Right now there really is no rivalry in football between Durango and Montezuma-Cortez high schools. It has been pretty much one-sided with the Demons winning the last 23 in a row, including Saturday afternoon’s, Sept. 16, 44-0 win over the Panthers at DHS Field.

	PANTHER KEVIN WAYMAN (10) gets ready to hand the football of to Josh Lee (1)  during action Saturday afternoon at Durango High School Field.  The Panthers turned the ball seven times en route to a 44-0 loss to the Demons.  Durango now has won 23 games in a row from Cortez

"I was in a similar situation back in Kansas (at McPherson) when we had not beaten a team since 1978 (ironically, the same year Durango started its current string). When we finally got it broke, it really made a big difference as far as the rivalry goes. Until Cortez steps up and makes the plays its needs to, it is going to be the same type of situation where one team dominates. These kids have got to believe in the program, believe in what we are doing and understand how we are going to go about trying to fix things," first-year MCHS head coach Karl McGee said right after the game.

The Montezuma-Cortez High School football team recently proclaimed its matchup with Durango as a red-letter game.

Cortez committed several early turnovers, resulting in scores. A fumbled snap gave Durango the ball on the Cortez 42-yard line. Dane Short, off a slant, bolted up to the first score with 8:14 on the clock. Nick McCoola booted the point-after. An intercepted pass run back 18-yards by Eli Carver gave the Demons a 13-0 lead with 8:00 left. The kick failed. Another pass was picked off and returned to the Cortez 18. Four plays later McCoola booted a 32-yard field goal. Durango led 14-0.

Perhaps the key situation was when Panther Josh Knapp intercepted a pass at the C20, stopping another score when Durango was driving. The Panthers looked like they were gong to go three-and-out but Knapp, who was punting, picked up the ball and ran 16 yards for a first down. The Panthers continued to march the ball down field. Quarterback Kevin Wayman kept for a nice 17-yard gain. He passed to Knapp coming out of the back field for a 37-yard pickup. Cortez got the ball all the way down to the D 6 for a first-and-goal. But a penalty and a sack had the Panthers back on the D14. They tried a couple more times but failed to score, handing the ball over on downs to the Demons.

"At that point we could have been right back in the game. That really hurt us. Actually it was really a 3-0 ball game because in reality we handed them two straight touchdowns. Playing as poorly as we were, we were right in the ball game. Missing that scoring opportunity really hurt. You have got to score when you get into the red zone," McGee remarked.

But McGee gave credit where it was due.

"Durango put a lot of pressure on us the entire game," he said. "Their linebackers and their front four were very aggressive today. They gave our offensive line fits. Likewise, we made Durango punt seven times today. Coach (Bob) Archibeque had a good scheme."

The DHS defense limited Cortez (0-3) to 100 total yards and Wayman five times. The Panthers just could not handle Durango’s blitzing defense.

A long drive mid-way through the second-quarter made it 23-0 when McCoola passed 12 yards to Chris Wolverton with 3:58 left. Another interception set up a Demon score late in the second quarter. Ben Martinez made a catch in a corner of the end zone on a McCoola pass from the 13 with 1:35 remaining. McCoola booted the PAT for a 30-0 lead at the intermission.

The Panthers left off where they started with another turnover to start the second half. A fumbled on the opening kickoff gave the Demonds the ball on their own 4-yard line. A Panther return man stepped back over the goal line. The play should have been ruled a touchback with MCHS getting the ball on its own 20. But the ball was brought out of the end zone and the officials allowed the play to continue, leading the fumble. DHS halfback Jon Griego ran the ball in for another touchdown on the next play to bring the score to 37-0.

"Officiating crews at this point in the season are still working on mechanics, just like we are," McGee said.

The Demons scored their final touchdown later in the quarter when reserve quarterback Dustin Moore took an option pitch and raced 43 yards for the TD.

Making the situation even worse was that Knapp and Griego were ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike altercation. Knapp and Griego must now serve a one-game suspension, according to Colorado High School Activities Association rules. The Panthers, 0-3 overall, will open Class 3A Western Slope League play against Rifle this Friday night, Sept. 22, at Panther Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Several interesting plays and situations highlighted the Bears’ nonconference win over Shiprock, N.M., Friday night.

Things didn’t exactly get off on the right track for Dolores a bad long snap to the punter created a fumble, giving the ball in excellent field position at the D44. Shiprock, with a power I offense, drilled the ball right up the middle for long gains. The Chieftains scored when Marcus Benally bulled straight ahead from the 1 with 7:06 showing in the first quarter. The run failed.

The Bears came right back, though. Quarterback Cullen Zion made several long passes, including a 42-yard scoring strike to Justin Schmitt with 6:25 left. The kick was blocked.

This is where things got really interesting. Zion, facing a third-and-14, threw the ball. The ball was tipped but Zion was there to make the catch. He squirted through the defense and ran 37 yards for a score. The pass failed but DHS was up 12-6 with 2:37 left in the first quarter.

"We had been practicing that play all week long," DHS head coach Don Story joked after the game. "Really, I don’t ever recall seeing a quarterback catch his own tipped pass and score like that."

The Chieftains came right back. Starting at their own 35, they marched right down field, again punching up the middle. Benally started up the middle and then moved to the outside and raced 26 yards for a score with 10:22 on the clock in the second quarter. The run failed and the game was knotted at 12.

Dolores answered right back. Zion made several nice fade passes. Garrett Nielson also made a nice 23-yard run. From the 3-yard line, Zion called his own number and went in with 6:55. The run failed again but the Bears were back on top 18-12.

After Shiprock switched from using an I-formation to a veer, the Bears held strong. A quarterback sack gave the ball on downs in great field position at the S36. Zion immediately hit Schmitt for a 25-yard gain to the S11. A holding penalty and another penalty pushed Dolores back to the S30. Nielson moved the ball up 13 yards on a reverse. Then Zion carried 17 yards for a TD with 3:12 left. The run failed. Dolores led 24-12.

Dolores got the ball back late in the quarter at mid-field. A big pass play from Zion to Schmitt for 22 yards. Nielson then swept from 9 yards out for the TD with 20 seconds left. Schmitt booted the PAT for a 31-12 lead at the intermission.

The Chiefs kept control of the ball for nearly the entire third quarter. They ground the ball play after play. They had the ball for 16 plays, starting at their own 38, and finally scored. James Lasater scored from 3 yards out with 4:35 left. Benally ran straight forward for the conversion. Dolores led 31-20. That was the final score of the game.

The Bears got an opportunity to score when Casey Garvin attempted a 25-yard field goal but his kick was wide of the mark with 11:06 showing. Shiprock went on another long drive and drove all the way to D26. However, Garvin intercepted a pass. The Bears then controlled the ball and got as far as mid-field. Shiprock took over but time expired.

Dolores, 2-1 overall, will visit San Juan High JVs at Blanding, Utah, beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23.

IGNACIO — Despite a scoreless second quarter, Dolores County was able to hang on for a win over much-larger Class 3A Ignacio Friday night.

The Bulldogs drew first blood when running back Dallas Daves, on the second offensive play by Dove Creek, scored on a 57-yard romp. The two-point conversion failed. Dolores County scored on the first play of its third possession. Quarterback Keith Pierce rolled out and ran 63 yards to paydirt. The pass failed. Their final score came when Pierce passed 31 yards to Dallas Coker. Again the conversion pass failed.

The Bobcats scored late in the second quarter when big fullback Lupe Huerta scored from 5 yards out. That play was set up by a DCHS fumble. Huerta, who weighs 230 pounds, ran for 129 yards during the first half but was limited to only 10 in the second.

The Bulldog defense stiffened in the second half. While it gave up a bunch of yards (165) rushing in the first half, it yielded only 15 in the second. The Bobcats hit a couple passes in the second quarter, though, and ended the game throwing 137 yards. DCHS rushed for 250 and passed for 139 for 389 yards in total offense. Daves rushed for 147 yards on 16 carries. Pierce hit 11 of 19 attempts. Chris Kail caught five passes for 75 yards. Defensively, Bru Meyer led the headhunters with 14 tackles and Daves had 13.

But DCHS coach Ken Soper was not pleased with the field position his team had all game, one time starting from 1-yard line and several other times starting inside the 5. The Bulldogs also committed six turnovers — two interceptions and four fumbles.

The Bulldogs, 3-0, visit Shiprock, N.M., at 7 p.m. this Friday. They host Monument Valley JV (Kayenta, Ariz.) at 1 p.m. Sept. 30.

DEL NORTE — The Blue Jays just moved the ball well between the 20s but could not get much on the scoreboard. They actually had 20 first downs while Del Norte managed 18.

After a scoreless first quarter, Class 3A Del Norte got on the board when wideout Dustin Gjellum caught a 14-yarder from quarterback Scott Consual. The extra-point kick was good and Del Norte led 7-0. But the Blue Jays quickly responded when Phillip Wilson, who has been out with an injury, scored with an 11-yard run. The PAT attempt missed the mark.

Del Norte led the half 7-6.

Neither team could score in the third period. But things began to sour for the visiting Blue Jays in the fourth as Del Norte scored twice. Ben Heyneman bulled his way from 1-yard out and Consaul called his own number and scored from the 6.

The Blue Jays, 0-3, will host a good Class 3A Bayfield team at 7 p.m. Friday at Mancos Field. They only have this week left to work on some things out before San Juan League-favorite Nucla comes to town on Sept. 29.