Members of Durango’s Young America Football League got a lesson outside of football during the teams’ weekly games.
Last Saturday, YAFL held a balloon release in honor of Kristen Dugan, who died last year. Dugan’s sons, Tyler and Ryan, play YAFL while her husband Jeremy coaches the third-grade team. This year, all players wear a KD patch on their shoulder and during the weekend coaches talked to players about the importance of family and how relationships off the field are far more important and valuable than the action that takes place on the field.
It was another great weekend for the five Durango YAFL teams after four of the teams came away victorious.
The third-grade Demons shutout the Farmington Furry 34-0 for the Demons’ second consecutive shutout.
Carter Koch and the Durango defensive line stuffed the run, while Tyler Dugan and Keenan Aragon cleaned up any Farmington players who tried to get outside.
Offensively, the Demons found success on the ground and in the air. Grady Feeney ran for two touchdowns and threw one score to Blaze Aguliar.
Aragon’s performance on defense carried over to the offense with two rushing touchdowns.
The Demons will play at Kirtland on Saturday.
The fifth-graders notched their third shutout in a row with a 27-0 win against the Farmington Lobos.
The Demons’ defense kept the Lobos’ running attack in check and saw Marley Linch light up the Lobos for a safety in the third quarter.
Durango’s offensive line won the battle in the trenches and opened up holes for four rushing touchdowns. Cole Pontine ran for 110 yards and two TDs. Cully Feeney and Ryan Dugan also scored on the ground.
The Demons have a bye this weekend and will host the Farmington Spartans on Sept. 23.
In the second-grade game, Durango held off Kirtland 28-20.
Jerad Lopez led the Demons’ offense with three touchdowns and had one defensive touchdown.
Brayan Hernandez-Martinez controlled matters on the defensive side of the ball with a forced fumble and a safety.
The second-graders will play the Farmington Crush on Saturday in Farmington.
After a loss last week, the fourth-grade team bounced back with an 18-0 win against Kirtland.
The Demons’ defense, which was led by Tatum Rose, was an unstoppable force and held Kirtland without a first down in the game. Steven Gallegos recorded the first sack of the season for the Demons.
The Demons also came up with four fumble recoveries by Landin Padilla, Zane Pontine, Cooper Mitchell and Titus Webb.
All three Durango touchdowns came on the ground. Rose, Nathan Beal and Brady Hoerl had rushing touchdowns.
The Demons will play Aztec on Saturday in Aztec.
The sixth-grade team was the only squad to suffer defeat during the weekend with an 18-6 loss to Bayfield.
Quarterback Tyler Harms found Jaxon Fancher for a 49-yard touchdown, the Demons’ lone score of the game.
Bayfield’s big defense gave the Demons problems. Bayfield hit Durango for three sacks in the game.
Durango will play the Farmington Sting on Saturday in Farmington.
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
