It was a tough, hard-fought game throughout. But the Lady Bears came up short.
The Dolores girls basketball team had leads after the first three quarters in a back-and-forth battle with Swink.
Like last year, it was the Lady Lions making the plays and getting to the free-throw line down the stretch.
Dolores had its season end in heartbreaking fashion, 53-47, at the Region-I tournament at Adams State College in Alamosa Friday.
It was a great game. This is by far and away the best my girls have played defensively, Lady Bears coach John McHenry said. We lost in the last two minutes. They got on a roll. They pressed us. I knew it was coming. We got in foul trouble with a couple of players. They got us right there at the end. If we had to lose, we went down swinging. Thats for sure.
Dolores (10-12) ended its up-and-down year on a two-game losing streak. The Lady Bears still made regionals for the fifth straight time. Swink (17-8) eliminated Dolores for the second consecutive season, but had its season end the Saturday with a loss to Sargent.
We beat Sargent in the (nonconference) preseason by 16 points, said McHenry about Dolores 51-35 win over Sargent on Dec. 1. I definitely feel like we could have hung in there (with Sargent). We would have had a good chance of making it (to state). We just let it slip from us (versus Swink).
Lexi Atkinson, a junior, led the Lady Bears with 20 points. Juniors Mindy McCracken and Cydney McHenry scored 11 and nine points, respectively.
Mindy, by far and away, had her best game. Rachel Beverlin had her best game. Lexi Atkinson had her best game, John McHenry said. Defensively and points wise and contributing, I cant say enough good about them.
Dolores will graduate seniors Katlynn McGee and Beverlin. Three starters return next season.