Miners take three on the chin

The Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) Miners hosted three games last week, but were unable to secure a win in any of them. Despite the losses, the team still had some bright moments.

On Tuesday, the Miners hosted the Encampment Tigers for a non-conference game. HEM then hosted the Guernsey-Sunrise Vikings on Friday and the Southeast Cyclones on Saturday for two conference games.

Miners vs. Tigers

Hosting Encampment on Tuesday, the Miners had a brief period in the 1st quarter where it looked like they might pull out a win against the 1A Southwest team. Fans were ecstatic as the Miners were ahead by 10 points.

Slowly the discipline the Tigers are known for came to bear fruit and, by halftime, Encampment was ahead 26 to 22. The 3rd quarter did not go well for HEM as the Tigers extended their lead by double digits and the Miners could only get 5 points. Though the Miners did rally towards the end of the 4th quarter, the Tigers came out on top 56-47.

Head Coach Cliff Jones felt there were bright moments to take out of the game.

"We started out really well, but having a shorter bench does have some effect as a game continues," Jones said. "Saying that, we need to do a better job sticking to our game plan. We make the game harder than it has to be for us."

Miners vs. Vikings

Jones' words rang true when it came to the game on Friday against Guernsey-Sunrise. In the 1st quarter, the game stayed close but at halftime the Miners were behind by 6 points. 

"Again, we started out well against the Vikings and then the grind got to us," Jones said. "If we could consistently handle the press, I think we would be 9 and 9 instead of 5 and 13. I think we can beat the press, but we don't seem to do it consistently."

Jones said when the Vikings started an explosion of scoring, the Miners didn't have the team to sub in players and give mental break when it was needed.

"Unfortunately, with our younger kids, there is a significant drop off when I start subbing," Jones said. "It is almost like we are better off leaving the kids out there hoping they will make the corrections or go to the bench and have it go a little worse. It is almost a Catch-22, which the game against Guernsey showed."

The Vikings dealt a loss to HEM, 47-30.

Miners vs. Cyclones

When the Miners met Southeast on Saturday, the Miners played well against the No. 1 seed in the Southeast Conference.

"We showed in small stretches we can play with them," Jones said. "But games are not won by small stretches. We have to play an entire game with the same intensity we do in those small stretches."

The Cyclones ended up beating the Miners 57-32.

Following the three losses, Jones knows what the Miners have to do when they are at regionals.

"For regionals we have to start playing like every possession is the most important in the game," Jones said. "Silly turnovers, poor shot selection and a lapse on defense; it is almost like mental breaks. Sometimes it seems like there is a cruise control going on and if you watch the best teams, every possession is like it is the point that is going to win the game."

Jones said there is no taking a play off here and there when there are teams like Southeast, Upton and Saratoga playing the way they are.

"There is depth to these teams and they don't give up," Jones said. "My boys can play and do well in regionals if they buy into playing like every possession is going to win the game."

The HEM Miners will begin the 1A Southeast Conference in Buffalo on February 23 by facing the No. 2 Northeast Hulett Red Devils.