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Glenwood Springs Demons sweep past Eagle Valley Devils hoops

Eagle Valley's Carlos Quezada goes for a layup against Glenwood Springs on Thursday, Feb. 1, in Gypsum. Eagle Valley lost to the Demons, 92-54.
Chris Dillmann | cdillmann@vaildaily.com |

GYPSUM — It isn’t boring.

League-leading Glenwood Springs boys basketball continued its march to a 4A Slope title with a 92-54 win over Eagle Valley on Thursday, Feb. 1, in Gypsum.

But as the season progresses, the Devils (5-14 overall and 3-5 in the Slope), are starting to see how the system they’re running can work.



The Demons are a better team, as evidenced by a 94-31 thrashing of the Devils on the other side of the canyon last month, but there were times on Thursday Eagle Valley made a game of it.

“(Glenwood coach) Corey (Hitchcock) has been running his system to the point that they’re a well-oiled machine,” Devils coach Chris Walls said. “We’re still like a half year into running our system. We’re trying to navigate the ups and downs. More than anything, we’ve got to learn how to shut down the other team’s (fast)break. We just kind of handed it to them. But you’ve got to give credit to Corey’s team.”

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When Eagle Valley got the 3 cranking, they had the Demons worried. Glenwood led 14-5 early, and Jacob Medina caught fire, hitting four 3s during the first eight minutes alone, and the two teams were tied at 17 after one. Medina finished the night with 28 points.

One of the things that Eagle Valley has to fix in its uptempo play is fouls. Not only do the Devils seem to get into the bonus and double bonus awfully quickly, but on Thursday, those fouls went to key players.

Raul Pereida picked up three quick fouls during the first quarter and sat for most of the first half. Teammate Tony Hernandez got to three early in the second quarter, and the pine awaited.

Eagle Valley needs these guys on the floor. In a related development, the Demons put up 33 points during the second quarter and led 50-29 at the half.

“It’s something we talk about,” Walls said. “We know we’re going to be in foul trouble the way we play, but we’re in foul trouble too early.”

While the second quarter went decidedly in the Demons’ favor, the visitors did learn the Devils have a diamond in the rough in freshman Carlos Sanchez.

“He brings energy,” Walls said. “His style fits us and the bright lights don’t bother him.”

The kid who’s moved up from junior varsity, has the moves and the shot to stick with the big boys. During that second quarter he broke the ankles of a Demons’ defender with a move and drained a 3 with the Eagle Valley student section helpfully chanting, “He’s a freshman.”

A.J. Crowley (14 points) led the way for Glenwood (15-4, 8-0).

Demons run past Lady Devils

Hey, the Frito chili pie was good.

Most of it was on Duke Bartlett’s face during Thursday’s Glenwood Springs-Eagle Valley girls basketball game, a 51-31 Demons’ win.

It is about the little things for Eagle Valley (4-15, 2-6) at this point, and ball-game food should be savored even though some of it missed its mark.

Glenwood Springs (11-8, 6-2) busted the game open with a 14-0 during the second quarter. The Demons’ full-court press sparked the outburst. Maddie Bolitho (steal and a layup) and Ximena Gutierrez (putback) got Glenwood going,

Bolitho hit the first of her four 3s, and then fed Gutierrez for an easy bucket. Ashley Barragan’s layup staked the Demons to a 20-2 lead.

After The Great Frito Chili Pie Feast of 2018 for Duke, 3, the Devils did show some fight and this is the lesson for the team — keep going. Senior Cassie Jaramillo was diving to the floor for a loose ball during the fourth quarter with her team down by 17. Reagan Bossow keeps shooting and led the Devils with 12 points.

Junior Kaitlyn Medina has stepped up this season, increasing her role with the team, as are Maddy Callis and Cody Eaton, just to name a few.

Glenwood Springs’ teams head home for games against Summit County on Tuesday, Feb. 6, while the Devils are back in action in Gypsum against Steamboat Springs on Saturday, Feb. 3.

Sports Editor Chris Freud can be reached at 970-748-2934, cfreud@vaildaily.com and @cfreud.


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