar rivals. Kirtland Central had won the two regular-season matchups by an average of 33 points, but Gallup answered with an eight-point win in the District 1-4A championship.

Lady Broncos head coach Devon Manning said that loss stayed with his team.

“In the district championship we lost containment in our press and gave up easy buckets,” Manning said. “Couple that with not having a great offensive game, and that was the difference.”

Saturday’s game was tight early before Kirtland Central took control late in the second quarter.

With three minutes left before halftime, senior Haylee Nocki buried a 3-pointer to put the Lady Broncos ahead 15-14. The shot sparked a 12-2 run that gave Kirtland Central breathing room. Gallup answered with a three, but the Lady Broncos scored on a layup at the buzzer for a 24-17 halftime lead.

“We knew it was going to be a grind, and we had to get some scoring separation,” Manning said. “We felt confident as long as we got back in defensive transition.”

Kirtland Central never let Gallup back within striking distance.

The Lady Broncos outscored the Lady Bengals 9-6 in the third quarter, then put the game away with a 19-11 fourth. Their defensive pressure, rebounding and pace steadily wore Gallup down.

“We pride ourselves on being the best-conditioned team on the court,” Manning said. “We want to wear teams down. The girls don’t always like the conditioning, but this is the payoff. We can outrun teams.”

The win carried extra weight for Kirtland Central. Despite the program’s long history of success, the Lady Broncos had never beaten Gallup in a state championship game under Manning.

“It’s always good to be the first to do something,” Manning said. “This is the first team to beat Gallup in the state championship. It’s difficult to beat Gallup in any game – regular season, district championship or state championship. They’re a very respectable team.”

The title also extended the grip these two programs have had on Class 4A. Over the past five seasons, Gallup and Kirtland Central have combined to win every championship, with Gallup taking three and the Lady Broncos winning two.

Manning said this year’s group showed how much it had grown.

“They knew it was going to be a long game,” he said. “They didn’t get frustrated or rattled. That’s the difference between last year’s team and this year’s team. They’ve grown up and matured.”

Kirtland Central finished the season 29-3. Gallup ended the year 27-5.

Published March 14, 2026, at 11:27 a.m.     Updated March 14, 2026, at 11:58 a.m.
A correction was made on March 14, 2026: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the Class 4A championship game was played Saturday night. It was played Friday night.

Get instant access to this story by purchasing one of our many e-edition subscriptions HERE at our Navajo Times Store.

---