Durango High School’s football team is 9-1 and the No. 5 Demons have earned the right to host an opening round playoff game this Saturday at DHS. The leadership and steady play from senior quarterback Terrence Trujillo are a big reason why the Demons have been a mainstay near the top of the Colorado High School Activities Association’s Class 4A rankings for the majority of the season.

Trujillo most likely wouldn’t admit it himself, but the soft-spoken two-sport athlete has been a rock for the Demons this year.

As a senior, Trujillo has thrown 24 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions. When the opposition drops back into coverage, he has the ability to tuck the ball to his side and pick up chunks of yardage with his legs. He’s rushed for 661 yards and six touchdowns this season. The senior quarterback ranks sixth in CHSAA’s Class 4A with 2,278 total yards.

“I know that when you fail it’s supposed to be a learning experience, but I really don’t like to fail,” said Trujillo, son of Geno and Nicole Trujillo. “When I started playing football, I was a receiver and I wanted to catch touchdowns but I was better at throwing the ball. I worked hard to become the starting quarterback, just like everyone else on our team worked hard to start at their position. Nothing was ever guaranteed.”

The most memorable game of the senior’s career wasn’t this year’s miraculous 36-35 comeback against Montrose, it was a game that took place way back in his sophomore season. All the team’s quarterbacks had gotten hurt and Trujillo was thrown into the fire against a tough 5A Grand Junction team. The Demons won the game and the selfless quarterback still has the presence of mind to credit the seniors on that team two years after the game was played.

“That group of seniors had some of the best football players I ever played with,” he said. “They really set us up to be good and they paved the way for us to do what we’ve done this year.”

As a junior, Trujillo still had to wait his turn. He started the season backing up senior quarterback Hayden Sill.

“I just never gave up and I knew the only way I’d ever become a starter was to prepare and work like I was already the starter,” he said.

Eventually, the time came and he hasn’t relinquished the job since he took the reins.

When it’s time to take off the pads, Trujillo distributes the ball on the hardwood as a point guard on Durango High School’s varsity basketball team.

Interestingly enough, the beneficiary of his passing on the football field and the basketball court happen to be the same guy – fellow senior Lucas Baken.

Baken has caught 14 of the quarterback’s 24 touchdown passes this season and is Trujillo’s counterpart in the Demons’ backcourt in the winter sports season.

“I’ve been playing ball and working with Terrence since fifth grade,” said Baken after last week’s 48-6 senior night victory against Rampart. “It seems like whenever I’m open for a split second, he always hits me. He deserves all the credit. Now that we’re on the bigger stage, it’s really awesome to see how all our work has paid off.”

While many high school seniors are planning for next year and further down the road, Trujillo’s focus is solely on next week’s matchup with Aurora Central.

“It would be great to stay close to home, but I want to keep playing football,” he said. “It’s hard to even think about it right now. We’ve got a big game coming up.”

The CHSAA Class 4A playoffs begin this weekend. The Demons’ first round game against Aurora Central starts at noon Saturday at Durango High School.

jfries@durangoherald.com

Behind the scenes

Who is your favorite athlete?: John Elway.

What is your favorite sports movie?: Remember the Titans.

What is your favorite place to take a date?: Ken & Sue’s.

What song is stuck in your head right now?: Jumpman by Drake.

Which teacher has had the greatest impact on you?: Billy Bowker was a coach I had in middle school. He taught me a lot.

Who is your celebrity crush?: She’s way older than me but I’ll have to go with Jennifer Aniston.

What is your all-time favorite video game?: Call of Duty, the original Black Ops.

What place have you never been to but want to visit?: I’d like to go all over Europe, especially Rome.

Do you have any superstitions?: I have lucky socks I wear in every game. Yes, I do wash them.

What is your nickname?: It’s pretty simple. Everyone calls me “T”.