Farmington rallies past Rio Rancho to capture District 1-5A championship

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

FARMINGTON – The Farmington Lady Scorpions (22-6, 8-2 in district) edged past the Rio Rancho Rams (20-10, 6-4) with a hard-fought 63-57 victory in the District 1-5A championship tournament game.

Senior Kjani Anitielu led the charge with a game-high 29 points, surpassing the 1,000-point milestone in the first quarter. Junior Harmony Thomas provided a spark off the bench with nine points, while junior forward Caris Dale added eight, and junior Chenoa Parrish contributed six.

Sophomore Daysia Jack and freshman Madilynn Martinez paced the Lady Rams with 18 points each.

Rio Rancho started hot, opening with a 5-0 run sparked by a 3-pointer from Jack and a quick bucket by Madilynn Martinez.

Farmington responded with a jumper from junior forward Caris Dale, but Rio Rancho’s defense held firm, forcing turnovers and capitalizing at the free throw line. Freshman Larissa Martinez knocked down three consecutive free throws, extending Rio Rancho’s lead to 8-2 and prompting a Farmington timeout with three minutes left in the quarter.

Farmington regrouped as Anitielu drained a 3-pointer, cutting the deficit to 8-5. The teams traded deep shots, with Martinez connecting from beyond the arc for Rio Rancho before Anitielu answered with another triple.

However, the Lady Rams finished the quarter strong, fueled by Jack and Martinez, securing an 18-10 lead. Martinez led Rio Rancho with seven first-quarter points, while Larissa Martinez contributed six. Anitielu paced Farmington with six points, both from beyond the arc.

Farmington found its rhythm in the second quarter, launching a 10-4 run. Senior guard Aaliyah Archuleta and Anitielu combined for multiple baskets, narrowing the gap to 22-20. The Lady Rams briefly extended their lead with contributions from senior Rilie McQuerry and Martinez, but Farmington’s Dale hit a key jumper to keep it close at 22-17.

With under two minutes left in the half, Anitielu sank a crucial shot to give Farmington its first lead at 26-24. The teams exchanged free throws before junior forward Harmony Thomas converted a late layup, helping Farmington take a 30-29 edge into halftime.

Anitielu led the charge with 12 points in the quarter, going 6-of-7 from the free-throw line, while Archuleta added four. Rio Rancho responded with a balanced scoring effort, keeping the contest tight.

The third quarter remained a back-and-forth battle, with Rio Rancho narrowly outscoring Farmington 18-16. Jack hit a jumper to reclaim the lead for the Lady Rams at 31-30, but Farmington countered with junior center Carly Conley, who scored four consecutive points to push the Scorpions ahead 35-33. Rio Rancho responded with baskets from Jack and Martinez to regain a 37-36 advantage.

Sophomore Victoria Perea provided a spark for Rio Rancho, scoring consecutive baskets to push the lead to 41-38. Farmington fought back as Anitielu and Thomas converted free throws, tying the game at 44-44 entering the final quarter. Martinez led Rio Rancho with seven points in the third, while Jack and Perea added four each. The Lady Rams carried a narrow 47-46 lead into the last frame.

Farmington took control in the fourth quarter, outscoring Rio Rancho 17-10. The Lady Scorpions opened the period with a 10-2 run, pulling ahead 54-49 behind a clutch 3-pointer from Parrish and relentless attacks from Anitielu at the free-throw line.

Rio Rancho made a late push behind Jack and McQuerry, trimming the deficit to 59-55 with under two minutes left. However, Farmington’s defense stiffened, forcing key turnovers and capitalizing at the charity stripe.

Anitielu sealed the game by hitting four free throws in the final minute, securing the 63-57 victory. The Lady Scorpions attacked the basket consistently, drawing fouls and converting 8-of-11 free throws in the quarter.

Anitielu led with seven points in the final period, including five of seven from the free-throw line, while Parrish added five. Jack led Rio Rancho’s effort with four points, while three other players contributed a field goal each.

After the game, Anitielu reflected on reaching the 1,000-point milestone, attributing her success to her teammates.

“I knew I was close, but I didn’t think I’d hit it in the first quarter,” she said. “I wouldn’t have reached 1,000 points without my team.”

Speaking about preparation, she added, “It was all about our team’s preparation and practices—pushing and helping each other. We worked hard for this victory. Rio Rancho is a great team. I know they’re tired because they played three games this week, so we just went out and got the win.”

Farmington head coach Thomas Adair emphasized defensive adjustments and team execution.

“We stayed in our matchup zone because, just like before, they came out on fire in the first quarter,” Adair said. “I told the girls their shots would cool off and that our shots would start falling—we just had to play our game and not force anything.”

Reflecting on defensive strategy, he added, “We forced them to go sideline to baseline in the second half, which is exactly what we wanted.”

Adair also credited key contributors, noting, “Chenoa really helped us down the stretch, along with Harmony Thomas coming off the bench. But we also have to give credit to Carly for getting us going in the second half.”

On Sunday, Farmington earned the No. 4 seed in the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union Girls Basketball State Championships 5A tournament, where they will host 13th-seeded Cleveland (13-14) at Scorpion Arena on Friday at 6 p.m.

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