Dolores 32-30, Dove Creek (Saturday)
Dolores senior Taylor Erautt made a turnaround jumper with 30 seconds left in the back-and-forth battle with Dove Creek, lifting the Bears to their first win over the Bulldogs since 2017 and snapping a 17-game skid.
Erautt’s shot answered a jumper from Dove Creek senior Taylor Hampton seconds earlier that put the Bulldogs ahead 30-29. The Bears (10-10, 6-3 3A/2A/1A SJBL) followed with key defensive stops to close out the game.
Sophomores Emilynn Hill and Jordyn Erautt sparked a second-half rally with steals and transition baskets that erased a 15-11 halftime deficit. The Bears also secured multiple double-digit league wins for the first time since they last defeated Dove Creek.
Dove Creek will face Mancos on Tuesday night in Bluejay Fieldhouse before finishing the regular season with home games against Ouray (Feb. 20), James Irwin (Feb. 21) and Ridgway (Feb. 27).
Dolores, now tied with Dove Creek (12-7, 6-3), next hosts Mancos on Thursday in The Den. Both games – Dove Creek at Mancos on Tuesday and Mancos at Dolores on Thursday – will air on KRTZ 98.7 FM and at krtzradio.com.
Mancos 28-25, Ridgway (Friday)
If the Bluejays and Demons played 20 times a season, they would probably produce 20 close finishes. After an overtime showdown two weeks ago, the teams delivered another tense matchup in Bluejay Fieldhouse.
Mancos (7-9, 5-4 SJBL) built several double-digit leads in the second half before Ridgway rallied to within two points with under three minutes left. The Jays held the Demons scoreless the rest of the way to secure the win, complete a season sweep and move into fourth place in the league standings.
The victory pushed Mancos into the top 32 of the 2A Seeding and Selection Index and set up an important week as the Jays prepare to face Dove Creek and Dolores in a three-day span.
Dolores 51-39, Dove Creek (Saturday)
After limiting the Bears’ offense in an overtime win last month, Dove Creek nearly produced another defensive upset. But this time, Dolores found enough offense – especially late in the third and early in the fourth quarter – to create separation and hold off the Bulldogs.
Juniors Owen Lowe and Miles Brown delivered key baskets down the stretch, while Dove Creek freshman Kycen Gritz kept the visitors within reach.
With wins over Sargent on Thursday and Dove Creek on Saturday, the Bears (12-8, 6-3 SJBL) reached their highest victory total in nine years and moved past Telluride into second place. They travel to Nucla on Tuesday for the first of two matchups with the league-leading Mustangs in nine days. Their Highway 184 rivalry game against Mancos is set for Feb. 19 in The Den.
Dove Creek (4-14, 3-6) heads to Mancos on Tuesday for a rematch of its three-point win over the Jays on Jan. 13. The game will air from Bluejay Fieldhouse on KRTZ 98.7 FM and at krtzradio.com.
Ridgway 61-44, Mancos (Friday)
The final score doesn’t reflect how competitive Mancos (1-14, 0-9 SJBL) was for most of the night. The Jays led 32-27 at halftime behind aggressive drives to the basket and a late second-quarter three-pointer by freshman Mitchell Smith.
After sophomore Vaughn Bankston’s layup trimmed the deficit to 43-41 midway through the fourth quarter, Ridgway responded with a decisive run to close out the game and keep Mancos searching for its first league win.
Mancos will host Dove Creek for Senior Night on Tuesday, then finish the regular season on the road at Dolores (Thursday), Dove Creek (Feb. 24, nonleague) and Telluride (Feb. 26).
