Some teams are different when they play at home, and that’s certainly the case of the Durango High School football team.
Durango is unbeaten when playing on its home field this season, and the No. 14 Demons have a chance to keep its winning streak alive when they host No. 5 Erie in the second round of the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 3A State Playoffs Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon.
The mood among the Demons has been bright since they learned they’d be hosting last weekend.
“Just to play in front of our home crowd, they love it – and it’s tough to beat us here,” DHS head coach David Vogt said. “They’re fired up.”
In their five home games this season, the Demons have outscored opponents 158-20 with three shutouts.
“A big thing is we just draw energy from each other, and as a community we get a lot of energy from the student section, our parents and all the love we get from everybody,” DHS senior captain Manasseh Brockus said of the Demons’ success at home. “It gets loud, it’s fun – it’s unexplainable. It’s an amazing feeling playing in front of your home crowd. Nothing beats it.”
The Demons dominance at home goes beyond the 2017 season.
During Vogt’s tenure – he took over at DHS in 2013 – the Demons are 23-4 at home.
For Brockus and the rest of the seniors on the roster, the game against Erie could be their last in front of the DHS crowd. If it is, they want to be sure they give the Demon faithful a game the fans can be proud of.
“Everything we do is for this community and our parents. It’s all for everyone else who has gotten us here,” Brockus said.
“That’s who we play for and we’re gonna play our hearts out for everybody.”
kschneider@durangoherald.com
If you go
Who: No. 5 Erie at No. 13 Durango
What: CHSAA Class 3A State Football Playoffs
When: Noon Saturday
Where: Durango High School
Listen Live: KKDG 99.7 FM
Twitter: @karltschneider
Tickets: Gate opens at 11 a.m. Prices are $8 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. Season passes will not be accepted, only CHSAA passes. Tickets can be bought with credit cards at the ticket booth.
