CASEY GARVIN (33) of the Dolores High School varsity football team tries to escape some would-be South Park tacklers during the first round playoff game — the first-ever hosted by DHS — on Nov. 3. The Bears won the game and will now play at Lyons at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Class A Quarterfinals State Playoffs.

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

Dolores right now seems to have an inside track towards further advancement in the Class A State Football Playoffs. Dolores County has a much tougher outside track if the Bulldogs want to advance past this Saturday’s Quarterfinal action.

Dolores plays at Lyons, a 23-6 upset winner over no. 2 ranked West Grand. Dolores County hosts top-ranked Akron. Should the 8-2 Bears defeat 7-3 Lyons it would get the winner of Las Animas (8-2)-Wiggins (9-1) in the semifinals on Nov. 17. Sanford will visit Limon, Las Animas will be at Wiggins in the two other quarterfinal games this weekend. If the Bulldogs, 8-2, win on Saturday, they would face the winner of 10-0 Sanford-(8-2) Limon in the semifinals. The Class A State Championship game is slated for Nov. 24.

The Bears hosted South Park and won 35-13 in its first-round game last Saturday at DHS Field. Dolores County visited Hayden and won easily 45-12 in its first-round game. In other first-round games played last weekend, Arkon clobbered Crowley County 47-12, Sanford nipped Byers 20-19, Limon ran past Custer County 49-17, Las Animas stopped Holyoke 22-15, and Wiggins rolled over Del Norte 30-3.

The Dolores-Lyons game looks to be a toss up.

"We think we can stay with them," DHS head coach Don Story commented. "Lyons has big line with two bookend tackles 230 pounds. They like to power over people. They will use a double tight end with one wideout. They take it right up the middle. I know they have scored a heck of a lot of points, more than 400 points this season. They have a 7-3 record with all of those losses in that very tough league."

Story believes the key to the game for his team will be to attack on the outside with the Bears’ speed. He hopes they can then set them up by hitting some passes.

Members of the Dolores team include: Freshman Brian Valdez, senior Cullen Zion, senior Kevin Fane, junior Duston Russell, freshman Andrew Swope, junior Justin Reed, freshman Brian Swiggart, sophomore Luke Ragland, junior Chad Hanson, senior Garrett Nielson, senior Casey Garvin, freshman Josh Sarten, freshman Cory McCracken, freshman Matt Larson, sophomore Curtis Leonard, freshman Dylan Schaffer, freshman Joel Snyder, freshman Tyler Quintana, sophomore Dakota Crevenka, sophomore Bryan Lemmons, sophomore Jonathan Stanford, sophomore Sean Boone, sophomore Nate Head, sophomore Chris Patterson, senior Tyler Hicks, senior Derek Thompson, senior Chris Leonard, junior Bradley Apple, senior Waylon Bennett, freshman Jason Erickson, junior Jonathan Larson, senior Aeson Reed, and senior Brady Blackmer. Story is assisted by his son, Scott, and Stan Davis. The manager is Jennifer Trevillian.

The Dolores County-Akron game looks to be a good one.

"I know we can’t turn the ball over and make mistakes. We didn’t turn the ball over last week at Hayden. We played smart," DCHS head coach Ken Soper said.

"I don’t know a whole lot about Arkon except they run a single-wing offense. They are big and fast. I know they are good or otherwise they wouldn’t be undefeated," Soper said.

Members of the Dolores County team include: Senior Keith Pierce, senior Bru Meyer, senior Lyle Joe, senior Dallas Coker, senior James Smith, senior Casey Spitzer, senior Darin Retherford, senior Kyle Riddell, senior Brandan Donelow, junior Joe Buffington, junior Trent Daves, junior Brandon Neely, junior Kyle Krafka, junior Riley Williams, junior Verne Hassell, sophomore Trinity Cressler, sophomore Matt Beanland, sophomore Chase Davis, sophomore Jake Williams, sophomore Eddie Hapler, sophomore R.C. Jones, sophomore Nathan Adams, sophomore Trinity Donelow, freshman Drew Buffington, freshman Brennan Banks, freshman Zach Larimore, freshman Landon Putnam, freshman John Smith, and freshman Drew Retherford. Soper is assisted by Shane Baughman, Steve Stiasny, and Jerry Boles. Adam Bankston is the manager.

Ticket prices, as set by the Colorado High School Activities Association, are $4 for students and senior citizens and $6 for general admission. No faculty, student or league passes will be accepted only CHSAA issued passes.