Summer is here and the spring high school sports season ended weeks ago. Therefore, it’s a good time to look at some of Durango High School’s most successful spring athletes and decide who was the best.
The Demons had a lot of team success in the spring, with every team going to state or having individuals represent a Durango team. On all these teams, some athletes separated themselves from the others as players, leaders and teammates who made their team successful.
Durango had seven teams participate in spring sports, with girls golf doing the best by finishing second at state. Girls soccer made it to the state quarterfinals and baseball won its regional in upset fashion.
Out of the Demons’ seven spring sports, here are the five nominees for Durango High School’s best spring athlete.
Senior hurdler Xavier Sutherlin had high expectations after finishing ninth in the 110-meter hurdles in 4A at state as a junior. He did even better as a senior.
Sutherlin was one of Durango’s premier track and field athletes and ended his career as a Demon third in the Class 4A 110 hurdles in 14.58 seconds at the 4A state championships at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood on May 15-17.
He was the highest finisher at state for Durango High track and field and was the lone member of the track and field team to make first team all-state.
Sutherlin won multiple 110 hurdle races this season and even won in the 300 hurdles this year.
Known for his work ethic in the offseason to elevate himself to an elite hurdler, Sutherlin will be tough to replace next year as he moves on to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s Western Colorado to compete in track and field.
Senior girls golfer Ellie White had a fantastic high school golf career and ended her senior year with individual and team success.
White finished tied-seventh at state with a score of 25 over par after 36 holes of golf. She earned first team all-state honors for that finish and won Southwestern League Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
It was a fitting end to White’s esteemed high school career since she’s led the Demons in countless tournaments in her four-year varsity career. During her senior year, she was almost always shooting in the high 70s, low 80s and had plenty of top 10 finishes.
Durango girls golf head coach Kirk Rawles estimated that White traveled 20,000 miles to play in high school tournaments during her four-year high school career. He complimented White on how she always went the extra mile with her excellent attitude, willingness to take on challenges and commitment to the team.
Rawles will have a difficult time replacing White’s consistency and skill level she showed over her four-year career. White isn’t going far for college as she’ll tee it up for the Fort Lewis College women’s golf team.
Junior Dawson McInnes was a huge part of Durango High School baseball’s turnaround this season.
The Demons were 8-15 overall and 0-8 in the 4A/5A Southwestern League in 2024. Durango flipped the script in 2025 with new head coach Masen Hibbeler and the Demons went 15-10, won their regional and made it to the state championship for the first time since 2014.
McInnes was a big part of the turnaround as he played very well under Hibbeler’s tutelage and played Hibbeler’s aggressive brand of baseball.
Listed at 6-foot-2-inches and 185 pounds during football season in the fall, McInnes put his strong frame to good use pitching and hitting for the Demons. He led the team with a 0.427 batting average, 32 hits, was tied for the most RBIs with 24 and was third on the team with 24 hits. He had three hits in three games and three RBIs in two games.
On the mound, McInnes led the team with 42 strikeouts and was second with a 3.88 ERA. He had a season-high 10 strikeouts against Grand Junction Central.
McInnes earned honorable mention all-state and was first team all-league for his efforts this season. McInnes is the first junior listed and could be in store for a huge senior season. The Western Slope and all of Colorado should be on the lookout for McInnes and the Demons next season.
Senior Silvie Bosmans has been a crucial piece of Durango girls lacrosse’s offense the past three years. She’s had at least 23 points in her last three seasons and ended her high school career with a team-high 40 points on 34 goals and six assists.
Bosmans’ success translated into team success. The Demons finished 11-4 this spring and 6-2 in the 4A Mountain West League, winning their first league championship in program history. Durango earned a home playoff game and won in the first round before losing on the road to Aspen.
The Demons had a well-balanced offensive attack, but Bosmans always did her part with draw control. She either won the ball to herself and started a fast break or she flicked it out to her teammates on the wing for an easy ground ball.
Bosmans really showed her entire offensive skill set in the first round against St. Mary’s Academy when she finished with a season-high five goals and three assists for eight points in Durango’s dominant 20-4 win.
She earned honorable mention all-state honors and was first team all-league after a great final season of high school lacrosse.
Senior Lauren McClellan was a threat from all over the field for Durango girls soccer this spring.
On offense, McClellan could score on set pieces or set up teammates. She then could make some great tackles and cause turnovers with her defensive skills.
As a defensive midfielder, McClellan finished with four goals and two assists. She was also a key reason Durango had a 14-game stretch where it allowed one goal or less in each game before losing 3-0 to Lutheran in the 4A state quarterfinals.
Durango’s seniors finished their career with a fantastic season, finishing 14-4 overall, 10-0 in the 4A/5A Southwestern League and the Demons advanced to the 4A quarterfinal where they lost to Lutheran 3-0.
McClellan was the only girls soccer player to make second team all-state; she also made first team all-league.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
