Spectators, players and coaches in the Dolores gym were on the edge of their seats in anticipation on Tuesday night, Feb. 12, when the Dolores Bears played Norwood.
The games started at 4 p.m., and the JV Lady Bears hit the floor first and won. The JV boys lost.
They were followed by the Varsity girls, who played very strong but lost a close game.
"We came out strong and played our hearts out," said Coach Tim Kercher.
The first quarter Dolores led 18-11 but Norwood quickly caught up. However, the girls did not let that get them down, and the season isn't over yet.
"They did great," said Kercher. "If we play like this going forward, we are going to be tough to beat. We just need to eliminate some small breakdowns here and there."
The team has been improving all season, as Kercher said, "I have a lot of confidence in our girls. We've been playing well lately."
The ending score was 49-56 but the girls did not go down without a fight.
"It was a battle from start to finish, as we expected. But it's one of those games a team can learn from. This game will make us a better team," said Kercher.
The Norwood girls went into the game undefeated and came out undefeated.
The Varsity boys won their game 60-50. They led in the first quarter, 16-13. By halftime they were down 27-33 but were fired up for the second half and took the game, scoring 33 points in the last two quarters. The Dolores boys are now ranked 2nd in the 1A/2A San Juan Basin League.
The Bears play again Saturday, Feb. 16 in Mancos. Games start at 2 p.m.