The Durango High School boys lacrosse team scored 26 seconds into its game Saturday against Montrose, setting the tone early and eventually pulling out a 13-6 win.

“It feels awesome to get that first win of the season and get that monkey off our back, especially the way we did it. It was a team win,” said DHS head coach Luke Miller, noting that six Demons scored in the game.

DHS is now 1-1 after losing its season opener to Glenwood Springs the night before, 10-8. In that game, however, DHS started slow and trailed Glenwood 4-0 right away.

“This game, we were definitely ready to go,” Miller said. “And we played all four quarters the way we’re supposed to play.”

After Zak Wentworth scored on Durango’s opening possession, the Demons struck twice more in the first. Jameson Connolly scored with 6:51 left and Wentworth scored his second goal in the last two minutes.

Montrose came out attacking in the second and cut Durango’s lead to 3-1 with a Gabe Miller goal.

Harris Halverstadt and Henry Howe then scored for Durango, but Montrose scored three goals in a 36-second span to end the quarter only trailing 5-4.

Durango, however, didn’t give up another goal until there was 1:11 left in fourth quarter.

“I really like how our team responded after the end of the second when we gave up three goals,” Miller said. The coach said goalie Bode Ensign “played pretty well again,” and that the whole defense, anchored by seniors Ian McCarthy, Travis Barkley and Zach Robinson, “had a really good game.”

While Ensign saved several tough shots in the game, Alex Gnehm also came up big for DHS. After Ensign got called for a penalty in the fourth quarter, Gnehm took over on the Montrose power play and saved two hard shots in a 30-second span, including a wide-open look.

Logan Gurule, Halverstadt, Sam Carozza, Howe and Connolly, meanwhile, all scored in the third to give DHS a commanding 10-4 lead.

“We started to win face-offs in the second (half), and with that came more possession and more goals,” Miller said.

Wentworth and Howe then each scored their third goals of the game in the fourth. An own goal gave DHS a 13-4 lead. Montrose scored two late goals but couldn’t catch the Demons.

“They had that one run, but after that we clamped down and played the way we’re supposed to,” Miller said.

The Demons will next play April 1 at Fruita Monument.