After five tough nonconference football games, Dolores County High School is ranked no. 6 in Class A.

"I didn’t think we would be undefeated at this point," DCHS head coach Ken Soper said. "We have played some big schools and good teams."

The Bulldogs now must get ready for the conference season. They host San Juan League rival Dolores at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7. It is also Homecoming at DCHS (see sidebar for list of Homecoming Week activities).

DCHS made quick work out of Monument Valley (Kayenta, Ariz.) JVs last Saturday, Sept. 30, at Weber Park Field in Dove Creek. The Bulldogs clobbered the visitors 42-0.

A fumble on the opening drive got the game off to a slow start for Dolores County in the first quarter. But MVHS went three downs and out. The punt was short and gave the Bulldogs excellent field position at their own 41-yard line. Keith Pierce completed two quick passes to Terence Gardner which moved the Bulldogs up field. Several long runs by Gardner put the Bulldogs on the MV1. Gardner ran the ball in for a touchdown with 5:42 showing. On the swinging gate play, Pierce passed to Gardner for the conversion and an 8-0 lead.

The Bulldogs could not take advantage of a blocked punt at the MV24. In fact, they coughed the ball up at the MV13. But Monument Valley fumbled on the next play at the MV3 and Dallas Daves scooped the ball up and waltzed into the end zone with 2:02 on the clock still in the first quarter. Chris Kail booted the point-after for a 15-0 lead.

After the teams traded possessions early in the second quarter, the Bulldogs took the ball at their own 40 and marched to the MV20 but could not score on a long field goal attempt. It took them 14 plays to get the ball to that point. During the drive, Pierce hit Dallas Coker on several long passes. Pierce also bootleged a couple times. MV went three-and-out and a Bulldog blocked the punt. DCHS had the ball on the MV18. Two plays later, they scored. Pierce tossed to Coker with 1:01 left in the half. Gardner booted the extra point for a 22-0 lead.

Moments later, MVHS turned the ball over. A few minutes later the Bulldogs had scored again with 19 seconds left. Pierce passed to Coker for a 54-yard play. Kail booted the PAT for a 29-0 score.

With 3:36 remaining in the third quarter, An inteception return by Trent Daves and a PAT by Kail put DCHS up 35-0.

Monument Valley, which played several varsity players, finally started moving the ball. It had spent most of the day on their own side of the field. But they moved all the way down to the DC14. A fumble set them back to the DC17 and then they turned the ball over on downs. The teams traded possessions but then the Bulldogs got the ball in excellent field position at the MV49. Eight plays later, Pierce passed to Gardner from 17 yards out with 2:14 to go. Kail made the kick for the final 42-0 score.

GLENWOOD SPRINGS — They certainly played a better game this week than they have in past several weeks. But Montezuma-Cortez High School still came up short with a Western Slope League loss on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 30. The Panthers fell to 0-5 overall and 0-2 in Class 3A Western Slope League play.

The Panthers drew first blood when Josh Knapp grabbed a pass from Kevin Wayman that covered 80 yards during the second quarter. A few minutes later Brandon Chicione scored on a 16-yard pass from Mike Bolitho. The extra-point attempt was missed. Cortez held a slim 7-6 lead. But late in the quarter, Glenwood Springs made a field goal which made it 9-7 at the half.

Chicione scored two more times in the fourth quarter after a scoreless third. He ran into paydirt from 9 yards out and 13 yards out. Late in the game, Cortez made it close with a 3-yard run by Dan O’Neal. The kick failed.

The Panthers will play the Panthers from Delta for Homecoming at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, at Panther Stadium.

Class A no. 2 ranked Nucla, which has 17 seniors listed on its roster plus another handful of juniors, dominated Mancos Friday night at Mancos Field.

The Blue Jays went out quickly for their first possession. The Mustangs scored from the git-go following a good punt return. Quarterback Jason Mock, on a bootleg, ran in from 8 yards out with 7:30 showing in the first quarter. He also booted the PAT for a 7-0 lead.

The Jays moved the ball from their own 26 to midfield but could go no further on their next possession. A short punt followed by a good return gave the Mustangs good field position at the M46. On the next play, Mock found a wide open Josh Hainey for a touchdown. Mock made the kick for a 14-0 lead with 4:41 to play. Mancos went out quickly. The Mustangs got the ball on their own 49 and marched 51 yards to paydirt with the score coming early in the second quarter. The score was made when Travis Miller swept around the weak side and scored from 15 yards out with 11:52 to play. Mock added the PAT for a 21-0 count.

Mancos struggled on offense and could not move the ball. But Mancos punter Scott Hallam had a great night kicking the ball. Nucla scored a few minutes when Miller, on a pitch, turned the corner and raced 34 yards after breaking several tackles. The pass failed but Nucla was up 27-0. The Mustangs added another score late in the quarter when Mock tossed the ball long to brother, Sabin Mock, for a play that covered 48 yards. Mock added the PAT for a commanding 34-0 advantage at the half.

Nucla came back in a hurry on the opening drive of the third quarter. Mock scored on a broken play that went for 67 yards. He missed the PAT for a 40-0 lead. The Jays got a golden opportunity to score when they recovered a fumble at their own 32. But they couldn’t move the ball. The final TD of the game came when Jon Chiles went right up the middle form 10 yards with 1:54 to play. Mock booted the extra point. The mercy rule kicked in at that point for a continuously running clock (except for time outs and possession changes or scores).

The Blue Jays, 0-5, will try to regroup as they host San Juan High JVs for a Homecoming game (see sidebar) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mancos Field.

NORWOOD — They say football games are won on the line. That was certainly the case Friday night when Dolores traveled to Norwood for a San Juan League contest.

"Their line gave our quarterback problems all game long," DHS head coach Don Story reported. "Their line was so big and strong we could not hold them."

Norwood scored several times early in the game.

"Basically, we made three huge mistakes which took us out," Story noted. "We got down quickly 21-0. But from mid-way in the third quarter on it was a 7-7 game."

The only bright spot for the Bears came in the third quarter when quarterback Cullen Zion passed to Justin Schmitt for a 65-yard scoring play.

Jeremy Speers led Norwood with 195 yards rushing. Norwood improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in league. Dolores slipped to 1-4 and 0-1.