4A WESTERN SLOPE CHAMPIONSHIPS — SUMMIT HS SWIM AND DIVE TEAM

The league championships for Lady Tigers swimming and diving, hosted at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. The meet was attended by 12 total teams from across the region, including Grand Junction-area schools like Fruita Monument and Palisade. Summit senior captain Maddy O’Malley next heads to the 4A state championships in Thornton on Feb. 12-13 for the girl’s backstroke finals.

Overall girl’s team (points)

1. Glenwood Springs, 471

2. Durango, 374

3. Aspen, 340

8. Summit, 106

200-yard medley relay (16 teams total)

1. Aspen, 1:48.63

2. Durango, 1:53.55

3. Glenwood, 1:54.71

8. Summit, 2:06.22

1 meter diving (points)

1. Brittany Bell, Fruita — 310.65

2. Kylie Behn, Durango — 307.55

3. Abby Hiller, Summit — 305.65

10. Abby Charneskie, Summit — 197.35

Laurel Bonner, Summit — DQ

BRECK BUCKS VS. PIKES PEAK MINERS — FEB. 4-6

The Bucks were in action three times last weekend against No. 2 Pikes Peak Miners, playing a Thursday makeup match before the normal Friday-Saturday series.

With the playoffs looming on the horizon, the Bucks were looking to improve their record and solidify their third place standing in the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League. The Bucks have played tight with the Miners in the past, and that provided them with motivation to play hard for a chance at the first-ever RMJHL post-season.

The Bucks struck first in the Thursday game on a goal by Drake Cole. The Miners responded less than a minute later to tie the game. The Bucks once again took the lead, as Anthony Flores put the Bucks ahead 2-1 to end the first period.

The roles were reversed in the second period, as the Miners scored two goals to the Bucks one. The game headed into the third period tied at three apiece. In the third each team scored again, with the Bucks’ Jake Wener putting his team ahead before the Miners found an equalizing goal from Paul Norris.

Like the past two matchups, the Bucks and Miners went to an extra frame and, after a scoreless overtime, a shootout. The Bucks have won the past two, but this time luck wasn’t on their side and they lost, 4-5.

Thursday’s close contest left the Bucks excited about the possibility of winning two more over the weekend. The Miners had other plans on Friday, and after spotting the Bucks two first-period goals (and a 2-1 advantage) they put the hammer down in the next two periods, scoring seven unanswered goals as they silenced the Bucks, 8-2.

The third game of the weekend was liable to get a bit rough, with two closely matched rivals squaring up for the third time in as many days. As was to be expected, the first period saw the referees dish out 10 penalties while the game stayed close at one goal apiece. Then the game began to open up and the Miners found their stride, scoring three times in the second to the Bucks two. The ice tilted even more in the third as the Miners scored three more times on their way to a 7-3 victory, outshooting the bucks 39-30 in the process.

The spirited contests between the Bucks and Miners set up quite the potential playoff story. In the event that they meet in the second round of playoffs, expect a heated contest with back-and-forth hockey — and a tradition of shootouts.

The Bucks are back in action at home this weekend against the Colorado Rampage. Puck drops at 7:50pm on Friday, Feb. 12. — WREN M. ARBUTHNOT

Thursday

Score 1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Final

Bucks 2 1 1 0 0 4

Miners 1 2 1 0 1 5

Friday

Score 1st 2nd 3rd Final

Bucks 2 0 0 2

Miners 1 3 4 8

Saturday

Score 1st 2nd 3rd Final

Bucks 1 2 0 3

Miners 1 3 3 7