Montrose quickly established a 5-0 lead on Friday night against Durango High School. But a series of four quick fouls and 10 first-quarter turnovers saw the home team take control of the rivalry matchup.
The Durango High School girls basketball team mounted a 15-2 run after it went down 5-0 in the game’s opening minute. Quickly, the Demons had a 17-9 advantage behind a huge first quarter from sophomore Mason Rowland and senior Brenna Wolf, who combined for 14 points.
That continued the rest of the night, as Rowland finished with 24 points despite playing limited minutes in the fourth quarter with a leg cramp. Wolf finished with 11 points for DHS with seven in the first quarter.
It added up to a dominant 57-38 win for Durango.
“It feels amazing. We really came together and had a breakthrough,” Wolf said. “Without a preseason, we’ve had a hard time getting in a roll and finding our zone. I think we finally found our groove again and found our offense and defense. It started with our defense tonight and getting those turnovers.”
DHS (4-4, 1-2 5A/4A Southwestern League) forced more than 20 turnovers in the game. Montrose (2-6, 1-2 SWL) got within a couple of possessions twice in the third quarter, but a Rowland steal and fastbreak basket would inevitably end any momentum Montrose tried to gain.
Rowland was a force stealing passes, grabbing offensive rebounds and scoring in a variety of ways – from layups to mid-range jump shots and one 3-point make. She also went 7-of-10 at the foul line.
“I don’t know the scouting report other coaches have for (Rowland), but she’s tough to deal with,” DHS head coach Tim Fitzpatrick said. “She keeps getting better and has really added her perimeter shooting this year.”
Wolf also had a strong night at the foul line, as she went 5-of-7. She said she had struggled with free-throw shooting throughout the season, so she decided to slow down and focus in extra hard. The result was a long pause in a crouch before she fired the ball away with perfect rhythm.
“Today I finally slowed down, relaxed, and I think our whole team did. We calmed down and shot free throws like we know how to,” Wolf said.
DHS saw some balanced scoring in the fourth quarter to put the game away. Ana Cuntz hit a big 3-pointer, while Lily Longon came in to provide five points. Sydney Flores scored all three of her points at the foul line in the final quarter. Maddy McManus finished with five points for the Demons.
Montrose was led all night by Jaycie Casebolt, who scored 18 points with nine in the first quarter. Taylor Yanosky added eight points.
DHS will try to keep its rhythm going at noon Saturday against Grand Junction Central (5-2, 1-2 SWL). It will be Durango’s third game in four days.
“Tuesday, we had our best practice of the year and found ourselves again,” Fitzpatrick said. “It has taken awhile, but we carried that into the Cortez game and played well. This is the team I know, the one we’re seeing this week.
“Now we gotta get home, get a good night rest, eat a good breakfast and be ready to do it again really quick. It’s tough being in this league. We have to go up there four times, and then at home, we have to play Fridays and Saturdays. For us, it’s a tougher road than everyone else in the league. We have to stay ready.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
