MANCOS – Let the games begin. This year’s San Juan Basin League volleyball season is shaping up to be one for the ages.
Defending champ Dove Creek looks to retain their status as the league’s top ‘Dogs, but Mancos and the rest of the SJBL look to knock them from their perch. A coaching change for the Bluejays and added to the shake-up, which means when league play officially starts rolling in September, local volleyball fans are sure to be treated with plenty of intense, high-stakes matches on the way to naming the 2025 SJBL champion.
The Bluejays won the league two years ago, and several of their players were either starters or key bench contributors for that state qualifying team. Last year’s 17-8 campaign continued the winning ways for the blue-and-white, with rising junior Bailey Beh continuing a Mancos tradition of having a menace on the front line. Beh led the team with nearly 400 kills, as she joins a group of seniors that pride themselves on hustle and high energy that make the Bluejays hard to beat.
Destiny Kramer, the team’s leading blocker from a year ago, Brooke Jabour, the steady influence on the back line, setter Alexis Lyons, who dealt over 700 assists last year, along with starter Caylee Moore, Elly Coey and Olivia Jukes are part of the talented Class of ’26 for new head coach Delaney Wright.
“These girls have been so willing to listen and try new things with a new coach this season and I see some very promising things happening,” said Wright.
With a bundle of upperclassmen, the Jays have seen leadership come from all angles as they prepare for their season opening matches on Aug. 22 and 23 against Buena Vista and Salida. “We have girls who have done a wonderful job of getting the team to stay focused and working hard on every drill, and other girls who have helped create a team-centered environment where everyone is encouraged,” said Wright.
Mancos heads to Dove Creek for a nonleague match on Aug. 26 before the officially open the SJBL slate with their first home match against Ignacio. Big local rivalry matches on Sept. 11 against Dolores and Montezuma-Cortez five days later will provide stern tests, while another match against Dove Creek on Sept. 23 will prime the Bluejays for the stretch run in October.
“I think we have created a positive hardworking environment to really help us grow this program and be successful on and off the court,” said Wright as the Jays once again have big visions for what the season could become.
The Bulldogs have made consistency their calling card over recent years. Coming off their fourth straight 1A state appearance, a sterling 24-3 record, and second SJBL title in the past three years, Dove Creek will look to once again build back after an influential group left due to graduation.
Second-year head coach Erin Barry will still have several key pieces to her rotation coming back this fall, led by senior Hadley Hatfield, who led the ‘Dogs in digs in her junior season. Hatfield will be joined by classmate Allex Williams, who saw action in virtually every set for the team last season, and junior Mykaela Fury, who will see an elevated role for Dove Creek this fall.
Barry will look for some of the players rising from the sub-varsity level from a year ago to step into some big shoes right from the opening serve this season, which gets underway at a tournament in Rangely on Aug. 23. Dove Creek will also tangle with border rivals Monticello (Aug. 28) before their SJBL season gets rolling on Sept. 2 at home against Telluride. Big matches against Ignacio (Sept. 20) and rivalry matches against Nucla (Sept. 9 and Oct. 21) will factor prominently into who raises the SJBL banner this season.
