Fruita Monument kicked off, played the ball back and methodically worked the ball down the field into a scoring position. An offensive player got the ball on his foot, but, before he could even look up toward goal, Durango’s Vance Bulen came sliding in to win the ball and shut down the threat.
The Wildcats would go another 79 minutes without a scoring opportunity as good.
Bulen’s defensive play and two goals by junior Connor Henry sent the Durango High School boys soccer team to a 2-1 win against Fruita Monument on Friday at the Riverview Soccer Complex in Durango. The win gave the Demons a second consecutive Class 4A/5A Southwestern League Championship and an 11-3-1 overall record to end the regular season.
“We’re helping our team with a tradition now with two league titles,” said Henry, son of Alain and Elizabeth Henry. “I’ve got another year in me, and I want to add another league title at the end of that. It’s great to know how good our program is.”
After Bulen’s slide tackle, Fruita Monument was held without a true shot in the first half. He set the tone.
“I love doing stuff like that,” the son of David and Janine Bulen said, “giving the tone out there that we aren’t messing around.”
The offense responded with Henry’s first goal in the 19th minute. He was on the receiving end of a perfectly played free kick by Jared Webster that bent as it traveled through the 18-yard box before finding Henry’s right foot.
Henry added another goal in the second half with a slick assist from freshman Jack Beattie.
Beattie dribbled around his defender and looked to have a clean look at goal, but he made the unselfish play to pass it to Henry, who finished with ease.
“I haven’t had a whole bunch of goals this season, but the team is connecting really well and the offensive line is creating good opportunities,” said Henry, who now has four goals this season. “We needed to put away our chances to win this game, and that’s what we did.”
Durango’s leading scorer, sophomore Elijah Fenton, had two chances to add to his 12 goals this season but hit the left post on both occasions. One shot was barely deflected by the Fruita Monument goalkeeper to send it to the post.
Fruita Monument didn’t score until stoppage time. Whistles were sounded several times on Durango in the game’s final 10 minutes, and one Fruita Monument free kick found the back of the net, as sophomore Sam Pflug bent a shot that snuck in.
The Wildcats (6-9, 3-5 SWL) tried to send passes over the top of the Durango defense, but all too often Bulen was there to head the ball away.
“That’s my job as a center back. A lot of teams we play, they like to send that big ball,” Bulen said. “The center back’s job is to get that ball out.”
Bulen has been dealing with a minor leg injury, and head coach Dalon Parker was supposed to watch his minutes, but Parker admitted it was hard to take Bulen out until DHS had a 2-0 lead because of how well he was playing.
“He’s been on fire,” Parker said of the senior. “He’s one of those kids that wants to play all the time and does very well. He’s our leader back there. He’s not big in stature, but he cleans up everything and the guys rally around him.”
Durango finished one game ahead of Grand Junction for the league title and had already beat Montrose to finish as the top Class 4A team in the league.
Next up is the state bracket release Sunday. Parker said he has given up on trying to predict where his team might be seeded and will wait with everyone else to see the team’s fate.
“I think we deserve to get an eight-seed and a chance at multiple home games, but knowing me it will probably be a 16 and we’ll be on the road and I’ll be stressed out,” he said. “At the end of the day, we won’t get the recognition we deserve until we make it to the third round, fourth round and state finals. Once we get there, they’ll start looking at Durango.”
Until then, the Demons are going to celebrate another hard-fought league title that Parker said the team truly earned this season.
“It’s awesome, and I’m glad to get my second one,” Bulen said. “It’s a big joy. I love playing soccer and wouldn’t want to play with any other high school.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
