For the second straight week, Dolores football delivered another dominant performance, shutting out the Panthers on Friday night in northwest Colorado to avenge a pair of lopsided 2024 losses.
The Bears struck early, with junior quarterback River Wickstrom connecting with senior Deven Winter on a short pass over the middle. Winter then weaved his way behind solid blocking for a 55-yard score. Dolores led 7-0 at halftime, then pulled away in the second half.
Junior Darren Hicks swept around the end for a 20-yard touchdown in the third quarter to double the lead. Then, Wickstrom powered in from three yards out for a 22-0 advantage. The Dolores defense kept Rangely’s threats to a minimum, with a strip sack and fumble return for a touchdown by junior defensive end Miles Brown sealing the win. The Bears added an interception on Rangely’s final possession to cap their perfect 3-0 start.
DHS has won three games for the first time since 2017, but the Bears have loftier goals in the weeks ahead. League play begins after their bye week when they travel to Mancos for a matchup Sept. 26.
After opening the season with two defensive battles, the Bluejays’ offense soared in a dominant performance Friday afternoon in Fairplay.
Mancos (2-1) moved the ball effortlessly against the Rams, building a 28-8 halftime lead behind a bruising ground attack. Senior Jonah Ritter accounted for over 220 of the Bluejays’ 339 rushing yards, while junior quarterback Michael Resner completed six of seven passes, including a scoring strike to sophomore Traycer White.
While Ritter’s five rushing touchdowns headlined the victory, Mancos continued to play smothering defense, allowing just one touchdown for the second time in three games.
The Bluejays head into their bye week before hosting Dolores in an anticipated Highway 184 matchup at 7 p.m. Sept. 26.
The visiting Eagles proved dominant against the Panthers on Saturday at Panther Stadium, showing why they’re considered a serious threat to win the 2A state title.
A fierce ground attack and stifling defense made life difficult for M-CHS (1-2), which dropped its second straight game to a top-five opponent.
The Panthers enter their bye week before traveling to Shiprock on Sept. 26, aiming to return to .500 ahead of their Intermountain League opener Oct. 3 – a Homecoming matchup against Gunnison.
