Second-quarter turnaround, Pierce’s leadership lift Piedra Vista past Tohatchi

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

TOHATCHI — The game changed in eight minutes.

After managing just five points in the opening quarter, the Piedra Vista Lady Panthers flipped the momentum with a dominant second quarter and rode senior guard Jaime Pierce’s steady leadership to a 54–42 comeback win over the Tohatchi Lady Cougars on Monday night.

Pierce scored 17 points and controlled the tempo as Piedra Vista erased a 12-point deficit, snapped a four-game losing streak, and handed Tohatchi its fourth straight loss.

“Jaime Pierce is the heart and soul of our team,” Piedra Vista head coach Joe Reed said. “She has the green light at any time to take control and command the floor. She directs traffic and makes sure we’re in the right spots defensively.”

Tohatchi dictated the pace early, limiting the Panthers to five points in the first quarter while building a 16–5 lead. Freshman guard Jhett Dale and senior forward Shylynn Johnson each scored five points in the opening frame, with three others scoring.

Pierce and sophomore guard Shonti Royce were the only Panthers to score in the opening quarter.

“The first quarter we played like we were in quicksand,” Reed said. “We couldn’t rebound, and we couldn’t get a shot to drop.”

Everything shifted in the second quarter.

Piedra Vista closed the half on a 13–1 run, scoring 20 points in the period to erase the deficit and tie the game 25–25 at halftime. Senior forward Shahiyena John led the surge with nine points, while eighth grader Peyton Begaye added four. Pierce, senior Anika Stanley, and freshman Chloe Hickman all contributed during the run.

“We’re a young team,” Reed said. “But they stepped up and matched Tohatchi’s intensity.”

With the momentum firmly in hand, the Panthers continued to build separation in the third quarter. Pierce scored 12 points in the period as Piedra Vista outscored Tohatchi 18–9 to take a 43–34 lead.

Graymountain led the Cougars with four points in the quarter, while Dale and sophomore DelShay Henio scored two apiece.

Dale finished with a team-high 16 points for Tohatchi, while Johnson added nine points.

Rebounding and execution proved decisive down the stretch, as Piedra Vista consistently turned possessions into points.

“One thing we can control is rebounding,” Reed said. “Effort on the glass matters.”

The Panthers closed the game in the fourth quarter, outscoring Tohatchi 11–8. Sophomore Ashlynn Barney scored four points, while Royce and John added two each to seal the 54–42 win.

On Tuesday, Piedra Vista (7–8) came up short to Aztec (8-5), losing 38-32. Tohatchi (7–7) is looking to regroup by hosting the Zuni Lady Thunderbirds (4–8) on Wednesday.

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