Aguilar Falls to Manzanola in Las Animas County Weekly Basketball Roundup

Manzanola traveled to Aguilar and came away with a 52-39 victory on Wednesday, a result that punctuated a week of travel and competition for small schools across Las Animas County and southeast Colorado. The week’s slate also saw Las Animas pick up a 61-41 win over Rocky Ford on Jan. 13 and a narrow 38-36 victory against Swallows Charter Academy on Jan. 15 before dropping a 39-69 contest at Evangel Christian Academy on Jan. 17.

The scores reflect more than wins and losses for communities where high school basketball is a central social lifeline. Games bring families, neighbors, and alumni together in gymnasiums that double as civic spaces - an important source of social cohesion in towns like Manzanola, Aguilar and Las Animas. For young athletes, each outing is a chance to build physical fitness, learn teamwork, and connect with mentors at a moment when rural mental health and youth engagement remain critical local public health concerns.

Las Animas' early season showed promise as the Class 2A program recorded multiple victories and a close contest with Swallows Charter, but the 39-69 setback against Evangel Christian underscored competitive disparities that can emerge as smaller programs face well-resourced opponents. Those disparities carry policy implications: travel budgets, access to athletic trainers and timely medical care during and after games, and funding for youth programs influence both performance and player safety. In rural counties, limited local health and sports medicine resources can increase strain on families and school staff when injuries occur or when athletes need follow-up care.

Manzanola’s win at Aguilar and Las Animas’ results also highlight the logistical demands on student-athletes who balance long bus trips with academics and part-time jobs. Those burdens are magnified in counties with sparse public transit and longer travel distances to regional competitions. Supporting youth sports means more than cheering from the bleachers; it calls for attention from school boards and county officials to transportation funding, coordinated access to health services, and equitable allocation of resources across small districts.

For residents, the coming weeks will offer more chances to rally behind local teams as schedules tighten and league play heats up. Attendance at home games continues to be a practical way to support students and volunteer programs that keep athletics running. Sustaining those rallies will require ongoing community investment in the health and safety of young athletes, and in policies that level the playing field for all Las Animas County schools.