Sickness can take many forms.

For Monte del Sol head girls basketball coach Ralph Casaus, the flu has been his Kryptonite for the past week.

In four days, the Lady Dragons' District 2AA opener against Pecos could make him figuratively ill as well.

Even though Monte del Sol improved to 11-5 after a 42-36 win over Class A Questa in the Genoveva Chavez Community Center on Monday, Casaus saw the kinds of weaknesses that a good team can expose.

Like Pecos.

And the Mora Rangerettes.

And the Peñasco Lady Panthers.

"If we don't correct things by Friday, as far as turnovers and learning our assignments, [Pecos] will blow out us out of the gym," Casaus said.

The Lady Dragons slumbered through the first quarter, trailing 9-5. They were anything but that in the second, and outscored the Lady Wildcats 20-3 for a 25-12 halftime lead.

"We picked up the intensity on defense and started knocking down our shots and we had a 13-point lead," Casaus said.

But the third quarter mimicked the first, and Questa was within 29-23 entering the fourth. Both teams scored 13 points in the fourth as Monte del Sol held on for the win.

Alysia Lujan led the Lady Dragons with 17 points and she grabbed 17 rebounds. Jennifer Gutierrez added eight points and 10 rebounds. Aaliyah Gonzales paced Questa with eight.

ST. MICHAEL'S 57, SOCORRO 27

It was improv night in Socorro for the Lady Horsemen.

Facing constant pressure from the Lady Warriors, St. Michael's didn't needed to run much of an offense. The Lady Horsemen built a 30-12 lead at the half despite 12 turnovers.

"It forced us to make a read and make a play on our own without forcing a specific set," said Martin Romero, St. Michael's head coach. "The girls are able to play a little more basketball on their own."

They showed they can share the ball. Alexa Chavez had 19 points and 10 boards, but Alexandra Goenewold added 16 and Elizabeth Serrano 10.

Amanda Saenz led Socorro with eight points.

The Lady Horsemen resume District 5AAA play with a key matchup at Santa Fe Indian School on Thursday.