If the first two weeks of the season are an indication, Four Corners basketball fans have plenty to look forward to when the calendar flips to 2022.
The eight area programs, both boys and girls for Montezuma-Cortez, Dolores, Dove Creek and Mancos have all started promisingly in their early nonconference schedules, each collecting at least one win. Five teams have a winning record as the holiday break approaches.
Last year, the M-CHS boys and girls programs combined for four wins. They’ve already eclipsed that mark, and both teams still have a handful of games to play before the holiday break.
With maturing programs for both head coach Mike Hall for the boys and Brad Wright for the girls, upperclassmen now dominate the roster for both teams, and the change in results has been staggering.
The boys (2-0) picked up early season victories over Grand County Utah 51-42, and Gunnison, 59-46. Senior JT Carver led the way for the Panthers in the latter victory, pouring in 18 points, and junior Austin Wood added 11.
For the girls (4-2), confidence continues to blossom, with emphatic wins over Ridgway, 54-7, and Dolores, 67-15. Senior Brianna Comisky is averaging in double figures to pace the Panthers offense, which has broken 50 points in each of their wins.
A lot sits in front of the Lady Panthers, as they look to continue winning ways – the program hasn’t enjoyed a winning season in over 15 years, and hasn’t made the regional tournament since 2009-10, back when the program was part of the 5A/4A Southwestern League.
The boys head to Grand Junction for a tournament with Delta, Battle Mountain, and the host Grand Junction Tigers before their three week break from action. Meanwhile, the girls take their winning record to Gunnison for a pair of contests to wind down the 2021 portion of the schedule.
The Bluejays aren’t wasting any time rediscovering their winning formula. Both the boys and girls, who posted winning records last year, have already made it clear that they plan for a repeat performance in 2021-22.
The boys (4-2) hit the road for a pair of tournaments full of stern tests to begin the season. In New Mexico, the Jays took two out of three in the Rehoboth Christian tournament, losing to the host school 39-27 after topping their first two opponents.
Then, in the Meeker tournament, the Jays also went 2-1, defeating Longmont Christian and Soroco after a tight loss to Lotus School for Excellence.
As expected, the Jays have leaned on a pair of seniors for their scoring, with Connor Showalter and Evan Sehnert both averaging better than 20 per contest.
The girls have navigated a number of nail-biters to post a 3-1 record, defeating Lotus School for Excellence, Nucla, and Grand County by a combined 16 points.
Coming off their first winning season in over a decade, the Jays have been able to find a strong balance of scoring for head coach Kerri Morgan. However, their calling card may be tenacious defense, as Mancos has limited their last three opponents to under 40 points.
The girls will finish out 2021 with a road trip to Monticello and a home game against Pagosa Springs on Thursday, Dec. 16. Meanwhile, the boys will get San Juan Basin League play underway when they travel to Ouray on Friday, Dec. 17.
No area program has had as much sustained success over the past decade than the Lady Bulldogs, and head coach Julie Kibel has her squad clicking again in the early part of this season. The ‘Dogs (5-1) have enjoyed a stellar start to the season, thanks to their balanced offensive attack.
Juniors Lexie Gray and Rylee Hickman join sophomore Kylie Gatlin with scoring averages in double figures, while the perennially tough full court press has held all but one opponent under 40 points.
The Bulldogs will face Monticello for the second time this season this weekend, having already dispatched the Buckaroos, 69-8, in their first encounter.
As for the boys (2-2), a pair of heartbreaking losses to Center and Monticello have the Bulldogs believing that they’re on the cusp of breaking through for a special season. Dove Creek has a 64-49 rivalry victory over Dolores and has an opportunity for revenge against their border rivals in the Dove Creek Holiday tournament on Dec. 17 and 18.
Junior Kade Hankins has been dynamic this year, averaging more than 25 points per game through the early portion of the schedule.
Bears basketball is looking to continue building toward the top half of the San Juan Basin League, and has shown some early promise.
The boys (1-2) picked up an emphatic win over Sangre de Cristo to begin the season, and appear to have found some complementary scoring to join senior Tru Seekins’ 13 points per contest. Sophomore Cliff Bice and senior Wyatt Koskie have provided some offensive pop for the Bears, who look to wrap up 2021 on a high note. The Bears will take on Ridgway on Tuesday, Dec. 14, before hosting nonleague opponent Debeque on Friday, Dec. 17 as their holiday sendoff.
A youthful girls program found some early success, topping Lake City in overtime to pick up their first win of the season. Head coach Tiffany Hill has her Bears (1-4) looking to build around Chandler Smith and Mikayla Puett for their scoring, while they continue to play feisty defense.
Much like the boys team, Dolores’ girls will look to pick up a league victory as they play the second and third games in a six-game home stand that will stretch into 2022, hosting the Demons and Dragons this week.
