The local sports schedule is packed with home games over the next week, so fans can take advantage of a short drive in beautiful weather to see star athletes compete.
Durango High School, Bayfield High School and Ignacio High School’s basketball teams have started league play and have the chance to either bounce back from a disappointing weekend or build on a great start to league play.
Fort Lewis College’s men’s and women’s basketball teams return to play two home games as they are nearly halfway through conference play. The men have won five consecutive games, and the women are looking to bounce back after a road loss on Saturday.
Other sports like high school wrestling, FLC indoor track and field and Durango Alpine skiing are also in action.
Here’s the local sports schedule for the upcoming week:
Thursday: Women’s basketball vs. Colorado Christian at 5:30 p.m.
Notes: The Skyhawks women’s basketball team went 1-1 last week, ending its road trip with a 59-52 loss at Black Hills State on Saturday. That loss dropped FLC to 11-5 overall and 4-4 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, while Black Hills State improved to 10-5 overall and 7-1 in the RMAC.
It was a true rock fight between the Skyhawks and Yellow Jackets, with the Yellow Jackets shooting 38% from the field and 7% from 3-point range, and the Skyhawks shooting 37% from the field and 18% from 3-point range. FLC did turn the ball over 21 times and had 21 personal fouls.
Colorado Christian enters its matchup with FLC at 4-12 overall and 1-7 in the RMAC. The Cougars have lost their last four games, all by at least five points. Jordon Heckert is leading the Cougars with 11.3 points per game.
The Skyhawks may get their 12th win of the season on Thursday, but it won’t likely help their RPI (Rating Percentage Index, used to help pick NCAA tournament teams) too much. FLC is 18th in RPI out of 32 teams in the South Central Region and ninth in the RMAC in RPI after a somewhat easy non-conference schedule.
Last season, Colorado Christian beat FLC in Durango, 71-56.
Men’s basketball vs. Colorado Christian at 7:30 p.m.
Notes: The Skyhawks men went 2-0 at the end of last week, highlighted by an incredible 19-point comeback victory on Saturday at No. 15 Black Hills State. FLC improved to 10-5 overall and 8-0 in the RMAC, while Black Hills State dropped to 13-3 overall and 6-2 in the RMAC.
FLC won 78-76 against the Yellow Jackets after a buzzer-beating layup by senior forward Keither Florence. FLC tied the game with two free throws by freshman guard Trey Curry, and Black Hills State turned the ball over on the next possession before the Florence layup. The win gave FLC a two-game lead over Black Hills State in the RMAC standings.
The Skyhawks may have five losses and they’re not in the top 25, but they have the highest RPI in the conference thanks to one of the best non-conference strengths of schedules in Division II.
Colorado Christian enters Thursday’s game with a 7-9 overall record and a 2-6 record in the RMAC. The Cougars dropped their last game on Saturday to Colorado School of Mines, but they won four of their last five games before that. Pierce Bazil leads the Cougars with 17.6 points per game.
Last season, FLC dominated Colorado Christian on the road, 74-38, and FLC won at home, 77-68.
Friday: Men’s track and field, women’s track and field at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational in Albuquerque.
Saturday: Men’s track and field, women’s track and field at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational in Albuquerque.
Men’s track and field, women’s track and field at Colorado Running Company Invitational in Colorado Springs
Women’s basketball vs. UCCS at 1 p.m.
Men’s basketball vs. UCCS at 3 p.m.
Thursday: Durango Alpine skiing at Loveland Ski Area.
Durango boys wrestling at Piedra Vista
Durango girls basketball at Montezuma-Cortez at 5:30 p.m.
Bayfield girls basketball at Ignacio at 5:30 p.m.
Bayfield boys, girls wrestling teams at Pagosa Springs at 6 p.m.
Durango boys basketball at Montezuma-Cortez at 7 p.m.
Bayfield boys basketball at Ignacio at 7 p.m.
Friday: Bayfield boys, girls wrestling teams vs. Montezuma-Cortez and North Fork at 5 p.m.
Ignacio boys wrestling dual vs. Monticello at 5 p.m.
Bayfield girls basketball at Monte Vista at 5:30 p.m.
Ignacio girls basketball at Centauri at 5:30 p.m.
Durango girls wrestling vs. North Fork at 6:30 p.m.
Durango boys ice hockey vs. Summit at 7 p.m.
Bayfield boys basketball at Monte Vista at 7 p.m.
Ignacio boys basketball at Centauri at 7 p.m.
Saturday: Durango boys wrestling at League Tri with Gunnison and Montrose at Montrose High School
Durango girls wrestling at Olathe at 8 a.m.
Bayfield boys wrestling, Ignacio boys wrestling at Butch Melton Classic at 8 a.m. at Ignacio High School
Bayfield girls wrestling, Ignacio girls wrestling at 4 Corners Women’s at 8 a.m. at Ignacio High School.
Durango boys ice hockey vs. Summit at 12:30 p.m.
Durango girls basketball vs. Montrose at 1 p.m.
Durango boys basketball vs. Montrose at 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday: Bayfield girls basketball at Ouray at 5 p.m.
Ignacio girls basketball at Montezuma-Cortez at 6 p.m.
Ignacio boys basketball at Montezuma-Cortez at 7:30 p.m.
