The Demons turned to a coach already in the fold to fill an empty spot quickly.
Durango High School hired head girls soccer coach Dalon Parker as head coach of the boys varsity squad, Parker confirmed via Twitter on Tuesday.
Parker led a young DHS girls squad to a 10-5-1 record and 6-3-1 Southwestern League mark last season, a season that ended with a first-round playoff loss to Discovery Canyon.
He replaces Kenny Wood, who resigned late last month after going 31-13-8 in three years, including a trip to the state quarterfinals in his first season. Wood cited lack of help in finding a teaching job in Durango School District 9-R and growing dissatisfaction with his relationship with parents of players as reasons for his departure.
Parker played club soccer growing up with the Dallas Texans, the same club that produced Clint Dempsey, and he eventually played collegiately at Division II Ouachita Baptist and Dallas Christian College of the Association of Christian College Athletics before coaching boys soccer at Highlands High School in Irving, Texas.
Parker also served as head coach of the junior varsity girls basketball team and as a varsity assistant last season.
The new boys soccer coach joins softball coach Mike Cioppa and football coach David Vogt as recent hires for fall sports.
rowens@durangoherald.com
