Grand Junction Girls LAX Battles Through Grueling Doubleheader

Gallery • 3 Photos

Natalee Benjamin

Grand Junction Girls Lacrosse team prepping for the game

The Grand Junction High School conjoined Palisade and Central High School girls lacrosse team opened its 2026 season with a demanding road trip to Colorado Springs on March 7th, facing two 4A/5A Mountain League powerhouse teams in back-to-back games. Despite the challenging trials, the Tigers showed grit and determination throughout the day. Grand Junction began the afternoon against Cheyenne Mountain, a team known for its disciplined play. The Tigers kept up with the game early on, but Cheyenne Mountain’s offensive pressure eventually broke through, handing Grand Junction a 16-3 loss. Senior Zoanne Smith mentions the experience of the back-to-back game, saying,“ Last year we played Cheyenne Mountain, we lost to them, and I think that we had a lot of ambition and drive to beat them this year. Considering the different natures of our 2 teams and how teams in Denver play versus how we play down here, I think we were caught off guard, and we weren’t able to come back in the 4th quarter. At that point, there was nothing we could do, but this game was definitely a lesson to us.” Smith reflects on the matchup by noticing that last year’s loss to Cheyenne Mountain fueled the team’s determination heading into this season, as well as adding how the Denver community produces a wider variety of athletes, creating a much stronger team with the contrasting styles of play between Western Slope programs and Denver area teams, which created challenges the girls weren’t expecting. Grand Junction struggled to bring it back in the fourth quarter, emphasizing that the game served as an important learning experience and stepping stone for the program’s continued growth. With little time to recover, the Tigers returned to the field for their second matchup, this time against Pine Creek High School. The girls still showed up and competed, pushing through the physical pace and fast transitions of the Eagles’ attack. Pine Creek secured a 16-2 victory, but the Tigers’ resilience stood out as they continued to battle until the final whistle. Though the scoreboard didn’t tilt in their favor, Grand Junction used the trip as an early-season measuring stick against two of the region’s toughest opponents. The Tigers returned home with lessons learned and eyes on improvement as they prepare for their next matchup on April 4th, at 12:30 pm against Montrose High School here at Longs Family Memorial Park. Go Tigers!