The Durango High School girls lacrosse team got a key road win Friday against Eagle Valley after there were two delays, but it did not stop the offense en route to a 13-10 win.
Durango (5-4. 4-2 Mountain League) arrived to Gypsum late and had 15 minutes to warm up from the time they stepped off of the bus. But that didn’t stop the Demons from getting off to a fast start on offense. Kiara Valley scored 16 seconds into the game and added two more inside of the opening five minutes to put the Demons up 3-0 early. Eagle Valley used a quick timeout.
“We were just ready to go right off of the bus, and it was a really strong start,” said DHS head coach Natalie Mitchell. “After that timeout, they calmed down and got back into the game and rest of the first half was evenly matched.”
The Demons led 6-5 at halftime. The second half had barely started when the teams had to go back into the locker room because of a lightning delay. After the delay, Durango responded well in transition and added a few more goals to take a comfortable lead.
“After the lightning delay, they went back out and we had some really beautiful transitions, and we just stepped up and started playing really well as a team.”
DHS held on after a late run from the Devils (1-9, 1-8 ML) and got the 13-10 win.
Valley finished with five goals while five other players also scored. Senior goalie Virginia Herr made 18 saves.
The Demons will have a doubleheader Saturday as they will face Roaring Fork (7-2, 7-2 ML) at 9:30 a.m. and Battle Mountain (7-4, 3-2 ML) at 1:30 p.m. at Battle Mountain High School.
Girls Soccer
Girls SoccerThe Ignacio High School girls soccer team took down Center for the second time this season and won in convincing fashion in a 4-1 win Friday at IHS. It’s the first time IHS has won two games in a season since 2010, and the first win against Center was the Bobcats’ first win since 2012.
The Bobcats (2-11, 2-7 2A Region 4) got off to an early lead when Amanda Henderson scored in the 18th minute to put IHS up 1-0. Center (0-10, 0-8 2A Region 4) would equalize in the 27th minute after Giselle Almeida tied the game at one. In the buildup to the equalizer, Ignacio goalie Jaylene Riepel made one of her two saves when she stopped a penalty kick. It was tied at one heading into the second half.
“We were definitely clicking, and we came out with a lot of confidence,” said IHS head coach Alisha Gullion. “They were connecting passes, making good crosses and it was just a matter of finding the back of the net.”
Ignacio responded by scoring three second-half goals, two of which came from its captain, Caitlyn Chapman, who scored in the 47th and 73rd minute to put the Bobcats up for good. Three minutes later, Briana Henderson scored, which proved to be the icing on the cake, as it’s the first time since 2010 that Ignacio will have a two-win season.
“I’m just so proud of them and their effort today, it was really good soccer,” Gullion said. “These things like crossing and stringing passes together consistently, we’ve been working on them all season, and it really worked today. It was so good to see and we’re hoping to continue.”
Ignacio will host Alamosa (1-10, 1-5 3A Intermountain league) at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The Bayfield High School girls soccer team was unable to continue its five-game win streak when it lost 3-1 to Ridgway on the road Friday.
In the final 10 minutes of the first half, three goals were scored, and while the Wolverines equalized, it would not last.
The Devils opened the scoring in the 35th minute when they scored off of a corner kick. Bayfield would respond through freshman Mattie Moore, who was in on goal on a breakaway and did not miss, as she leveled the game at 1-1 in the 37th minute.
The Devils would strike while the offensive iron was hot, as they scored on their own breakaway chance in the 39th minute to go up 2-1 just before halftime.
“They were the better team, so when we tied it we thought it’d stay that way ’till halftime, but I had to change my team talk when they went up again,” said BHS head coach Jen Moore.
In the second half, Ridgway (5-3-2, 3-3-1 Class 2A Region 4) would add another goal to make it 3-1 in the 47th minute and put the game on ice.
“The ball just didn’t bounce our way in that second half,” coach Moore said.
BHS (6-6. 3-1 IML) will travel to Telluride (8-3, 7-2 Class 2A Region 4) at 11 a.m. Saturday.
bploen@durangoherald.com
