The Durango High School defense scored more points than its offense Friday night in Monument.

DHS (3-4, 1-1 Pikes Peak League) struggled with its first long road trip in its new league with a 45-2 blowout loss against Palmer Ridge, who celebrated homecoming night in thick fog that made passing the ball a challenge.

The Palmer Ridge Bears (4-3, 1-1 PPL) scored first on a 2-play, 99-yard drive thanks to a 98-yard touchdown pass from Isaiah Sanders to tight end Matt Kostenbauer, who was left all alone and sprinted ahead for the touchdown.

DHS answered when a turnover on downs gave the Bears the ball on their own 5-yard line. DHS stuffed the Palmer Ridge run in its own endzone for a safety, the Demons’ only two points of the game.

It was the second safety of the season for the Demons’ defense, with the other coming in a home win against Farmington, New Mexico.

The Demons were set up inside their opponent’s territory twice in the first half but couldn’t produce any points. DHS drove the ball well with its running game but simply couldn’t convert on third and fourth downs.

Sanders hit Caleb Ojennes on a 35-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, and a successful 2-point conversion made it 15-2 Bears at halftime.

DHS suffered its biggest loss of the game in the second half, when star wide receiver Lucas Baken left the game with an apparent wrist injury.

The Demons never recovered from losing Baken, especially with senior wide receiver Justin Marcum suspended after being ejected from a game against Liberty a week earlier. With no offense, the 15-2 deficit was too large to overcome, and the Bears went on to rout the Demons in the second half.

Palmer Ridge wide receiver Braden Burson and Sanders torched the DHS defense the rest of the second half.

DHS football will return home for a game 6 p.m. Friday against defending champion and No. 1 Pine Creek Eagles (7-0, 2-0 PPL).

DHS football head coach David Vogt did not return a call from The Durango Herald seeking comment.

jlivingston@ durangoherald.com