No.1 Glenwood Springs falls to No. 4 Durango in state hockey semifinals
Taylor Cramer/Glenwood Springs Post Independent
The No. 1 Glenwood Springs Demons were handed a surprising defeat at the South Suburban Sports Complex in Highlands Ranch on Saturday, as they fell to the No. 4 Durango Demons by a score of 4-1 during the 4A Colorado state hockey playoffs.
The unexpected turn of events came after Glenwood Springs had dominated their regular season with a 15–3–1 record, including two victories over Durango (13-6) earlier in the season.
The game opened with high tension as both teams vied for dominance. Durango’s senior Lucas Betz broke the ice, scoring the first goal with 4:38 left in the first quarter, a blow to Glenwood Springs and All-State goalie, Marek Senn. Glenwood Springs responded quickly, though. With 2:25 remaining in the first quarter, senior captain Jacob Barlow found the net, assisted by Jase Joslin, leveling the score as Glenwood Springs vied for a return to the state championship, where they came up just short as state runner-ups in last year’s tournament.
But Durango was not to be outdone. Sophomore forward Wynn Daniels put Durango ahead once again with a goal at the 1:21 mark. The second quarter saw Glenwood Springs with multiple man-up opportunities, including a five-on-three, yet they were unable to capitalize. Despite both teams creating chances, the score remained 2-1 as the second quarter closed.
The third period began with Glenwood Springs down two players due to penalties, but they successfully killed off the disadvantage. Durango then extended their lead to 3-1 with a goal from junior Bryson Quimby with 5:37 left in the game. An empty net goal by Durango in the final 29.7 seconds sealed Glenwood Springs’ fate, bringing the score to 4-1.
Last year, the Glenwood Springs team lost in the finals.
After the game, Glenwood Springs’ head coach, Tim Cota, reflected on the match and the season.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game, and in my opinion, Durango was the next best team in this tournament,” he said. He acknowledged the missed opportunities, saying, “We just couldn’t put pucks in the net today. We had opportunities and we just couldn’t capitalize.”
He also shared his pride in the team’s journey and their handling of the pressure that comes with being the top seed.
“After last year, this team was really on a mission this whole year,” he said. “We knew as the number one team this year, we had a target on our back. I am really proud of how these boys handled that throughout the year.”
Glenwood Springs senior captain Jacob Barlow echoed Cota’s sentiments about Durango’s performance and the spirit of his own team.
“Durango is a good team, and you got to give them their credit,” Barlow said. He added, “Both teams had chances today, and we weren’t able to bury them and Durango was.”
Goalie Marek Senn summed up the season’s end with a note of disappointment but also a reflection on the team’s ambition.
“We knew our goal this entire season was to win a state championship, and it just sucks that we weren’t able to accomplish that goal,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for a better team to play with. We are a family. We played our hearts out until the end of the game. I am going to miss these boys.”
