Josh Lynch scores 20 in win

The Gallup Bengals dug in defensively long enough to hold off a scrappy Los Lunas team and beat the Tigers 50-38 Dec. 21 in a boys prep basketball game played at Gallup High school.

The Bengals (6-4) never trailed in the contest, which saw Los Lunas (8-2) make several runs at trying to either tie the game or get ahead. The Tigers started two versatile big men, which gave Gallup trouble. But by the same token, Gallup’s Josh Lynch was agile enough to get free for inside points and rebounds to maintain scoring edges. Lynch led Gallup with 20 points in the game.

“We made some runs, some key runs, but weren’t able to get out in front,” Tigers’...

On Dec. 19, the Stars and Stripes Wrestling Club Gladiators met for weekly practice in the Miyamura High School wrestling room.

Parents and volunteers watched over the junior wrestlers, who range from ages five to 14, while guest coach Nate Sellers ran the group through drills.

Activities ranged from speed calisthenics to mat exercises to one-on-one wrestling drills.

SSWC is a non-profit organization that formed in 2014 to teach area youth the fundamentals of wrestling while promoting physical fitness, self-discipline and the pillars of responsibility, sportsmanship, academics and community pride.

Paul Gutierrez is the board vice president for the non-profit, and believes SSWC...

Mitchell puts up 22 in 3A/5A loss

Do-it-all senior point guard Kalian Mitchell scored the first nine points of the game and it looked as though the Lady Cougars would ride that wave toward victory in a Dec. 19 girls basketball contest between Gallup and Tohatchi, played at Gallup High School.

Gallup won the game 65-44.

Mitchell, an all-state player at Tohatchi since the 8th grade, hit short and long-range jumpers and a 3-pointer to get the Lady Cougars out in front early. The Lady Bengals appeared dazed and confused by Mitchell’s skills.

But somewhere along the line, Gallup (7-3) figured things out and got their superstars into the offensive and defensive flow of the game...

ARTESIA, N.M. — Junior forward Ashley Antone scored 18 points and fellow junior forward Amanda Mitchel hit 12 in a 69-52 win over Artesia Dec. 9 in the annual City of Champions tournament. The Lady Bengals’ win was good enough for third place in the tournament.

Gallup (6-2, 0-0) led 15-14 at the end of the first quarter of play. Gallup outscored the Lady Bulldogs in the second half and pulled away for the win. The loss was the second consecutive for Artesia High (2-2, 0-0), which dropped a 50-43 decision to Silver on Dec. 8 and in the same tournament.

Antone, Gallup’s leading scorer over the 2017 girls basketball season, was named to the all-tournament team, as was Mitchel...