M-CHS 14, Grand County 7 (Thursday)
M-CHS 9, San Juan 3 (Friday)
American Leadership Academy 3, M-CHS 2 (Friday)
Beaver 12, M-CHS 2 (Saturday)
Montezuma-Cortez senior Jaris McDonald led the way with seven hits across four games, as the M-CHS bats cooled off after a strong start against the tournament-host Red Devils. Junior Jaiden Istenes drove in five runs to lead the Panthers, and senior Bodie Stiegelmeyer reached base safely in eight of his 11 plate appearances. The Panthers scored six runs in the fifth inning against San Juan to break a tie.
Senior Kallan Wirth and sophomore Zye Kuenzler combined to limit the Broncos to three hits in M-CHS’ second win. Then, Kuenzler, sophomore Brennen Powell and junior Tegan Mestas combined to one-hit American Leadership Academy, but the Eagles scratched out three runs to take the win.
The Panthers (2-2) travel to Delta for tournament play March 20-21.
Monticello 12, Dolores 2 (Friday)
Host Dolores (0-3) fell behind early at Joe Rowell Park and couldn’t catch up to the Buckaroos. Senior Tristan Adie collected the lone RBI for DHS, as he and freshman Kooper Thomas lead the team in average and hits under first-year head coach Brandon Range.
Dolores has leaned on junior Levi Hampton on the mound, with over one-third of the innings pitched, and Hampton co-leads the team in strikeouts alongside sophomore Branson Lee.
The Bears travel to Pagosa Springs for a Thursday, March 19 doubleheader, a team DHS tested in their season opener before falling 11-7 on March 5.
Dove Creek 10, Shiprock 5 (Friday)
Five runs in the second inning lifted Dove Creek (1-0) to a road victory in New Mexico. Freshman Kycen Gritz did just about everything for the Dogs, pounding out three hits and four RBIs, and striking out seven Chieftains in three innings on the mound. Senior Trevan Ivie added six strikeouts in four innings.
Junior Konner Spigner drove in three runs, and senior Josh Kibel and freshman Braxten Huskey combined to score five runs.
DC heads to McAndrew Field in Cortez on Tuesday for a 3 p.m. doubleheader against the M-CHS junior varsity team before starting district play on the road in Nucla on Saturday, March 21.
Dolores juniors Corvin Smith and Miles Brown led the way for the Bears on Saturday in Ridgway. Smith took first in the two-mile (12:12) and third in the mile (5:16), while Brown claimed second in the 400 meters (56.73). Sophomore Evan Elder added a third-place finish in the shot put (37 feet, 9½ inches), classmate Bodhi Patillo placed third in the high jump (4 feet, 10 inches), and sophomore Levi Rantz took third in both hurdle events (20.02 in the 110, 51.10 in the 300).
For the girls, sophomore Addy Thompson placed third in the 300 hurdles (59.48), while classmate Emilynn Hill took third in the 400 meters (1:04.93). Junior Eleri Brown led the throwers with a fourth-place discus mark (69 feet, 3 inches).
In Bayfield on Friday, the M-CHS girls were paced by sophomore Faith Muzzy’s runner-up finish in the 300 hurdles (53.66), while junior Hayden Matthias took third in the 100 hurdles (18.82). The M-CHS 4x400 relay team won in 4:34.15, while the 4x200 relay placed second in 1:53.19.
The Panthers boys relay teams took second in both the 4x200 (1:40.27) and 4x400 (3:50.05).
For Mancos, sophomore Tymbri Priestley finished second in the long jump (14 feet, 8½ inches), and sophomore Levi Priestley placed fifth in the 400 (58.20).
Dove Creek joined Mancos and M-CHS in Bayfield, where senior Daniel Gray finished sixth in the 300 hurdles (50.01) and classmate Mason Forst took sixth in the 1,600 (5:19).
M-CHS travels to Arizona for the Chandler Rotary this weekend, while Mancos heads to North Fork, and Dove Creek has the weekend off before returning to Bayfield for the Pine River Invite on March 28.
