The Durango girls lacrosse team battled snow flurries and the Telluride Miners on Friday in Telluride.
With heavy snow falling in the first half, Telluride took a 5-3 lead into the break. The snow lightened up a bit in the second half, and the Demons picked up their play to complete a monster comeback and win the game, 8-7.
“The Demons just wanted it more today,” said DHS head coach Eric Elliott.
Victoria Barletta scored four goals and had a 50% draw control to lead Durango.
“Vicki played huge again in the midfield,” Elliott said. “When you need something to happen, you can count on Vicki to come up huge.”
Annabel Carithers scored two goals for DHS, while Sophia Kothe and Emmylou Willis each scored once. Chloe Bowen also had an assist in the game.
Goalie Harvest Dobbins made it difficult on the Miners’ offense. “Once again, Harvest Dobbins stepped up in goal with some huge saves,” Elliott said.
After Durango rallied to take the lead, Telluride had a chance to tie in the final few seconds, but its final shot sailed wide.
DHS improved to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the 4A Mountain West with the win. Telluride slipped to 4-4, 3-3. Next, DHS will host Montrose (2-8, 0-5) at 4 p.m. Thursday.
The Durango boys lacrosse team continued playing good defense at home on Friday against the undefeated Fruita-Monument Wildcats, but its offensive struggles also continued.
“We played good defense today,” said head coach Luke Miller. “Holding that team to 11 goals is a pretty good feat with how potent their offense is.” Three of Fruita’s goals were also man-up goals.
“We had 11 caused turnovers. That’s a great game and gave us a lot of extra chances,” Miller said. “Our defense, I couldn’t ask any more out of them.”
Goalie Bode Ensign continued playing well and made 14 saves. The coach, however, said there were a couple of shots he’d want back.
Fruita led 2-0 after the first quarter, 6-0 at halftime and 8-0 heading into the fourth quarter.
Henry Howe got DHS on the scoreboard with a goal 42 seconds into the fourth. Later in the quarter, Sam Carozza assisted Howe when he buried a high shot into the net that made the score 9-2. DHS created a few other scoring chances, but missed wide or high.
“We just need to take better care of the ball,” Miller said, noting that sometimes the defense would work for a while, then its offense would shoot quickly and Fruita would come back on the attack.
Fruita got a goal with eight seconds left for the final margin.
DHS is now 1-8 overall and 1-6 in the 4A/5A Mountain league. Fruita improved to 11-0, 7-0.
DHS will be on the road next week against Glenwood Springs and Battle Mountain. “Hopefully we can get a couple wins these last few weeks and sneak into the playoffs,” Miller said.
