Eight and Counting: East Mountain Extends Record Streak in District Opener

The East Mountain Lady Timberwolves are rewriting the history books, though you wouldn’t know it by talking to their coach.

With a 43-32 road victory over Bosque on Wednesday, East Mountain extended its school-record winning streak to eight games and opened District 5 3A action with a perfect 1-0 start.

The MaxPreps Revelation

The milestone nearly went unnoticed by the man at the helm. Ron Drake, the winningest girls’ basketball coach in New Mexico history, was so focused on the upcoming district battle that he wasn’t aware the school record had already been eclipsed.

It wasn’t until a pregame review of MaxPreps that Drake realized the Lady Timberwolves had officially broken the previous mark during their Jan. 17 victory over Santa Fe Prep. Even with the history-making win secured on Wednesday, Drake remains focused on the long game.

“Not yet,” Drake said of the achievement. “We’re almost there.”

Coaching Through the Fight

Drake’s lack of focus on records is understandable, as he is currently navigating a much larger personal battle. Fighting Stage 3 cancer, Drake led the team from a wheelchair on Wednesday night. While the physical toll of his treatment was evident, his tactical presence was as sharp as ever.

“We’re out here playing defense and we’re also protecting the ball a lot better,” Drake noted, highlighting the fundamental improvements that have fueled the eight-game surge.

Naylor Ignites the Offense

After a quiet start from both squads, Emee Naylor provided the spark East Mountain needed. Naylor poured in eight points in the opening frame, including several high-difficulty buckets that forced Bosque to shift into double-coverage.

The defensive attention on Naylor opened lanes for the rest of the roster. By halftime, the Timberwolves held a 25-18 lead, supported by contributions from Evelyn Kannolt, Elizabeth Appel, Genesis Navarro-Chavez, and Kate Hushman.

In the second half, Navarro-Chavez hit two timely three-pointers to keep Bosque at bay, while the East Mountain defense effectively shut down the Bobcats’ perimeter game in the fourth quarter.

The Road Ahead

The Timberwolves (1-0 in district) return home this Friday for a rematch with Santa Fe Prep. However, the team has circled a future road date with Cottonwood Classical Prep as their next major litmus test. Cottonwood narrowly defeated East Mountain 46-45 back in early December.

“We’re a better team than when we played them earlier,” Drake said.

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Scoring Summary

Player	Points
Emee Naylor	12
Kate Hushman	12
Evelyn Kannolt	10
Genesis Navarro-Chavez	8
Elizabeth Appel	2

Also in the rotation: Madilynn Puccini, Addison Springall, Alisia Romero, Avriel Torrez, Elizabeth Thomas, Carlie Allen, Maya Cheney, and Mackenzie Thomas.