Saturday’s lacrosse game between Vail Mountain and Durango had conference and playoff implications, and the Demons couldn’t have picked a worse time to have an uncharacteristically bad game.

Durango (8-7, 5-2 Mountain League) won the last meeting between the two programs in a 10-7 win at Durango High School. Saturday’s crossover game, however, was a different story. Vail Mountain (8-6, 4-2 ML) scored twice in the opening minute, and Durango never recovered in a 14-5 loss in Vail.

The loss means Durango finished fifth in the league, and Vail took fourth. The two teams will learn their postseason fates Monda,y as the Colorado High School Activities Association will meet to pick the top-16 teams for Class 4A playoff action.

“We just got outplayed from the start and beaten in all facets of the game after that,” Durango head coach John Robinette said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “We didn’t play our best game, and we’ll just have to wait and see what the committee decides.”

Vail Mountain’s Luke Verratti found the back of the net five times in the win, which matched the Demons’ total for the duration. Durango was outshot 46-17 in the untimely loss.

Kyle Robinette had three of the Demons’ five scores, and Cullen Robinette had the other two goals and an assist. Jackson Steigelman had two assists, and Tommy Rodgers had one in the loss.

“We don’t want to go out like this,” coach Robinette said. “If we get in, we’ll probably be a higher seed, but we all want one more game with these seniors.”

jfries@durangoherald.com