A strong performance from the Durango High School boys track and field team saw the Demons run away with the Southwestern League Championship.

DHS scored 132 points to beat Fruita Monument (82.5) and Montrose (71.5). Grand Junction Central (51) and Grand Junction (32) rounded out the rest of the league.

DHS also placed second in the girls league championships with 105 points, falling to Fruita Monument (131). Montrose (62) was third, while Grand Junction (45) and Grand Junction Central (37) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

For many Demons, it was the first chance to get a look at bigger competition after a season relegated to local meets at smaller schools.

Durango’s William Knight won the discus throw at 147-feet, 5 inches, while Central’s Cash Walker was well behind in second at 118-03. Knight also won the shot put at 49-02, while Tanner Sawyer of Fruita was second at 46-03.

The Demons took the first three spots in the boys 3,200-meter run, led by Paul Knight who won in 9:37.04. Damian Frausto was second in 9:38.39, and Land Lambert placed third in 9:39.09. The fourth-place finish was 40 seconds behind Lambert.

Durango placed three in the top four in the 1,600 meter run. McGliney Zastrow of Fruita won in 4:19.13, while Knight (4:20.63), Frausto (4:21.38) and Lambert (4:24.16) placed second through fourth.

In the 800, DHS saw strong competition, as Zastrow of Fruita won in 1:59.75 and Central’s Tyler Stogsdill was second in 2:00.78. Durango’s Frausto placed third in 2:01.35, while Lambert was fifth in 2:05.37.

DHS also swept the pole vault, led by Levi Tichi, who won with a height of 11-04. Landon Roberts cleared 8-09, and Jed Hughes went 8-03.

In the boys 100-meter dash, Durango’s Evan Bastin was second in 11.74 seconds, while teammate Branden Marquez was third in 11.82 seconds. The win went to Central’s Justin Blanton in 11.08. Ean Goodwin ran to sixth for DHS in 12.01.

Marquez would place second in the 200 in 23.94 seconds. Amarias Mora of Montrose won in 23.50. Emmet Thompson of Durango was fifth in 24.48 seconds.

Central’s Blanton would win the 400 in 48.98 seconds. Jaxon Fancher of DHS was second in 52.45, while teammate Landon Roberts was third in 53.79 seconds.

Micah Zastrocky was sixth for DHS in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 19.01. Montrose’s Isaac Renfrow won in 15.92. Renfrow also won the 300 hurdles in 41.80, while Zastrocky was seventh in 49.09.

The DHS 4x100 relay team of Thompson, Goodwin, Jasper Zastrocky and Kilian Gwinn placed second in 46.39, while Montrose won in 45.72.

Durango would win the league title in the 4x200 relay with Fancher, Bastin, Thompson and Marquez running in 1:34.83, nearly five seconds faster than second-place Montrose.

DHS also won the 4x400 with Fancher, Bastin, Roberts and Marquez in 3:36.02, more than three seconds better that Fruita’s team.

In the boys high jump, Durango’s Jasper Zastrocky was second when he leaped 5-09. Adam Flores jumped two inches high for Fruita to win the league title.

Gwinn would take third in the long jump for DHS at 18-05.25. The win went to Miller Jones of Grand Junction at 19-08.50.

Girls Track and Field

DHS also swept the girls pole vault’s top-three spots. Halle Moore cleared 8-09 to win, while Lexi Behn (8-03) and Seneca Wilson (7-03) were second and third.

Sydney Flores dominated the throwing events, as she won the shot put with a throw of 35-06 and discus at 117-00. Durango’s Samantha Vasquez was fifth in the shot at 29-11 and third in the discus at 92-00.

Durango’s Angela McManus ran the 800 in 2:24:01 to place second behind Tristian Spence (2:23.60) of Central. Abby Fehr of Durango was fifth in 2:27.18.

In the 1,600, Willow Lott was third for DHS in 5:22.16, while Fehr was fourth in 5:30.93. The win went to Jadyn Heil of Fruita in 5:11.28.

Lott would take second in the 3,200 in 11:45.52, while teammate Tea Forest was third in 12:03.28. Heil again won in 11:20.34.

In the 400, DHS saw Moore place third with a time of 1:05.96, while Behn was fourth in 1:07.70. The win went to Fruita’s Miranda Deths in 1:03.83.

Elise Schumann led DHS in the 100-meter hurdles in 18.41 seconds to place second. Amelia Moore of Grand Junction won in 16.71. Also for DHS, Jessica McVaugh (19.22) and Keaton Roof (19.46) placed fourth and fifth.

McVaugh would take second in the 300 hurdles in 52.09, while Moore won in 49.88. Roof was fifth and Schumann sixth.

Durango’s 4x400 relay team of McManus, Roof, Wilson and Moore placed second in 4:38.71. Fruita won in 4:23.67. DHS also was second in the 4x800 with Fehr, Forest, Lott and McManus in 10:09.80. Fruita won in 9:56.06.

Durango’s Naomi Smith was third in the high jump at 4-03, six inches behind Gracie Lloyd of Fruita.

McManus also would take fifth in the triple jump for DHS at 29-04.50. Payton Bailey of Fruita won with a leap of 31-00.

The state championships are schedule for June 24-26 in Denver.

jlivingston@durangoherald.com