Friday’s Durango High School football game at Harrison was a matchup of two teams with identical records which were neck-and-neck in the 3A South Central League standings and state rankings. When the final buzzer sounded, it was clear which team was best.
Once again, the Durango defensive unit punished the opposing offense and didn’t allow a point as the Demons cruised to a 31-7 road victory that clinched a second-place finish in its first year in the SCL. Gavin Mestas had a huge game for Durango (7-3, 4-1 3A SCL) with an 85-yard kickoff return, 87-yard touchdown catch and an interception on defense in a win that should be the gateway to the Colorado High School Activities Association’s 3A State Football Playoffs.
“I just keep telling people how much better we’re getting, and this game was a perfect example of that,” Durango head coach David Vogt said. “It was a team win. Everyone played a role in it, and I feel like every game that goes by is the best game we’ve played all year. I feel the same again after this one.”
It took awhile for the Demons to figure things out on offense. In fact, Durango actually trailed early in the second quarter after a Peyton Woolverton interception ended up in six points for the Panthers.
For 12 seconds, Harrison had the game in hand. When Mestas fielded the ensuing kickoff, the momentum slipped out of the home team’s grasp for good.
The dynamic DHS junior received the kick and darted through the Harrison special teams unit for an 85-yard touchdown. The big play turned the tide in a hurry and started a run of 31 unanswered points.
Later in the quarter, Dawson Marcum’s 49-yard run set up his own 21-yard touchdown scamper to give the Demons a 13-7 lead.
The real backbreaker, however, was a play shortly before halftime that caught the home team off guard.
With 20 seconds left in the half, and Durango at its own 13-yard line seemingly ready to kneel and run out the clock, Woolverton hit Mestas for an 87-yard touchdown reception that sent the Panthers (6-4, 3-2 3A SCL) to the locker room in disarray.
“It was a great call by the coaching staff because they saw Kade Jackson get wide open and designed the play for him again,” Vogt said. “But, Kade got into a collision and Gavin popped up wide open. The protection was awesome.”
If the late touchdown pass was the backbreaker, the opening possession of the third quarter was the finishing move.
Harrison received the kick to open the half and marched right down the field deep into Durango territory. However, Mestas stole the show again with an interception that crushed the home team’s spirit.
Woolverton’s touchdown run from a yard out gave the Demons a 25-7 lead before Travis Vontersch capped it off with a 3-yard score of his own.
The defense, without banged up linebacker Max Hyson, still pitched a shutout and Coach Vogt is confident heading into what should be a first-round playoff matchup next week.
“It’s so fun to be on the sidelines and hear some of the hits our guys are making out there,” he said. “We’ve got lots of confidence going on both sides of the ball. We feel like we were right there with one of the best teams in the state in the game against Pueblo East and we don’t want to stop now.”
Though the playoff spot isn’t official, Durango is likely to learn its first-round opponent Sunday when CHSAA announces its 3A playoff bracket.
jfries@durangoherald.com
