If there ever was a time for injury-marred Telluride to stun perennial 3A/2A/1A San Juan Basin League power Dove Creek, it would have been Feb. 11, inside The Dawg House.
Junior Allex Williams was sidelined by a sprained right ankle.
Feared senior Ralynn Hickman was benched by a sprained left ankle. “I stepped on the ref,” she said.
And whatever the heck “walking pneumonia” is, junior paint-patroller Taylor Hampton was thought to have it – and bad enough to the extent she finished with just one point in an outing she’d probably just as soon forget.
In an outing they’d probably just as soon forget, however, the visiting Lady Miners failed to capitalize and quickly fell far behind as they went scoreless for the first quarter and most of the second. During that 14-minute, 4-second stretch, DCHS built up a 16-0 advantage – fueled primarily by junior guard Hadley Hatfield’s first nine points and senior Taylor Barry’s first four – which dipped below 13 points just once in what ended up being a 37-10 home win.
“Since we lost Ralynn we really just wanted to take it to them, show that we can still play without our best player,” said Hatfield, who made two three-pointers and totaled a game-high 12 points. “And still try to make it up the ladder, try to take second place (in league).”
Also not at full power herself, Hatfield’s night was further complicated when, during the first quarter, she injured her right index finger and had to have it taped to the middle finger in order to keep playing. During the third quarter, however, she looked to have almost forgotten the pain as pass after pass became assist after assist as she sent the ball where it needed to go.
And, most often, to an unassuming recipient.
After freshman Leah Barnett, a vital backup to Hampton, put the Lady Bulldogs (13-5 overall, 6-2 SJBL) up 18-5 at halftime with a two-pointer assisted by senior Jessie Alexander, Alexander took a Hatfield pass early in the third and promptly buried a three-pointer. THS junior Tori Sanders answered with a free throw, coming with 5:24 left, but Hatfield then dished off to Alexander for another trey and a long deuce, plus found sophomore reserve Kaybree Smith for another unexpected trey as 2A DCHS cruised into the fourth quarter leading 29-6.
“It was really exciting; I’m glad we had such great passes and stuff,” Alexander said. “We like to encourage each other and help each other pick it up.”
“Lately she’s been playing really good defense,” Hatfield said of Alexander, who totaled eight points. “And offense? She doesn’t shoot very much, but tonight she shot and made ’em – so maybe now she’ll have some more confidence.”
Barry finished with six points and sophomore Mykaela Fury five, while Barnett chipped in two plus grabbed nine rebounds (which trailed only Fury’s 12 for the team-high). Sanders, who’d first got 3A Telluride (5-13, 2-7 SJBL) on the scoreboard via a two-pointer with 1:56 left in the second quarter, finished with three points – as did senior Gia Neyens – while seniors Fianna Ahern and Pella Ward each scored two.
Up next, Dove Creek will travel Friday, Feb. 14, to 4A Montezuma-Cortez (5-13, 1-7 3A/4A Intermountain), then resume league play on the 15th at home versus 2A Dolores (7-13, 4-5 SJBL).
“We’ve decided to start working together, and individually all start picking it up,” said Alexander. “I think we’re all fired up and we’re going to work hard and get ready, then play them and hopefully win.”
“We’re ready for it; it’ll really help our RPI after that Nucla loss,” Hatfield (6 assists, 5 steals) said, referring to DCHS’ 70-49 away defeat on Feb. 8, during which Hickman wracked her ankle and managed only two points. Hatfield (16 points), Hampton (12) and Barry (11) still managed to reach double figures, while NHS senior Kendra McCluer led four Lady Mustangs in double figures with her game-high 17.
