Not all losses are created equal.
The Durango High School boys lacrosse team lost 12-7 to CHSAANow.com Class 4A No. 4 Aspen on Friday in Durango, but that’s a far cry from the 21-3 setback last year.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our team right now,” DHS head coach John Robinette said. “To be within five to the No. 4-ranked team, I’m happy, but I’m also disappointed that we didn’t play a little better. I thought we could have won.”
DHS (5-3, 2-2 Mountain League) tied the game at three with 1 minute, 22 seconds left in the first quarter on a Jacob Boyle goal.
Aspen (10-1, 6-0 ML) then scored four consecutive goals to take a 7-3 lead with 3:40 left in the second quarter, outscoring the Demons 3-0 in the second quarter.
“We just connected on the little things,” Aspen head coach Michael Goerne said. “We were able to pick up the groundballs, push in transition and get good shots.”
DHS responded to Robinette’s halftime challenge to win the third quarter with two goals, one each by Jared Cook and Kyle Robinette.
Those scores cut Aspen’s lead to two goals with 9:07 remaining in the quarter.
The Demons had a man-up opportunity with 5:31 to go in the quarter but couldn’t capitalize.
Aspen outscored DHS 4-2 in the fourth quarter to close the game out.
The Skiers outshot the Demons 38-28 and put 31 shots on net.
DHS goalie Walker Brown made 19 saves to keep his team in the game.
“It’s all about shutting out the little fear of getting hit in the soft parts,” said Walker, son of Walt Brown and Helen-Mary Johnson. “A loss is never the best thing in the world, but at the same time I don’t have that same pit in my stomach. We gave a good effort.”
Brown ranks third in Class 4A in save percentage.
Boyle, Cook and Trevor Gabbard all scored two goals for the Demons, while Liam Millar had two assists.
Seven different Skiers scored in the game, led by Tyler Tick’s three goals.
DHS now has lost two out of three games, while Aspen has won its last four games.
The Demons will return to the field at 11 a.m. Saturday at DHS against Glenwood Springs.
“What the team realizes is they can run and hang with top caliber teams,” coach Robinette said. “To be right there in the game tells our guys our program is starting to get where we want to be.
“It’s not there, but it’s starting.”
kgrabowski@durangoherald.com
