Grand Junction High School beat the Durango girls lacrosse team by one goal in their first meeting. On Friday at DHS, however, the Demons were the better team and scored a 12-6 win over the Tigers.
The difference between now and then, coach Eric Elliott said, is wind sprints. “Hard practices make easy wins,” he said.
Victoria Barletta and Emmylou Willis both scored four goals while Annabel Carithers scored twice to lead DHS.
“Victoria has been a beast all season,” Elliott said. “Her and Annabel are quite the offensive combo and Emmylou has really come out of her shell.”
The loss was Grand Junction’s first in league play, but it gave DHS a chance to win the 4A Mountain West. DHS is now 7-3, 5-2 Mountain West while GJ slipped to 5-8, 5-1.
Seniors Chloe Bowen, Alisen Ballou and Lexi Wold were also honored at the game.
The Demons will return to DHS at 10 a.m. Saturday to take on the No. 3 team in the league, Fruita Monument (4-8, 3-2).
The No. 4 ranked Durango girls soccer team (12-1, 5-1 5A/4A Southwestern) had a top-10 matchup with No. 7 Steamboat Springs (9-2, 6-0 4A Western Slope) at a neutral field in Grand Junction on Friday.
The game was windy, but DHS was able to prevail, 2-0.
After a scoreless first half, Peyton Cioppa scored off a throw in from Mason Rowland.
DHS got its second goal when Sarah Somrak placed a corner kick in the box and Rowland finished the play.
Durango will play another game in Grand Junction at 1 p.m. Saturday against the GJHS Tigers (2-9, 0-6).
The Durango girls tennis team scored a 4-3 win over Glenwood Springs in its final dual match of the season.
“The girls are playing well and looked sharp one week before regionals,” said head coach Darren Tarshis.
The Demons won three out of the four doubles matches and one of the singles matches to earn the win.
Ellie Davenport scored a 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 singles.
Adwyn Chowen and Juliet DiGiacomo won their No. 1 doubles match 6-0, 6-1.
At No. 2 doubles, Lola Bradshaw and Ellie McLean scored a 6-0, 6-0 win.
Avery Edgar and Rachel Ager won at No. 4 doubles, 6-3, 6-1.
At No. 3 doubles, Litzy Lopez and Addie Cady fell in three sets, 6-2, 2-6 and 6-4.
At No. 3 singles, Sydney Pritchard fell 6-4, 6-3.
Nola Burnite, meanwhile, stepped up and played No. 1 singles for DHS, but fell 6-0, 6-0.
With the win, DHS concludes its dual season 6-4 overall.
“Ending the season 6-4 in match duals is a solid result given our schedule,” Tarshis said.
