The Salida High School Lady Spartans basketball team reigned over the Atlas Preparatory School Lady Gryphons Friday at home, with freshman Braeden Johnson breaking a school record during the 67-11 win.
Johnson put up 44 of the Lady Spartans’ 67 points, a new school record.
The Lady Spartans scored twice from the star and Johnson also got a free throw in before the Lady Gryphons entered the game.
Johnson made several more baskets, accompanied by freshman Kaija Saari and junior Adyson Hadley, and the Spartans went into the second quarter leading 15-2.
Salida continued scoring, including several free throws by Johnson, Hadley and sophomore Megan Devenport.
The Gryphons made a free throw halfway through the quarter, which put the teams at 24-3, then scored again to make the score 27-5.
Johnson kept firing, and after a layup by Saari in the last half minute, the teams went into halftime 36-5.
With many unusual circumstances in this game – missing leading player senior Sarah Chick due to injuries, junior varsity and the boys’ team not playing – plus injuries, illness and fatigue among the team, coach Keith Wyatt said the team’s playing was a little off.
“We played down on it a little tonight,” he said. “Health is the biggest thing the team can work on right now.”
The team did better in the second half, Wyatt said. Going into the game, he said he expected a win by a good margin, and the second half did not disappoint in that regard.
In the first couple of minutes, Johnson made a couple of baskets, while freshman Graysa Kindle and Devenport also scored.
Atlas Prep made a free throw just before the buzzer signaled the fourth quarter, with Salida up 53-8.
The Gryphons made a 3-pointer 20 seconds in, but did not make more progress.
Johnson went to town on the court, making a 3-pointer, a couple of 2-pointers and several free throws.
Her total of 44 points broke the school’s record for the most points scored in a single girls’ basketball game.
The previous record was 40, held dually by Shelly McCombs, 1986-1987, and Sammi Gentile, 2008-2009.
Wyatt said he was about to call a timeout before Johnson made her final free throws, but he didn’t because he knew she would overthink it.
Wyatt also noted the performances of Hadley and Saari. Each made a total of 4 points for the team, and Saari made some good steals, Wyatt said.
The win puts the Lady Spartans at 5-6 overall and 3-3 in the 3A/4A Tri-Peaks League. Atlas remains winless at 0-13.
The Lady Spartans’ next game is on the road versus the 7-3 St. Mary’s Lady Pirates, who are ranked sixth in the Colorado 3A division.
“We feel good about it,” Wyatt said. The Lady Spartans need to get Chick back, he said, and she has been doing treatment on her injured ankle.
