It looks like Mother Nature might be cruel to the local sports teams in one of the most important weeks yet in the winter sports season.
So far in the winter sports season, there have been warm temperatures all over Colorado, making travel over the mountain passes easier than usual for Durango, Bayfield, Ignacio High Schools and Fort Lewis College’s sports teams. However, a winter storm system is quickly coming to Southwest Colorado as local teams try to travel for crucial events.
Bayfield, Durango and Ignacio’s wrestling programs will all have wrestlers competing at the state championships in Ball Arena in Denver this week, with each school having wrestlers who have a legitimate shot of placing. Durango’s Alpine skiing team will head up to Vail for the state championships, and Durango’s basketball teams will head north to Montrose for the regular-season finale.
The FLC basketball teams won’t have to worry about travel as they play their final two home games of the regular season. Both games will be crucial for their postseason prospects.
Here’s the local sports schedule for the upcoming week.
Thursday: Women’s basketball vs. Chadron State at 5:30 p.m.
Notes: The Skyhawks had an unsuccessful road trip last week, losing to No. 4 Colorado Mesa and Western Colorado. FLC dropped to 14-10 overall and 7-9 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference after its 69-50 loss to Colorado Mesa on Thursday and 59-57 loss to Western Colorado on Saturday. It’s the first time this season FLC has scored less than 60 points in back-to-back games. The Skyhawks have lost four of their last five games.
Chadron State enters Friday’s game 1-20 overall and 1-15 in the RMAC. The Eagles’ one win this season comes against Regis on Jan. 10; Regis is also 1-15 in the RMAC. Chadron State has lost its last 10 games, including a 79-51 home loss to Colorado School of Mines on Saturday. The Eagles struggle on offense, averaging an RMAC-low 52.1 points per game. Audrey Quintana leads the Eagles with 10.2 points per game, and McKenzi Petersen is second on the team with 9.6 PPG.
With four games remaining, the Skyhawks have the chance to make the RMAC tournament for the first time since 2017-2018. FLC is 7-9 in the RMAC and is ninth in the RMAC, one game behind Colorado School of Mines for the eighth and final spot in the conference tournament. Three of FLC’s final four games are against teams below the Skyhawks in the conference standings. Three wins would give FLC the most wins its had in conference play since 2019-2020.
Men’s basketball vs. Chadron State at 7:30 p.m.
Notes: The Skyhawks are reeling and need a bounce-back game against the Eagles. After starting conference play 12-0, FLC has lost its last four games, including a 100-76 loss at Colorado Mesa on Thursday and an 85-77 loss at Western Colorado on Saturday. The losses dropped FLC to 14-9 overall and 12-4 in the RMAC. It’s FLC’s second four-game losing streak of the season after dropping four consecutive games from Nov. 21-Nov. 29.
Chadron State enters the matchup 6-18 overall and 4-12 in the RMAC after losing 74-72 vs. Colorado School of Mines on Saturday. The Eagles have lost three of their last four games. Jadon Cool and Isaiah Randolph lead the Eagles in scoring, with both averaging 14.2 PPG.
Despite FLC’s four-game losing streak, the Skyhawks still have a chance at the RMAC regular-season title. With four games to go, FLC is a game behind Black Hills State and a game and a half behind Colorado Mesa. FLC’s toughest test on paper will be at CSU Pueblo on Feb. 26. There is still a chance FLC can come back and win the conference by winning out, especially since Colorado Mesa and Black Hills State still have to play each other.
Friday: Softball at MSU Denver at noon
Softball at MSU Denver at 2:30 p.m.
Saturday: Men’s and women’s track and field at Last Chance Qualifier in Gunnison
Softball at MSU Denver at 11 a.m.
Softball at MSU Denver at 1 p.m.
Women’s basketball vs. South Dakota Mines at 1 p.m.
Men’s basketball vs. South Dakota Mines at 3 p.m.
Wednesday: Durango Alpine skiing at state championships at Vail
Thursday: Durango Alpine skiing at state championships at Vail
Bayfield, Durango, Ignacio boys, girls wrestling teams at state championships at Ball Arena in Denver
Friday: Bayfield, Durango, Ignacio boys, girls wrestling teams at state championships at Ball Arena in Denver
Durango girls basketball at Montrose at 5:30 p.m.
Ignacio girls basketball vs. Alamosa at 5:30 p.m.
Ignacio boys basketball vs. Alamosa at 7 p.m.
Durango boys basketball at Montrose at 7 p.m.
Saturday: Bayfield, Durango, Ignacio boys, girls wrestling teams at state championships at Ball Arena in Denver
Bayfield girls basketball at Telluride at 12:30 p.m.
Bayfield boys basketball at Telluride at 2 p.m.
Ignacio girls basketball at Monte Vista at 2:30 p.m.
Ignacio boys basketball at Monte Vista at 4 p.m.
