THE DEMONS AND THE PANTHERS mixed it up on the football field at Panther Stadium Friday night. The Panthers played well in the first quarter and for most of the second quarter. But everything collapsed for the Panthers in the second half. Durango (left) continues to get the best of Montezuma-Cortez High School on the gridiron, winning 48-0. The Demons have not lost to Cortez in 23 years.

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

Montezuma-Cortez High School varsity football coaches will now focus on the task the ahead. The Panthers travel to Rifle this Friday, Sept. 21, as they open Class AAA Western Slope League play. They can throw out the videotape of the game they played this past Friday, Sept. 14, at home against Durango, a lopside 48-0 win by the 4A Demons.

Rifle is the team favorite to win the league title. The Panthers will then return home to host Glenwood Springs for Homecoming on Sept. 28.

Against Durango, a school the Panthers have not beaten in some 23 years, had several speedy backs who simply outran the MCHS defense or broke tackle after tackle. Turnovers compounded matters for the Panthers.

After playing to a 0-0 score after the first period, Durango scored its first touchdown which was set up on an interception at the D26-yard line. A nice reverse by Ben Martinez took the ball down into Panther territory at the 26. Four plays later, Nate Anderson carried the ball straight up the middle for the score with 5:10 on the board in the second quarter. A short punt put Durango back in business at its own 41. Three plays later, the Demons scored again thanks to a 40-yard run by Vincent Capizzo who broke several tackles. Durango led 14-0 at the half.

Cortez did show some flashes during the half. Quarterback Kevin Wayman made a nice run for 47 yards. Devin Sena reeled off some nice gainers as well. But fumbled pitches, penalties, turnovers, bad deep snaps, and poor punts didn’t help.

But the second half was all Durango. A short punt again put the Demons at the C24 early in the third quarter. Aaron Archuleta scored with 5:59 showing. Following the point-after by Jordan Maynas, who was perfect all game, the Demons led 21-0. The Panthers held the ball for one play and them fumbled the ball back to Durango at the C20 moments later. Three straight carries by Anderson led to another score. Durango led 28-0. Cortez went one, two, three and out on its next possession. Anderson took the punt and returned it for a TD with 2:08 left in the quarter. Durango now was up 35-0.

Another interception, this time a 93-yard return by Eric Avarall put the Demons up 42-0 with 11:45 left in the fourth quarter. Durango almost scored quickly again, but a penalty called it back. The Demons’ second-team offense finally did score. That came with 1:53 left when Avarall scored from 7-yards out. Avarall had a run of 54 yards during that drive. The Mercy Rule kicked in and the clock ran out.

SHIPROCK, N.M. — While the win was the second of season, that’s a 100-percent improvement over a year ago. Dolores High School traveled to Shiprock, the only school it defeated a year ago, and brought home a win. The Bears, who now have won two in a row, may be for real.

Dolores put two quick scores on the board in the first quarter. In the opening drive, the Bears went 65 yards, capped by a 1-yard plunge by Garrett Nielson. Shiprock tried a field goal but it was blocked and the Bears’ Brady Blackmer picked the ball up for a TD. Shiprock got on the board late in the second quarter. Dolores led 21-6 at the half.

Luke Ragland scored on a 35-yard run and Cullen Zion called his own number and dash to the outside 77 yards.

The Chieftains, who picked up their first win of the season last week with their victory over Chinle, Ariz., got a good rushing effort from Marcus Benally, who is averaging 180 yards per game. Benally was held to 120 yards by the Bears. He scored on a 67-yard run in the third quarter. Dolores’ final TD came in the fourth when Zion tossed eight yards to Waylon Bennett. Zion was the leading rusher with 175 yard on 13 tries.

Shiprock linebacker Marlon Tolbertson led the defensive effort as he was all over the field making tackles. Derek Thompson led the Bears with 14 tackles.

DHS head coach Don Story said his players really played well.

The Bears will host San Juan County High JVs (Blanding, Utah) at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22. It is Homecoming for DHS.

Mancos 27,  Del Norte 26 OT

Nick Rubino scored the winning touchdown and Travis Clark booted the extra-point in an overtime game played Friday night at Mancos Field.

"We played well at times but we are still making mistakes. How can I put this, we still have a lot of work to do, but I’m pleased with the win," MHS head coach Gordon Shepherd said.

After the score was tied 20-20 at the end of regulation play, Mancos won the coin toss and elected to go first (four downs from the 10-yard line to try and score). The Jays hammered the ball up the middle. The call went to Rubino who scored on a dive play from the 3. Del Norte tried and scored. It lined up to kick the ball. The Blue Jays called time and Del Norte lined up this time to go for the two-point conversion. They passed the ball, but the quarterback was rushed as Mancos blitzed. The Del Norte receiver had the ball at his fingertips but couldn’t hang on.

"If he would have caught that, they would have won. We were blitzing. Their quarterback was definitely hurried," Shepherd added.

A big field goal of 38 yards was made by Clark which tied the score. Earlier in the game, Clark connected on a 28-yarder. Del Norte led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter but the score was tied 7-7 at the half. Del Norte went ahead 20-10 before Mancos mounted a comeback.

Mancos will play at Bayfield at 1 p.m. Saturday.

"They have a very dangerous team," Shepherd said. "They may be 0-3, but they have some good running backs and big line. I hope we can stay with them. We have got several things to correct."

Class A Dolores County showed bigger AA Ignacio a thing or two on Saturday afternoon at Weber Park. Dove Creek defeated AA Bayfield a week ago and won again.

Ignacio actually threw the game away. Ignacio’s quarterback threw five interceptions with two being returned for TDs. Casey Spitzer took one back 27 yards for a score and Keith Pierce intercepted another for a 25-yard return. Dove Creek led 11-0 at the half. Ignacio scored on a 23-yard pass in the fourth quarter.

"I’m getting tired of these close wins. I wish we could win one by a little bigger score," DCHS head coach Ken Soper remarked.

DCHS rushed for 115 and Pierce passed for 123. The Bobcas had 155 rushing and 146 passing. Defensively, Bru Meyer made 12 tackles, Lyle Joe and Matt Beanland each had 10.

The Bulldogs are now 3-0 on the season and will play Shiprock, loser to Dolores this past weekend, for Homecom-ing at 1 p.m. Saturday at Weber Park Field.