The Montezuma-Cortez Panthers and Durango Demons are no longer in the same league.
But their rivalry continued on Thursday as they met for a non-conference match.
“The atmosphere is always great,” said M-CHS head coach Dave Robinson. “I love it as an administrator and I love it even more as a coach. And truly, the girls thrive off that type of thing. Even if it’s, ‘D-H-S’ and they’re chanting or whatever, the girls thrive off that, and it’s always fun.”
With the M-CHS and Durango student sections attempting to drown out each other’s cheers, the visiting Demons built an early five-point lead in the opening set.
Consecutive kills by Tyra Pinnecoose and Danielle McDonald pulled the Lady Panthers within one, trailing 11-10. But impressive spikes from well above the net by Lana Razma and Ally Snow helped Durango pull away to take the first set, 25-16.
Durango jumped ahead 7-1 in the second match, and its lead would swell to 10 at one point, but a combined block by McDonald and Skylar Robinson sparked the Lady Panthers.
M-CHS closed the set on an 8-5 run, and although they came up on the short end of the 25-19 final score, they drew the crowd back in and carried momentum into game three.
“You definitely feel the momentum,” said Robinson. “And that’s what we talked to the girls about in between the two games...It was a good push there at the end and it showed some guts.”
McDonald opened the third set with a spike and followed it with an ace. Toss in a few Durango errors and a kill by Pinnecoose, and the Panthers found themselves with a quick 7-0 lead.
Razma tried to ignite a run for the Demons with a spike and block, but Robinson set Rylee Lindsley for a kill to put M-CHS up 13-6.
The Panthers would roll from there, with Pinnecoose ending the third set with an ace and a 25-12 win.
The dueling fans were in full force entering the fourth game. And the supporters chanted back and forth as their respective teams alternated runs.
M-CHS built the biggest lead of the contest when it gained a 20-16 advantage. But the tide turned in Durango’s favor.
There were a few M-CHS errors that led to Durango points. But for the most part, the Demons just played mistake-free volleyball.
The Demons were able to make plays, and they capitalized on M-CHS’ mistakes to come back and tie the game at 21.
Six points later, the two squads were knotted at 24.
Then, in control and serving, the Demons kept it simple and waited for the Panthers to slip up.
They earned their final two points off M-CHS errors to win the game 26-24 and take the match, 3-1.
