The combined girls high school basketball team began practice Nov. 17 in Nucla, with Stan Galley returning as head coach again this year for the Mustangs. Galley, who is assisted by Courtney Wilkerson and Lo Snyder, knows many of the ladies on his roster. He’s been coaching most of them for several years, since they were in middle school.
On the roster from both Norwood and Nucla are senior Darcy Bray; juniors Lantry Galley, Shay Snyder, Maggie Andrews, Holli Johnson, Maddie Larsen, Kadence Larsen, Brylea Butler, Maria Camacho, Charlie Mull; sophomores Peyton Naslund, Lacie Larsen, Savannah Norris, Ayva Davis; and freshmen Josie Herland, Sabry Bray, Daphne Richardson and Jaiden Smith.
Junior Berlynn Tomlinson is team manager.
The first games happened over the weekend, with the girls winning their tournament in Sangre de Cristo. On Thursday, Dec. 4, the Mustangs faced Creede, winning 55-16. The girls obviously shot well, and Galley said just about every player got into that game, and only four girls didn’t put points up. Friday, Dec. 5, they played Center, winning 48-23, and then Saturday, Dec. 6, for the championships, they played Dove Creek and beat them 35-23.
Galley admitted Dove Creek has been a tough team in years past. In fact, the girls only beat the Bulldogs last winter after losing to them consistently since 2017.
The Forum joked that many of those “little girls” he used to coach are growing right up, and he said that’s true. He added many of them have been playing together since the fifth grade. He agreed the girls can communicate on the court.
“They’re starting to pick this up pretty good already,” he said.
He said they are fun to watch, and it should be a good season.
For the weekend’s win, the team was awarded the tournament bracket and T-shirts. Lantry Galley, Shay Snyder and Darcy Bray were also presented “All-Team Tournament” awards with separate T-shirts.
With two weeks of school left before the break, there are games to be played. Monday Dec. 8, Nucla hosted a JV game. The girls now travel to Grand Junction this weekend for another tournament, Thursday through Saturday. There, they’ll play Vail Christian, Cap Rock and Soroco.
Galley said there are goals. Last year, the Mustangs were undefeated in San Juan Basin League play, and they’d like to repeat that. They also qualified for regionals last year but lost going in, and coach said they want build on that: get to regionals, win that first game and then go from there.
Overall, he is pleased with the season’s beginning.
“I’m proud of way the girls played this weekend,” Galley said. “It’s kind of tough when you’re that far from home and not sleeping in your own bed. … The championship game, you could tell the girls were tired, but they played with grit and determination … They got the win.”
The girls team’s schedule is streamlined, so that most games and tournaments happen with guys team. The Nucla boys, also combined with Norwood, did win the Sangre de Cristo tournament too. They guys beat Creede 62-24, Center 68-47 and then Sangre de Cristo by 1 point, 47-46.
