The Glenwood Springs High School girls tennis No. 1 doubles team of Ella Henderson and Emily DeMoraes won two matches at the 3A State Tennis Championships in Colorado Springs before bowing out in the Saturday semifinals.

The lone state qualifiers for the Lady Demons out of last week’s 3A Regionals finished the season with a 9-3 record.

At the state meet on Friday, Henderson and DeMoraes defeated the St. Mary’s team of Elizabeth Brodeur and Roni Hennessey by scores of 6-0, 6-4, and dispatched Aspen’s Sadie Bayko and Sonya Tralins, 6-3, 6-0, to advance to the Saturday semifinals.

There, they fell to the eventual runner-up team of Sarah Preston and Bella Vogl of the Colorado Academy, 1-6, 4-6.

Demons lacrosse just misses playoffs

The Glenwood Springs High School boys lacrosse team wrapped up the regular season Friday with a disappointing 13-6 defeat to top-ranked Telluride at Stubler Memorial Field.

The Demons finished just out of the running for the 4A playoffs at No. 15, as brackets for the 12-team tournament were announced Sunday. Glenwood concludes with a record of 5-4.

Against Telluride, Glenwood senior goalie Peter Zimmer recorded 24 saves, attackman Connor Powell had three goals and one assist, midfielder Cody Thompson had two goals, and defenseman Teegan Card had an end-to-end dash, scoring his first goal of the season when the Demons got to within four in the third quarter.

Despite winning the ground-ball battle 44-28, the Demons were challenged to clear the ball successfully in the second half and turnovers led to Telluride pulling away.

“Not how we wanted to finish, but we’re so proud of our boys this season. Despite not reaching the post-season, we accomplished plenty and are excited for the future of this program,” head coach Joe Lang said.

The loss came following a sound victory Thursday against visiting Montrose, 13-9, off of a six-point effort from Powell (three goals, three assists).

Jamie Dolan also had three goals and two assists, Thompson had three goals, and Demons Owen Mangeot, Dylan Madden, Tyler Johnson and Davis Barill each had a goal. The Demons won the ground ball battle 44-30.

“There are plenty of positives to build off of,“ Lang added. ”Our graduating senior class of nine provided leadership and heart all season and have set a great tone for the underclassmen to take us to a new standard here starting the next school year.“

Graduating seniors on the combined schools team include Connor Powell (GSHS), Cody Thompson (BHS), Davis Barill (BHS), Owen Mangeot (GSHS), Jeff Lowe (GSHS), Teegan Card (BHS), Mahlon Mitzel (GSHS), Peter Zimmer (BHS) and Nolan McPherson (GSHS).

Demons baseball splits with Eagle Valley

The GSHS baseball team closed out the season with a double-header split against Eagle Valley at home on Saturday. The Demons won the opener 11-7, but fell to the Devils 15-13 in the nightcap.

Game 1 saw the Demons open a 5-0 lead after the first and tack on six more runs in the fourth to take the 11-2 lead and hold on for the win.

Glenwood junior Mims Braxton went 1-for-4 at the plate, drove in two runs and also scored a run to lead the Demons offense. RBIs also came from senior Garret Dollahan, juniors Cooper Luetke and Evan Heyl, and sophomore Avner Mangeot. Senior Wheatley Nieslanik got the pitching win, giving up five hits, five runs and striking out nine.

It was Eagle Valley that claimed the 7-4 lead through three innings of Game 2, before the host Demons uncorked for six runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 10-7 lead.

Both teams added a run in the fifth and two each in the sixth, before Eagle Valley broke it open with a 5-0 seventh inning to earn the win.

Leading the Demon offense were seniors Mario Starszak, who went 2-for-4 with four runs batted in; Ian Cecil, who went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored; and Wheatley Nieslanik, 4-for-4, two runs and two RBIs.

Luetke also had a pair of RBIs, and senior Zach Cecil had one for the game.

The Demons conclude the season at 6-9 overall and 6-6 in the 4A Western Slope League.

It was the final game in a Demons jersey for graduated seniors Mario Starszak, Zack and Ian Cecil, Wheatley Nieslanik, Tyler Thomas, Garret Dollahan and Anthony Avilas.

Senior Reporter/Managing Editor John Stroud can be reached at 970-384-9160 or jstroud@postindependent.com.