The Durango High School girls lacrosse team ran into a buzz saw named Denver South on Thursday in second round of the Class 4A state tournament.
No. 13 DHS entered the game hot after beating Liberty 19-6 in the first round to extend its winning streak to eight games.
Ella Shofnos and the No. 4 Denver South Ravens, however, were the dominate team on Thursday, beating the Demons 18-3 on a rainy day in Denver.
“Up in Denver, they’re next-level teams,” said DHS head coach Eric Elliot. “Most of them play year-round so they have a distinct advantage.”
Shofnos scored six goals and assisted three more to help the Ravens advance to the quarterfinals where they’ll face No. 5 Green Mountain.
“She was pretty amazing to watch; she just seemed one step ahead,” Elliot said. “It was good for the girls to see; it’s OK to lose if you grow from it.”
DHS, meanwhile, scored a handful of fastbreak goals in the game. Emmylou Willis scored one goal, Sofia Naffziger netted a goal with a wrap around shot and Mia Carozza scored from the base line.
“We weren’t overwhelmed by the moment like last year,” Elliot said, refering to the team’s 14-6 opening-round loss to Pueblo West in 2022. “We built off it and made it further, and we’ll use it as a stepping stone again.”
DHS avenged that loss to the Cyclones with a 10-9 win this season.
And on Thursday the Demons played hard, but the Ravens won most of the face offs to gain possession and then kept it.
“We got a taste of our own medicine,” Elliot said. “Usually we’re dominant in the draw, but they put on a draw clinic.”
Goalie Fiona Chandler made 20 saves for the Demons to contain the Ravens a bit.
“She had a real monster game,” Elliot said. “She did a lot of work and kept it respectable.“
It also rained all day, resulting in a venue change while postponing all three state tennis tournaments on the Front Range.
Elliot said it slowed the team’s tempo, but called the inclement weather a “non-factor.”
“It just made every one a little uncomfortable,” Elliot said. “We had a hard time getting the ball across the first level. We had some chances to get it a little closer, but couldn’t capitalize on those opportunities.”
The second-round loss ends Durango’s season with a 10-6 overall record.
“This is one of the best seasons the program has had since it started and the best season I’ve had as a coach,” Elliot said. “We never really had those dominant wins before this year.”
The season, however, started a little shaky with a pair of losses against teams that played each other in the second round, Roaring Fork and Aspen, then a couple league foes.
“We made some changes in practice and they paid immediate dividends,” Elliot said. “Our record in the last eight games shows how far we came; we punched a lot of teams in the mouth.”
Seniors Viictoria Barletta, Sophia Kothe, Olivia Rome and Jaden Rambo helped lead the team this year, but many players from Durango’s roster will be back next year.
“We always want to do more,” Elliot said. “I anticipate the same fire and dedication next year. (The Denver South game) was definitely a learning experience. It will definitely be fuel for next season.”
