A winning streak broken, a losing streak broken.

The Dolores County High School varsity boys and girls basketball teams played counter melodies during recent San Juan League competition. After suffering their first loss, 37-35, to Norwood Jan. 28 the 12-1 Bulldog boys were back in the saddle Jan. 29 at Memorial Hall when they trounced Telluride 68-48.

It was a different tune for the Dove Creek girls. They also fell to Norwood Friday, 29-13. But a five game skid came to an end Saturday when they scored a convincing 43-30 win over the Miners, their first SJL win. The girl Bulldogs improved their overall record to 4-7.

The Dove Creek girls surely were due a win after running the San Juan League gauntlet in the first half of league play. An intense bunch took the court against Telluride. Coach Jim Buffington was one very happy Bulldog coach.

"After hitting Mancos, Dolores and Nucla, we needed to prove to ourselves that we can play basketball," Buffington said.

It took a while for both teams to loosen up in the first quarter. Officials kept busy with their whistles, and Telluride was the main target. Half of the Bulldogs’ points came via the free throw, and at the end of the quarter, they led 12-9.

Telluride surged a little in the second quarter, Sydney Melzer lead the way with nine of the Miners’ 10 points. With 2:28 left, the score was tied at 18, but Amanda Johnson scored a lay-up with six seconds left to give Dove Creek a 20-19 lead at intermission.

The Bulldogs took control with a good full court press in the third quarter. Krystal Neely scored six of Dove Creek’s 10 points during the quarter, and the Miners were limited to just three points. With eight minutes to play, the Bulldogs led 31-22.

Coming down the stretch, two Telluride players fouled out, and the Bulldogs went 8 for 13 at the free throw line. The Bulldogs put the game away when Michelle Davis scored off a steal and Hightower added a couple of free throws.

Hightower and Neely led all scorers with 18 and 16 Bulldog tallies. For Telluride, Melzer scored 15 points and Hart 11.

The scene was much bleaker for the Bulldogs Friday when they traveled to Norwood. A tight zone defense shut the Bulldogs out of the scoring alley, leaving only the perimeter open. It was not enough for the Bulldogs whose only scorer for the entire game was Hightower with 13 points.

Dove Creek did not get on the scoreboard in the first stanza and trailed 8-0. The Bulldogs at last found their bucket for five points in the second quarter while Norwood had four. At the break, Dove Creek trailed 12-5.

A Hightower basket was the only Dove Creek score in the third quarter. Meanwhile, Norwood got eight points and took a 20-7 lead. The Bulldogs were again out scored in the fourth 9-6.

Cassidy Haught led the Mavericks in scoring with a game high 16.

Will success spoil the Bulldogs boys?

The question may have been in Coach Scott Crawford’s mind as his team faced Telluride Saturday. But at game’s end, the answer was certainly "No".

With Terence Gardner blazing the way with 26 points, including a 10-for-15 stint at the free throw line, the Bulldogs got back on the winning track convincingly.

Dove Creek got off to its usual slow start in the first half, but in the second semester, it was ready to hit its stride.

"The kids started seeing the floor better and making better decisions," Crawford said.

The Bulldogs trailed 28-27 at intermission, but nine-point romp to begin the second half turned a tepid game into a Dove Creek rout.

Telluride had not yet made a second half score when Ron Ernst buried a three pointer with 3:56 left in the second quarter to give the Dogs a 36-28 lead. Nearly a minute later, Telluride broke a five minute 14 second drought with a basket. Gardner completed an old fashioned three pointer, and with a little over a minute left in the period, Chris Kail sank a new fangled trey. The Dogs were up by 12 points and led 44-36 at the buzzer.

In the fourth quarter Justin Wyatt hit a trey and Gardner hit both ends of a one-for-one free throw set to cap a six point run. Another run of nine unanswered Dove Creek points ended at the 3:25 mark when Gardner connected for two, and it was a 61-40 ball game. Michael Nielson came off the bench and made a couple of free throws in two trips to the stripe to wrap up Dove Creek’s scoring.

Bulldogs Keith Pierce and Wyatt hit for 12 and 11 points. For the Miners, Cole McCluer scored 18 points, and Nason Lamb 11.

Norwood had a surprise in store for the Bulldogs Friday at their house.

"We were punch drunk with our own success and never were in the game," Crawford said. "Our shots wouldn’t fall."

Gardner called it the worst game of the year for the Dogs and possible Norwood’s best.

The Bulldogs and Mavericks fought to a 14-14 draw after a quarter of patient offense and tenacious defense. Dove Creek managed to get to the bucket a couple more times more than Norwood in the second stanza, though, and took a 23-19 lead to the locker room at half time.

Norwood kept stride with the Bulldogs in the third quarter, and the score was 30-26 with eight minutes left to play. In the fourth period, Norwood managed to get just enough done to put a slim 11-6 margin together for the win.