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Durango High School boys soccer caps off best regular season ever with 10-0 senior night win

DHS 10-0 senior night win extra special for one Demon

With 11 consecutive wins in their back pockets and a senior class that recently won its third league title in a row, senior night was the same old story for the eighth-ranked Durango Demons boys soccer team – except for one thing.

The Demons (14-1, 7-1 4A/5A Southwestern League) recorded their 12th shutout of the season and mercy-ruled Grand Junction Central 10-0 on Friday, but it was the return of senior Cole Johnson that made the night extra special.

In his first game of the season, after working relentlessly to return from his second knee injury in three years, Johnson scored in Friday’s first minute of play and recorded a hat trick to lead the best regular-season team in school history to its 12th consecutive win.

“I’m ecstatic and just so happy to finally contribute for these guys,” said Johnson, son of Abigail and Stan Johnson. “I’ve been watching my friends and teammates I used to play with every season work their butts off and put together such an amazing season. I was just happy to be out there, and to score on my first touch of the game, that was the last thing I expected.”

The goal came in the first minute, before the clock on the scoreboard even started, as Johnson wiggled his way into great position to bury a header and start the senior night scoring parade.

In the 10th minute, senior Luke Stetler fired a blast from 25 yards out that gave Durango a 2-0 lead. Johnson added another in the 13th minute and another rout was on for the Demons.

“It was nice to get a goal, but it was nicer to see Cole in there doing what we all know he can do,” said Stetler, son of Anne and Mark Stetler.

“He’s a fantastic player, a really great asset to this team, and it’s wonderful to have him back.”

Juan Tejada scored in the 16th minute on a setup from Rodrigo Morales to make it 4-0. The favor was returned to Morales, as Elijah Fenton put a perfect cross on his foot that gave DHS a five-goal lead in the 31st minute. One minute later, senior Max Wilson made it six first-half goals for the red-hot Demons.

In the second half, Logan Fullington got in the mix to score the Demons’ seventh goal, and Johnson added the eighth shortly after to secure the hat trick. Fenton tapped in a pass from Ben Brandt to make it 9-0 before Wilson netted his second of the game to close it out 10-0 before time expired.

The 10-0 win is the team’s 12th shutout in 15 games.

At 14-1, it is the best regular-season DHS has ever had, and the seniors are the first in school history to win three consecutive league titles.

“We’ve been working together as a team and building this program up for five or six years now,” said Corbin Lyman, son of Jessica Copp and Jim Lyman. “I’m a little surprised sometimes, but when I think about the amount of work we’ve put in and the chemistry we’ve built, it’s no coincidence that we are where we are.”

Durango will host an opening-round state tournament game Wednesday but won’t know who to prepare for until the brackets are released Sunday.

“This is the first group David Williams and I have had here, and the kids bought in to us,” Durango head coach Dalon Parker said.

“When they buy in, magical things happen. It was the best regular season we’ve ever had, and I thought if we went 14-1, we’d get a No. 5 seed, so we’ll see.”

jfries@durangoherald.com



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