With fall colors on full display, Montezuma-Cortez High School added plenty of orange to the backdrop of a memorable Homecoming Week.
Football, volleyball and boys’ soccer all hosted contests Friday night, while cross-country competed in their league meet that morning in Alamosa. Despite stormy conditions, Panther athletics showed their determination to work through adversity.
Football: M-CHS 21, Gunnison 6
The Intermountain League opener against the visiting Cowboys proved anything but simple for the Panthers, as lightning delays extended the contest. The interruptions stalled offensive rhythm, but the defense remained steady, dominating the line of scrimmage.
A sack shared by senior Wyatt Oliver and sophomore Zane Coffey punctuated the victory after the Panthers (3-2, 1-0 2A IML) pulled away with two fourth-quarter scores. Senior Parker Conrad opened the scoring with a first-quarter sprint before Gunnison (0-5, 0-1 2A IML) responded with a long touchdown pass to make it 7-6 – a margin that held until early in the final stanza.
Senior Rusty Snyder found the end zone twice, including an 11-yard run on a double handoff that caught the Cowboys’ defense flat-footed. His 90-yard dash after the Panthers stopped Gunnison’s ensuing drive provided the final jolt on a night filled with electricity.
M-CHS hits the road for two straight weeks, facing Salida on Oct. 10 and Alamosa on Oct. 17, aiming to continue their strong start in league play.
Second-year head coach Danielle Waltman has the Panthers (11-7, 2-3 3A IML) on the verge of their first winning regular season in four years after dispatching the visiting Cougars, 25-13, 25-13, 25-14, Friday evening in The Jungle.
With a tough stretch of league contests ahead, including a Tuesday road match against Bayfield, the Panthers continue to build momentum behind their five senior rotation players.
Senior Keeley Clarke leads a resilient back line, pacing the team in digs, service receptions and aces. M-CHS looks poised to earn its first regional appearance since 2021. Following the week’s action, the Panthers sit at No. 17 in the CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index. The top 36 teams earn postseason berths.
M-CHS delivered another exciting Friday night contest for Panther fans, but despite a feisty effort from head coach Juan Soto’s squad, the Panthers (2-5-3, 0-2-1 3A IML) couldn’t overcome a first-half deficit against the league-leading Pirates.
With sophomore Brandon Zamora leading the team with nine goals this season, M-CHS hopes to claw into postseason contention with key matches ahead. Their final road trip takes them to Bayfield on Monday, Oct. 6, followed by three home games to close out the regular season, starting Oct. 16 against Alamosa.
The Panthers boys’ cross-country team placed two runners in the top 25 at the Zaragoza Invitational in Alamosa on Friday, earning sixth place in the meet, which doubled as the league championships.
Juniors Cruz Plewe and William Blair led the way, with Plewe finishing 10th in 19:11 and Blair taking 23rd in 20:35 at Cole Park.
Seniors Roberto Sauzameda (36th, 22:10), Daniel Thornton (45th, 23:56) and Kenai Cotonuts (50th, 24:23) rounded out the team scoring. M-CHS girls’ individuals Camryn Oliver (36th, 26:54) and Shaylie Keiter (46th, 29:18) represented the program in the girls’ championships.
Alamosa swept the boys’ and girls’ team titles on their home course to capture the league crowns.
