Sports

Dolores senior Mindy McCracken (4) plays a two-handed push shot past Ridgway freshman Haley Crozier (6) during the Lady Bears’ 2A-District 3 Tournament ‘Pool 1’ opener Saturday in Ignacio.  DHS won 21-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-14, 15-6 over the upset-minded Lady Demons, then later defeated host Ignacio 23-25, 25-15, 25-14, 25-19 to set up a title match with Pool 2 winners Telluride High School. THS, however, prevailed 25-20, 25-15, 25-12 to earn the right to host this weekend’s Region 7 Tournament. Dolores (17-5 overall) will travel Saturday to Region 3, hosted by D-5 champs Vail Mountain, where Paonia will also attend.

Mancos senior Megan Hess (10) leans into a swing against Ignacio’s Miel Diaz (23) during the 2A-District 3 Tournament’s third-place match Saturday night inside IHS Gymnasium. The Lady Bluejays fought furiously, but fell in five (26-24, 12-25, 15-25, 25-18, 13-15) trying to earn the district’s final berth into this weekend’s regional round. Mancos finished with a 12-10 overall record in 2012, having defeated Nucla before losing in five (25-20, 25-22, 14-25, 13-25, 9-15) to Telluride closing the event’s “Pool 2” phase. Hess and fellow senior Kayla Goff played their last matches in the blue-and-white.

Dolores junior libero Ali Umberger (white) comes up with a dig in the back row against Ridgway during the Lady Bears’ 2A-District 3 Tournament ‘Pool 1’ opener Saturday in Ignacio. The upset-minded Lady Demons pushed the pace to the max, but came up short (25-21, 19-25, 25-20, 14-25, 6-15), as Dolores then advanced to the title match by beating (23-25, 25-15, 25-14, 25-19) host Ignacio. Pool 2 winners Telluride ultimately won the right to host this weekend’s Region 7 Tournament, beating Dolores in three sets (25-20, 25-15, 25-12). But DHS — now 17-5 overall — will stay in the state tourney hunt and travel Saturday to the Region 3 tourney, hosted by D-5 champs Vail Mountain, with Paonia also attending.

Definite fuel for Mancos’ future, freshman Taryn Gordanier (12) loads up for an attack over Ignacio’s Cheyenne Cook (2) during the 2A-District 3 Tournament’s third-place match Saturday night inside IHS Gymnasium. The Lady Bluejays’ 2012 season ended just a couple points short of a berth in this weekend’s regional round, after a 26-24, 12-25, 15-25, 25-18, 13-15 loss to host Ignacio — which followed a 25-20, 25-22, 14-25, 13-25, 9-15 loss to Telluride ending the event’s “Pool 2” phase, after a victory over Nucla beginning their day. Mancos finished its season 12-10 overall.