The Durango High School girls lacrosse team’s season came to an end on Tuesday in the Class 4A state tournament.
DHS scored the No. 19 seed and traveled to Pueblo West to take on the No. 14 Cyclones in the first round.
Pueblo West scored the first goal in the playoff game, then Durango caught them. Pueblo West took the lead back, but the Demons tied the Cyclones again. The Cyclones, however, had a big flurry near the end of the first half, scoring about six quick goals to pull away from the Demons. The Cyclones went on to win the game, 14-6.
“That set us back going into halftime,” said DHS head coach Eric Elliott. “If we could get that 3-minute stretch back, it would probably be a tighter game.”
The coach also said Pueblo West’s transition game, usually Durango’s strong point, gave DHS trouble with its goalie firing off long passes. The Cyclones also had an advantage in draw controls during the game.
“They did to us what we’ve been doing to teams all season,” Elliott said. “It’s hard to score when you don’t have the ball.”
Victoria Barletta, Annabel Carithers, Sophia Kothe, Silvie Bosmans and Chloe Bowen did manage to score for the Demons.
Freshman goalie Fiona Chandler, who was hurt early in the season and then shared time with Harvest Dobbins between the pipes, got her first start on Tuesday and saved 60% of the shots she faced.
“I can’t ask for more than that,” Elliott said. “She started and had such a hot hand that she stayed in.”
The coach also said that the style of lacrosse on the Front Range is more aggressive and faster paced, which took DHS some time to adjust to.
“Once we got settled into that idea, we definitely played better and were more competitive,” Elliott said.
After the loss, the Demons conclude their season 7-7 overall.
“We went in there expecting to win,” Elliott said. “They weren’t happy just getting a ticket (to state). It’s a little disappointing, but you learn more when you’re standing in the valley then when you’re standing on top.”
Pueblo West improved to 9-4 overall and advances to the second round to play at No. 3 Castle View. Castle View, along with the tournament’s top-eight seeds, received a first-round bye.
Three other teams from the Southwestern League also made it into the 4A tournament.
“That speaks volumes to where our league is going,” Elliott said.
Unfortunately, all of them lost in the first round. No. 18 Fruita Monument fell 17-4 to No. 15 Roaring Fork. Grand Junction, the No. 21 seed, fell 18-6 to No. 12 Dawson School. No. 24 Telluride was the final team to get into the tournament, but lost in the first round to No. 9 Battle Mountain, 13-4.
The Demons will lose three seniors – Bowen, Alisen Ballou and Lexi Wold – but will return its main scoring threats as well as numerous freshman that earned playing time this season.
“I couldn’t be happier,” Elliott said about the season. “The team adopted my philosophy that hard work always pays off and I think it really showed. Win, lose or draw, the other team knows our name, that’s for certain.”