By John Hernandez

The Hayden Junior Lobos duked it out last week in Oracle against the Mtn. Vista Cougars, winning three of four bouts. (John Hernandez photo)

The Mountain Vista Cougars and Hayden Lobos squared off in four basketball games on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013.

The seventh-grade girls opened up the evening. The Lady Lobos, led by Brandi Lopez’s 12 points, defeated the Lady Cougars 25 – 7. The Cougars’ high scorer was Nikki Baldenegro.

Oracle’s Millie Mercer scored 13 points to lead the eighth-grade girls to a victory over the Lobos. The game was a close one with the Cougars winning 22 -18. The top Hayden scorer was Lexy Gomez with eight points.

In the boy’s seventh-grade match up, the Lobos handily defeated the Cougars 28 – 18. Simms for Hayden lead all scorers with 19 points. Mountain Vista’s Jose Maciel scored eight points while Alijah Voita added six points.

The eighth-grade boy’s game was a thriller going into double overtime before the Cougars came away with the victory 42 – 38. The game ended in regulation tied 31 – 31 with three Hayden players fouling out of the game.

In the first overtime, Pina hit a three-pointer but Mt. Vista countered with two points by Maciel and a free throw by John Machado to tie the score 34 – 34. In the final three-minute period of overtime, Hayden’s go-to guy Pina scored three points but was unable to match Vince Vindiola’s eight points which sealed the victory.