Durango hit the road hoping for at least a doubleheader split on the Front Range.
The Demons delivered just that with a 14-7 boys lacrosse victory Saturday at Pueblo West.
“It was a heck of a game with six lead changes,” DHS head coach John Robinette said. “Our goalie, Walker Brown, made six saves in the fourth quarter and 16 saves in the game; it was his best game of the year, and it pumped everyone up.”
DHS (5-2, 2-1 Mountain League) scored the game’s final seven goals to break a third-quarter tie and run away with the victory. It came one night after the Demons were stumped 14-5 by powerhouse Valor Christian in Denver.
The game was tied 4-4 at halftime, and Robinette implored his team to own the third quarter, which the team has done all season. But Pueblo West (0-5) scored 12 seconds into the second half. The Cyclones’ lead didn’t last long, though, as the Demons answered 20 seconds later.
DHS was missing four midfielders because of ACT testing, but a short bench rose to the occasion.
Jacob Boyle led the Demons in points with three goals and two assists, while winning six groundballs. Wesley Komick scored a hat trick, and Liam Millar had two goals and two assists.
Jared Cook came through with two goals and one assists; Kyle Robinette had two goals and one assist, while leading the team with 11 groundballs; and Duncan Whitley had two goals and seven groundballs.
The Demons outshot the Cyclones 42-31 and collected 20 more groundballs.
Robinette said Pueblo West was able to hang around largely because of the Cyclones’ ability in the faceoff circle, winning 15 more faceoffs than the Demons.
The weekend trip was the final overnight trip of the season for the Demons, who will return home at 4 p.m. Friday to face Mountain League power Aspen (9-1, 5-0 ML).
“We are definitely looking forward to that game, and it should be an epic test,” Robinette said. “The kids can’t wait to play Aspen in front of their friends and family at home. Then, Saturday, we have Glenwood Springs. They both will be huge challenges. Aspen handed it to us last year, so we’ve got a chip on our shoulders going in against those guys.”
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
