There’s nothing quite like peaking at the right time.
But heading into the Class 4A District 4 tournament last weekend, the Durango High School baseball team didn’t exactly look primed for a breakout.
After all, the Demons had finished the season on a 4-9 stretch after starting 5-1.
Looks can be deceiving, though.
Durango rallied to beat Niwot 14-9 behind an 11-run sixth inning, then coupled that offensive effort with strong pitching by Ben Wiley to top Pueblo East 9-0 to advance to the state tournament for the first time under the district-state format and first time overall since its state championship year of 1996.
And now that they’re at state, the Demons have the chance to do a bit of damage, especially considering they’ve already defeated their first-round opponent, Cañon City, 19-6 this season. And the Nos. 2 and 7 seeds are familiar foes in the form of Montrose and Valor Christian, both of whom the Demons played this season.
“We’ve been telling them all year that they had the potential to make it to this if we could just put it together and peak at the right time,” DHS head coach Rob Coddington said. “I think we believed all year long, I think we believed on Saturday, and I think we believe it now.”
The pitching and defense snapped back at the perfect time for Durango.
Wiley struck out eight and allowed just four hits in a complete-game performance in the district title game against Pueblo East, which had upset host Palisade in the semifinals.
And Ty Elliott held Niwot at bay, allowing just one run in 4 2/3 innings of relief, allowing the Demons the chance to make their big rally late.
“That last game, Ben did a great job of not trying to do too much and staying within himself,” Coddington said. “The defense supported well, and the offense did what it needed to do.”
Those two games represented the type of well-rounded efforts DHS got early in the season – the kind it’ll need if the Demons hope to party like it’s 1996.
With a state title within reach, Coddington’s trying to alleviate the pressure. Continuity is key, particularly continuity of approach. The Demons want to, if at all possible, treat these games like any other game they’ve played this year.
“I think one of the things we’re trying to do is come after everybody the same way. ... Treat it like every other game and not magnify too much and make it into something it’s not,” Coddington said.
A trip to state is a nice way to cap the season, whenever it happens to end and however it happens to end. It’ll be a nice sendoff for four seniors, but perhaps even bigger than that, it’s quality experience.
“It helps a ton,” Coddington said. “We’re only losing four seniors, so only four of the 17 guys on our roster aren’t going to be there.”
But the results of that experience won’t manifest itself until next spring. Right now, there’s only the task at hand.
“For them to stay in it in a 9-10 year and keep believing is a testament to their heart and character,” Coddington said.
rowens@ durangoherald.com
