Domination is an easy word to describe Durango High School girls golf’s opening three games, including the Demons’ 20-2 win over Montrose on Tuesday night.
Durango has won its first three games by an average of 15 goals. That’s what most teams hope to score in a game, not win by. The Demons haven’t faced the toughest schedule so far, and that includes two games against Montrose.
The Demons exploded out of the gate and were up by 10 early in the second quarter, bringing out the running clock. It was a good opportunity for the Demons to get their inexperienced players some time and improve their skills as Durango starts league play at the end of the week.
“We did really well on draw control,” Durango head coach Eric Elliot said. “We’ve been focusing pretty hard on draw control, so it’s good to see that pays off. Laurel (Dondlinger) has really come into her own on the draw, so that’s nice … We were lacking on the assist a little bit … we’re going to focus hard on that for the rest of the week.”
Durango improved to 3-0 overall with the win. Senior Taylor Babcock led the Demons with five goals and two assists. Junior Teagan Frausto had five goals, and freshman Janelle Dingler scored four goals and an assist for the Demons. It was Dingler’s first game for the Demons after missing the first two games due to her cross country season.
“We have such small numbers with a spring sport,” Elliot said. “I’ve got a bunch of kids who … are dealing with AP mock exams. I have two or three girls missing practice at least once a week, twice a week, to take these mock exams … So our goal from the get-go was to get this game under control as quickly as possible and turn it into a practice.”
Elliot is excited for his new players to continue to improve. He has three former hockey players on the squad, which he loves because they’re not afraid of much and they already have good hand-eye coordination. By the end of the season, Elliot thinks his newcomers will be a really good complement to all the veterans.
Next up for the Demons is Grand Junction on Friday at 7 p.m. at home under the lights. Durango has had trouble with the Tigers in the past, losing four of their last six against them. However, Durango went 1-1 last season against Grand Junction with two one-goal games.
Elliot wants to work on his team’s attitude and aggression when gathering ground balls and in pressure situations before the Demons face the Tigers.
“They've had our number,” Elliot said about the Tigers. “They're one of the few teams that have swept us in our league in a season … That’s when the real test begins and our title defense really begins in earnest. I'm expecting a really competitive game.”
bkelly@durangoherald.com
