DOVE CREEK – A year ago, the Bulldogs came within a whisker of earning a San Juan Basin League sweep of the girls and boys basketball titles.
The emergence of Nucla in the girls race ended Dove Creek’s run of four straight league titles, while the boys’ title hopes were clipped by Ridgway in the final week of the season. Two runner-up finishes have the blue-and-yellow motivated for another title chase as the season tips off this weekend.
Under new coaches, the Dolores and Mancos girls teams made strides last winter and look to continue growing in the upcoming months. Meanwhile, the Bears boys team returns most of the core from a squad that competed with some of the league’s top teams last year. The Bluejays boys team hopes to rebuild some of the success the program enjoyed over the past decade as it welcomes a new coach.
With league play set for the 2026 portion of the schedule, the Bulldogs, Bluejays and Bears look to prime themselves with early-season challenges to set up their SJBL pursuit in January and February.
Few programs in the state have matched Dove Creek’s decade-long dominance in league play. Yearly rejuvenation of the team’s depth has spurred the Bulldogs to continued success under ninth-year head coach Julie Kibel.
In their second year in the Class 2A classification, the ’Dogs hope to make it nine straight winning seasons under Kibel’s guidance, and her team returns plenty of talent. Dove Creek brings back one of the toughest post players in the classification, senior Taylor Hampton, who averaged a double-double last year while serving as a rim protector.
Point guard Hadley Hatfield will look to continue leading the team in assists, with a group of rising seniors gaining elevated scoring roles, including Allex Williams and Ambrynn Huffaker. The Bulldogs aim to lean on their traditionally tough defense to make life difficult for opposing shooters.
In boys action, second-year head coach Teresa Martin brings back several scoring threats from her team’s 16-8 season. Senior Trevan Ivie will shoulder a heavier scoring burden after the ’Dogs graduated their top two scorers, but along with classmates Josh Kibel and Nicholas Aragon — fresh off gritty battles on the gridiron — Dove Creek is no stranger to physical play.
The Bulldogs hope to develop backcourt depth through their rising upperclassmen, while seniors Bobby Pastorius, Jonathan Davis and Daniel Gray will see increased minutes and scoring opportunities.
The boys and girls programs open the season in Mosca as part of the Thunderbird Shootout hosted by Sangre de Cristo Dec. 4-6. A second consecutive tournament weekend takes the Bulldogs to Rangely before they host their annual holiday tournament Dec. 19-20 to wrap up the 2025 portion of the schedule.
Dove Creek’s rapid turnaround from 2024 to 2025 is something the Bears hope to mirror this season — with enough talent to climb the league standings. Second-year head coach Nick Traweek brings back most of the team’s scoring from last year’s 7-15 season, led by junior Koby McClellan and senior Michael Rantz.
The duo joins junior Miles Brown as captains for a still-youthful squad. Will Nielson joins Rantz as the only members of the Class of ’26. Sophomore Lane Johnson offers the Bears a strong presence in the paint, while members of a large junior class look to carve out roles in the Dolores offense.
The Bears picked up a season-opening win, their first in four years, with a 52-43 victory over Whitehorse on Tuesday night in Aneth. They’ll head to Mosca for the Thunderbird Shootout Dec. 4-6.
The DHS girls team also opened with a victory to start first-year head coach Mike Nielson’s tenure. The Bears got a string of free throws from senior captain Taylor Erautt in overtime to beat Bayfield 54-49 on the road Tuesday.
Dolores senior Kacey Schmittel joins Erautt in the Class of ’26 group that has helped the team steadily improve. The Bears collected seven wins last winter — the program’s best mark in five years — and aim to keep climbing. Sophomore Emilynn Hill — who hit the go-ahead bucket in overtime — will help operate at point guard, while junior Akaia Edwards and sophomore Jordyn Erautt bring high energy to the DHS rotation.
Dolores looks forward to three games in two days during tournament action in Rangely Dec. 12-13.
The Bluejays girls team grew throughout its first season under head coach Julie Oliver last winter, leaning on new leaders as Mancos continues building after its state tournament appearance two years ago.
Those leaders have another year of experience as Mancos aims to improve on its 7-13 record. Sophomore Tinsley Aspromonte made an immediate impact last winter, emerging as one of the league’s most dynamic scorers.
Aspromonte will be joined by senior captains Destiny Kramer and Caylee Moore as leaders for the blue-and-white, while a group of incoming freshmen hopes to make an early impression in Oliver’s rotation.
Mancos opens its season in Sargent against the Farmers on Friday before facing M-CHS the following morning. A trip to Ignacio on Dec. 9 leads into tournament action in Cedaredge Dec. 12-13 — the Jays’ final competition before the holiday break.
On the boys side, new head coach Rudy Archuleta takes over a Mancos team eager to return to winning form. After a winless 2024-25 campaign, the Jays hope a young roster’s growth pays off in the coming months.
Mancos opens against Lake City on Dec. 5, followed by a meeting with Sargent the next day. The Jays will also face Ignacio and three opponents in the Cedaredge tournament Dec. 12-13 before turning their focus to SJBL play to start the new year.
