Monticello teams battle through tough week

by David Boyle
News Director
It was a tough week for Monticello basketball with the boys and girls teams unable to register a win. The week started with the Buckaroo boys basketball team hosting the Region 19 leader Green River Pirates on January 28. Monticello suffered a 69-45 loss to the Pirates.
Monticello was led in the game by their seniors Kaden Pehrson and Traken Lee who finished with 14 points and 11 points in the game. Jackson Keyes scored seven while Kooper Nielson had six.
Tommy Morrison and Cache Young each finished with three points, with Young only playing part of the game before suffering an injury.
Pehrson led the team with nine rebounds, while Lee secured seven and Nielson had six. Nielson led the team with nine assists to complete a well rounded game for the junior.
That same night the Monticello girls traveled to Grand County suffering a 62-31 loss. The Buckaroos were led by Maron Freestone who finished with 19 points, while Makenna Peterson scored nine, Mechaiyah Lansing scored two and Braylee Freestone scored one.
Sam McDonald led the team with eight rebounds, while Peterson, Braylee and Maron Freestone each had two assists. Braylee Freestone also recorded two steals in the game.
The Monticello girls went on a road trip over the weekend traveling to Bryce Valley on January 31 and to Valley High on February 1.
The Bucks were defeated 53-35 by the Bryce Valley Mustangs. Monticello was led by Maron Freestone who scored ten points, while Peterson added nine and Braylee Freestone scored seven. Lansing and Shaydin Freestone each finished with two points.
Lansing and Shaydin Freestone each had five rebounds. Lansing and Peterson also each had three assists, with Maron Freestone recording three steals.
In their game against Valley the Monticello girls were beat 52-21 by the Buffalos. Maron Freestone led the team with 15 points, while Braylee Freestone scored four and Peterson had three.
The Monticello boys hosted the Escalante Moquis in the closest game of the week. The Bucks held a 29-22 lead at halftime but Escalante was able to ramp up their defense and have an impressive three-point shooting outing to make up the deficit in the second half and earn a 55-52 win over the Bucks.
Monticello was led in the game by Pehrson who scored 21 points, Keyes added 16 while Lee had 11 and Morrison scored four.
Both teams played in a doubleheader on February 4, after the San Juan Record print deadline. The Monticello boys host San Juan on February 5. Both teams have their Senior Night against Monument Valley on Tuesday, February 11.