After an incredible 17-point second-half comeback against Mead last weekend, the Demons face the team that ousted them from the 3A state playoffs in 2022: The Lutheran Lions.
Lutheran, which hails from Parker, about 25 miles southeast of Denver, dominated Durango last season in the 3A semifinals, 45-28. The Lions led the Demons 38-7 at the end of the third quarter in that game.
In 2020, Durango crushed Lutheran 47-6 en route to a state title.
Durango senior quarterback Tyler Harms struggled in last year’s matchup with Lutheran, throwing for 170 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions.
“Tyler will obviously need to play better than he did last year,” first-year Durango coach Matt Burton said. “ … This year, I think he’s a little bit more comfortable with it and able to handle that much better just with experience.”
Harms is back this season and led the Demons to a 9-1 record with a phenomenal ratio of 21 touchdown passes and two interceptions. He’s sixth in class 3A in passing yards with 1,891 yards, or 189.1 yards per game.
After suffering a staff infection in the last regular season game against Palisade, senior running back Jaxon Fancher is probable to return to the backfield after missing the first-round playoff game against Mead. Fancher didn’t practice Wednesday night but wants to give it a go on Saturday. He’s third in class 3A averaging 125.4 yards per game.
Lutheran senior quarterback Ryken Daugaard is back after dicing up Durango’s defense last season. Daugaard threw for 207 yards and four touchdowns in Lutheran’s playoff win over the Demons.
Daugaard is having a great senior season as well for the 9-2 Lions. He ranks fourth in class 3A in passing yards with 2,047, which equals 204.7 yards per game and fourth in total yards with 2,562. Daugaard is first in 3A with 29 passing touchdowns. He also has seven interceptions.
Lutheran’s passing attack goes primarily through junior wide receiver Ben Herbek. The stud receiver averages 97 yards per game for a total of 1,067 yards, which ranks third in Class 3A. Herbek is tied for first in 3A with 16 touchdown receptions.
“He's a dynamic athlete, there's no doubt,” Burton said about Herbek. “It's not like they don’t have other guys they could go to as well when they need to. So that quarterback has plenty of options and he's got a really good one in him. So we're going to have to have a good game plan, a good approach on how we try to slow that type of an athlete with other athletes around him.”
Burton said his staff is preparing some wrinkles to throw at Herbek and the entire Lutheran offense once the teams face off at 1 p.m. Saturday at Durango High School.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
