The Durango High School boys soccer team was put to the test Friday afternoon by a very talented Grand Junction team, and other factors that were nearly impossible to overcome.
The Demons were dealt a tough hand filled with multiple injuries, cramping superstars, an undersized roster and a late goal that many felt shouldn’t have counted – but it didn’t matter.
Down 1-0, the exhausted Durango team battled adversity to tie the match in regulation on Blake McClain’s penalty kick before Luke Stetler blasted a free kick in the second extra time period that somehow wiggled its way through a sea of humanity and found the back of the net for the game-winner, 2-1.
“This is a win that was five years in the making and it justifies what we’ve been trying to do with the program,” Durango head coach Dalon Parker said. “The fact that we won this game means the patch on the jersey means more than the name. These guys fought for the guy next to them (Friday) and we did that against one of the best Grand Junction teams I’ve seen in my time here. They have given us two battles this year and we were dropping like flies out there, but the fight we have, the grit, the collective effort, is awesome.”
Durango (8-1, 4-1 5A/4A Southwestern League) had the majority of the scoring opportunities for much of the contest, but injuries and cramps sent many Demons to the sidelines and the Tigers (7-3-2, 2-2-2 5A/4A SWL) took advantage. Suddenly in the second half, it was Demons goalkeeper Trey Furnas getting a rare peppering, and a physical play in the box late in the second half silenced Riverview Sports Complex temporarily.
With just under 15 minutes left in regulation time, a Grand Junction corner kick was lofted to the front of the net and ended up eluding Furnas, who had fallen to the ground, before finding the back of the net.
“I saw it coming, but one of their guys had a hold of my left arm and I couldn’t raise it,” said Furnas, son of Dave and Jynn Furnas. “It was tough, but I knew the guys in front of me would keep fighting, and they did.”
Not even 1 minute later, McClain tied it up on a penalty kick after Max Wilson drew a foul in the Tigers box.
With darkness setting in and about a 20 degree temperature change since game time, Stetler was set up with a free kick from near midfield.
“The goal was just to keep it in bounds,” said Stetler, son of Anne and Mark Stetler. “I kicked it, it took a weird bounce and I saw the goalie jump for it. I guess it just went through his hands, and it wasn’t until I saw the guys all take off running until I knew it went in.”
The win is the sixth consecutive for the Demons, who will enjoy a full week off to recover from Friday’s physical test. They’ll travel to Pueblo Centennial for a 4:30 p.m. Friday game before facing Pueblo Central at 10 a.m. Saturday.
jfries@durangoherald.com
