Bloomfield rallies in second half to beat Shiprock, go 2-0

Bloomfield High pulled away after halftime at the Chieftain Pit, outscoring Shiprock 30-17 in the second half to earn a 49-32 District 1-4A victory. The win moved Bloomfield to 10-8 overall and 2-0 in district play, an important statement during an eight-game stretch away from Bobcat Arena.

Offensive struggles defined the opening half as Bloomfield and Shiprock combined to make 13 of 43 field-goal attempts and commit 13 turnovers. The score was tied 8-8 after one quarter with seniors Paxton Morris and Kaydin Nelson providing Bloomfield’s early scoring. Bloomfield answered late in the first half with a 7-0 run capped by sophomore Keyshawn Woolboy, taking a 19-15 lead into the locker room.

The game shifted decisively in the opening minutes of the third quarter when Bloomfield opened with an 11-0 run that included two field goals from Marcus Garcia. Bloomfield led 35-22 after three quarters and closed out the game with a 14-10 fourth quarter to reach the final score. The Bobcats finished the second half with a dominant attack that turned defensive stops into transition scoring and opened up the three-point line.

Elijah Cooks led Bloomfield with 11 points, nine of them coming in the second half. Paxton Morris scored 10 points and Kaydin Nelson added eight. Marcus Garcia contributed eight points, and Keyshawn Woolboy’s second-quarter surge helped swing momentum. For Shiprock, Elisha Tsosie and Joaquin Nez supplied balanced scoring but the Chieftains could not match Bloomfield’s second-half efficiency. Shiprock fell to 6-12 overall and 1-1 in district play.

"Every win right now means a lot especially on the road," said Bloomfield head coach Dominique Richardson. "That’s a big goal for us and set ourselves up for the rest of the schedule." Richardson later emphasized the team’s mindset at halftime: "I told the guys at halftime to just keep shooting. Every time they’d miss a shot they’d get their head down and we just have to keep shooting. Once we got layups, then we were able to open up the three-point line and open things up."

The result tightens the early District 1-4A race; Gallup also sits 2-0 after a 63-43 win over Kirtland Central and awaits Bloomfield in a Wednesday road matchup next week. Bloomfield’s ability to win away from Bobcat Arena will matter for seeding and momentum heading into February. Local fans should note Bloomfield’s continued road slate and Shiprock’s upcoming non-district home game Tuesday against Monument Valley (Utah) before a district home date with Aztec.