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  Home Page » Sports » High School » Durango Demon Football Team 80 20 And H1N1

Durango Demon football team: 8-0, 2-0 and H1N1

Undefeated football team battles influenza, now G.J. Central

by Matthew Piper
Herald Sports Writer

There are no sick days in high school football.

With H1N1 and seasonal flu making rounds through Southwestern League lineups, the 8-0 Durango High School team overcame a shortage of bodies and antibodies in a 27-21 win over visiting Fossil Ridge last Friday.

Only 24 players - JV included - dressed for that week's practice, but the Demons wheezed their way past the Sabercats to remain unbeaten for tonight's penultimate regular-season game against Grand Junction Central (7 p.m. at DHS stadium).

"We're getting better, most of the kids are back," DHS head coach Greg Wyatt said between coughs Thursday. "We still have some coughing and stuff like that, but everybody's showing up for practice." DHS (2-0 SWL) virtually is assured a trip to the state tournament with a No. 4 ranking in the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 4A wild card points, but its immediate aim is to win the league title.

Meanwhile, the Warriors (3-5 overall, 1-2 SWL) may have seen their 5A playoff dreams dashed with a 24-21 loss to the cross-town Grand Junction Tigers last weekend that marked their second consecutive three-point defeat.

"Whether in or out of the playoffs, I don't think it's going to matter for them, they just want to come beat Durango," Wyatt said. "I see every game that we play from here on out as being a huge challenge for us, and Central is right in that category." Both teams enter today's action averaging 182 rushing yards per game, and a trio of ground threats lurks on either sideline.

Seniors Gus Barnes (711 yards, 11 TDs), A.J. Anderson (344 yards, 2 TDs) and Jordan Gillen (279 yards, 5 TDs) often occupy the same backfield for the Demons, all three possessing blazing speed and big-play ability.

With 367 rushing yards and a score, 6-foot-2 quarterback Holden Reed is Central's version of Gillen: a mobile, heady senior tasked with marshalling the attack.

Senior Josh Buniger is the Warriors' leading rusher with 565 yards on just 86 carries, scoring six touchdowns despite missing last week's game against Grand Junction with a high ankle sprain.

The downhill, smash-mouth runner's absence meant more touches for dart-like senior Vandon Sanchez, who compiled 153 yards to reach 339 on the season - with an outlandish average of more than 7.5 yards per rush.

DHS will try to limit the effectiveness of the Warriors' hydra-like run game by continuing its penchant for pinning opponents deep within their half of the field.

The Demons have started 93 drives from an average of their own 44-yard line, while opponents have taken over at their own 26.

"It's something that I've really worked on, and it's something that I've focused on," Wyatt said. "I know that every offensive series we're not going to overpower people, and so we're trying to get field position. We've got a strong punter, and we know we have a pretty good defense, so if we can keep them on their end of the field, we've got a chance - with our athletes - to make something happen." Helping matters, DHS also owns a plus-14 turnover margin and has committed just five of its own.

"We've really worked on that - not only as a defense, going after the ball and being aggressive, but as an offense," Wyatt said. "That's where we've made some of the biggest strides, securing the football." Last week's 21 were the most points allowed by the Demons, who have given up just six in the third quarter all year. Their fleet secondary has held opponents to just less than 80 yards passing per game, and Barnes, Gillen and fellow senior Kaelen Waters all have returned interceptions for a touchdown.

"They've gotten better every week, and I thought this past week was one of their best weeks in terms of pass coverage," Wyatt said of a group that has intercepted 13 passes.

"You can't teach speed, and those guys have it. We've tried to work with them all year on technique, because speed alone won't cover a receiver. A slow receiver can still beat a faster defensive back if his technique is poor." Pressuring the opposing quarterbacks into mistakes has been a defense that's totaled 17 sacks and brought constant pressure. Senior Dillon Lammon and junior Matt Singley tie for the team lead with four sacks each.

"I've been really impressed with those two (outside linebackers)," Wyatt said. "They've had a lot of assignments. They have run responsibility first, then rush the passer, and in some places, they do have to drop back into pass coverage, too." Just as they do on offense, Central mirrors Durango's signature on defense: They rush from all angles and force follies.

Senior linebacker Josh Wells has eight sacks, junior Devon Wolff has six, and the Warriors have grabbed 12 interceptions this year.

"They're a good team," Wyatt said. "Three points here or there and they would be 5-3. We'll have to be at our best to beat them." DHS wraps up its season next Friday on the road against conference contenders Montrose, which at 7-1 only has lost to Rock Canyon and beat Central 34-31 on Oct. 16.

mpiper@durangoherald.com