Faith Lutheran subdues CHS

RENO — Carson High’s season is just three games old, but it already resembles a roller-coaster.

The Carson girls, after a solid performance against Casa Roble on Thursday, played with intensity but not consistency in dropping a 61-33 decision to Faith Lutheran-Las Vegas Friday afternoon at Reno High School in the annual High Sierra Winter Challenge.

Carson, 1-2, closes out the tournament today at 10 a.m. at RHS against Lassen. Faith Lutheran improved to 7-1.

The Senators shot 23 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 22 times, leading to 25 Faith Lutheran points.

“They (Faith Lutheran) are a good team,” Carson coach Melissa Larsen said. “The intensity was there, and we did a good job of moving the ball against a real good team. We cut the lead to nine points in the third quarter, and then it got away from us. Turnovers and second shots killed us.”

Eight straight points by Bri Alvarado, who led the team in scoring with 15, enabled the Senators to cut Faith Lutheran’s lead to 31-22 with 3:13 left in the quarter.

However, a free throw by Emily Kirvin off an offensive rebound, and a putback by Maddy Larson made it 34-22. After a Carson miscue, Sam Caruth drained her fourth trey of the game and then added a putback, and Maddie Bocobo converted a three-point play to cap an 11-0 run to extend Faith Lutheran’s lead to 42-22 with 1:14 left.

Carson got four of those points back on two free throws by Ivy Pembrook and another hoop by Alvarado.

“She (Alvarado) is a gunner,” Larsen said. “She loves to shoot. I don’t mind her shooting, as long as she takes good shots.

“The other girls aren’t squaring up and getting in good shooting position.”

Faith Lutheran opened the final quarter with an 11-1 run, extending its lead to 53-28 halfway through the period. Alvarado had Carson’s only point in that span.

For the second time in three games, Carson went without a field goal in the fourth quarter. The Senators managed just six points, all from the free-throw line.

After Alvarado, the next best scorer was Ivy Pembrook, who had four points.

Lindy Lehman was next with three, all in the opening quarter.

Caruth led Faith Lutheran with 18 points. Eleven of those came in the opening half when Faith Lutheran rolled to a 26-13 lead thanks to an 8-1 surge in the final 4-minutes 44-seconds of the half.

After today’s game, the Senators return home to face perennial powerhouse Reed Tuesday at 5:15.