Photo by Tamie Meck Paonia’s Mandy Bushta scores on a lay-up in the first half of play against the visiting Rangely Lady Panthers. Bushta scored a team-high 18 points in the win. On Saturday, in Meeker, the Lady Eagles handed the Cowboys their first loss of the season.The Lady Eagles posted two wins over the weekend, defeating Rangely, 54-35, Friday night at home, then defeating Meeker, 47-35, at Meeker.

Three Paonia players finished with double-figure scoring, with Mandy Bushta hitting two three-pointers and scoring a team-high 18 points.

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Photo by Tamie Meck Paonia 170-pound junior Will Austin works toward a pin over Clay Smith of Berthoud in the semifinal round of the Montrose Invitational. Austin was one of five Eagle wrestlers to win a title at Montrose. Paonia placed 13 of 14 on its way to win its second team title at the Montrose meet.Will Austin was two matches away from a championship at Saturday's Montrose Invitational. He'd started the season in a bit of a slump, and was preparing to face Clay Smith of Berthoud, a wrestler he'd never faced before.

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A 26-point fourth quarter and a game-high 25 points by Josiah Spano helped give Paonia a 66-59 come-from-behind win Friday against Rangely.

Tracy Sturgis photo Guard Josiah Spano outpaces Connor Phelan of Rangely in Paonia’s win Friday over the Panthers. Spano scored a game-high 25 points in the win.Paonia was down by as many as 10 points, and trailed by six at the end of the first period following six unanswered points by the Panthers. The Eagles started picking up momentum in the second period after trailing 16-24 with 3:55 remaining in the half.

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Photo by Tamie Meck Lady Bulldog Alexis Westergren (23) blocks Paonia’s Tyler Rapke after Rapke pulled down an offensive rebound in the Lady Eagles’ 51-29 win over Hotchkiss. The two teams have one more scheduled meeting, on Feb. 19, that counts in WSL play.In their first year in class 2A competition, the Hotchkiss Lady Bulldogs are enjoying a successful season. With Western Slope league competition beginning this week, Hotchkiss has a 6-3 record that includes a season-opener loss to 3A Olathe.

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