Montezuma-Cortez sophomore Faith Muzzy continues a strong spring season in the hurdle events, taking second in Grand Junction over the weekend. Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Mancos girls track and field makes strong statement in Ignacio
Girls soccer
M-CHS 5, Alamosa 0 (Friday at Del Norte High School)
M-CHS 4, Pagosa Springs 0 (Saturday)
Sophomores Mia Glazner and Kyndall Schmitt combined for all nine goals as Mancos opened Intermountain League play with two shutout victories. M-CHS (3-1, 2-0 3A IML) dominated play against the defending league champion Mean Moose, rarely allowing Alamosa to advance past midfield.
Glazner scored four goals in the opener in the 25th, 37th, 42nd and 60th minutes, with the first three coming on long individual runs that beat defenders off the dribble before finishes from close range. Freshman Merolidth Avila assisted on Glazner’s final goal from the top of the box.
Schmitt added a long-range shot in the 49th minute after collecting the ball off an Alamosa goal kick and firing it back on net.
The following morning against Pagosa Springs, the Panthers again controlled possession, but the Pirates held M-CHS scoreless through the opening hour before the Panthers broke through for four goals in the final 15 minutes. Glazner and Schmitt scored twice apiece as M-CHS strengthened its position in the league title race.
The Panther midfield, led by sophomore Amani Lobato and junior Kaybree Smith, controlled play and set up scoring chances for the front line. The defense, led by senior Camryn Oliver and junior goalkeeper Raegan Veach, limited Pagosa Springs’ opportunities as the Panthers recorded their third straight clean sheet.
M-CHS returns home to face Bayfield on Tuesday at 5 p.m. as the Panthers look to sweep the first circuit of the league’s double round-robin schedule.
Girls golf
Cortez fifth at Devils Thumb Invitational (Tuesday)
The Panthers opened their spring season with a fifth-place team finish in Delta, led by two top-12 individual performances. Seniors Amita Crowley shot an 83 to place fifth, while Afton Unrein finished 11th with a 91.
Crowley surged late by playing her final six holes at one-under par, highlighted by an eagle on her 15th hole of the day. Unrein closed with a 43 on her second nine as both seniors set an early benchmark for their scoring averages.
Junior Dannika Goodall opened her season with a 118 to place 52nd, while freshmen Mayci Garver and Riah Head made their high school debuts with rounds of 126 and 131. M-CHS finished with a team total of 292. Durango won the event with a score of 246, while Steamboat Springs senior Katharina Cosby claimed the individual title with a 76.
The Panthers compete next at San Juan Country Club in Farmington on Monday, April 6, at a tournament hosted by Piedra Vista.
Track and field
The Dolores, Mancos and Dove Creek track and field teams traveled to Ignacio for the Abel Velasquez Invitational, an early indicator of San Juan Basin League standings.
The Dolores girls placed sixth as a team, led by sophomore Addy Thompson’s fourth-place finish in the 100 hurdles in 20.15 seconds. Junior Eleri Brown placed sixth in the discus with a throw of 67 feet, and sophomore Emma Nielson finished seventh in the 100 in 14.71.
The Dolores boys were paced by senior Michael Rantz, who placed fifth in the 100 in 11.65 seconds. Sophomore Joseph Padilla placed fifth in the 1,600 in 5:15, and freshman Bodie Fischer finished fifth in the 3,200 in 11:59. The Bears’ 4×800 relay team of Padilla, juniors Corvin Smith and Owen Lowe, and senior Bridger Beyhan won in 9:13. The 4×200 relay team of Rantz, senior Aaron Nielson, junior Darrin Hicks and sophomore Nathan Gaddis placed second in 1:38.66. Senior Aidan Sweat added a fourth-place finish in the triple jump at 35 feet as the Bears finished sixth overall.
The Dove Creek boys placed fifth in the team standings, second among SJBL schools behind Ignacio. Junior Gavin Gill led the Bulldogs with a runner-up finish in the discus at 126-1, while freshman Conner Horn-Beanland placed third in the long jump at 17-5. Horn-Beanland also teamed with seniors Nicholas Aragon and Jonathan Davis and freshman Grayson Hall to place third in the 4×100 relay in 49.00 seconds. Senior Daniel Gray finished fifth in both hurdle events.
The Bulldogs girls placed seventh, led by sophomore Ayla Coffey’s fourth-place shot put at 27 feet, senior Gracie Myers’ fifth-place discus throw at 72-2 and senior Ambrynn Huffaker’s seventh-place finish in the long jump at 12-9.
Mancos led all SJBL schools on the girls side with a third-place team finish. Freshman Tymbri Priestley won the 100 in 13.56 and the 200 in 27.45. Carly Kroll placed second in the 1,600 in 6:02, and senior Destiny Kramer finished second in the high jump at 4-8. The Bluejays boys placed seventh, led by senior Jonah Ritter’s runner-up finishes in the 100 and 200 and Jacob Martin’s second-place finish in the shot put.
In Grand Junction, the M-CHS track and field teams competed at the Frank Woodburn Invitational and claimed titles in both high jump events. Juniors Tessa Mercedes-Jackson and Trey Hall cleared 5-3 and 6-4, respectively. Junior Cody Case placed third in the pole vault at 10 feet, and sophomore Faith Muzzy finished second in the 300 hurdles in 51.02 seconds.
The Panthers will host the Bob Archibeque Invitational on Friday, April 10, at Panther Stadium.
