An incredible season for Durango High School boys soccer was wrapped up Monday when all-state selections were announced by the Colorado High School Activities Association.
After a second-round state playoff loss to Glenwood Springs, Durango (14-2-1) didn’t place as many boys on the Class 4A all-state team as it would have liked. The two boys who were selected, senior Logan Fullington and junior Leland Heinicke, had the statistics to at least place on the second team, head coach Aaron Champenoy said, but they were held to the honorable mention designation.
“It’s unfortunate that the Front Range didn’t get to see them play in the final four,” said Champenoy, who was in his first year leading the Demons. “Both of them were very deserving of at least second team honors compared to some other guys on the list.”
Fullington led the Demons in points with 37, as he scored 13 goals and added 11 assists in the team’s 17 games. Those numbers helped him also earn co-player of the year honors in the 5A/4A Southwestern League along with Montrose’s Sean Alex, who had 23 goals and four assists for 50 points.
“Even before the preseason started, Logan was a young man texting me trying to get a hold of me before I ever even got to Durango because he wanted to lead workouts over the summer. He brought a mentality and work ethic right away, and it carried over to once I got here. He set an example in training every day.”
Heinicke scored a team-high 14 goals, and he added four assists to finish with 32 points in 16 games played. The big junior midfielder was especially dominant using his head to score goals on set-piece plays, and he was a force to be reckoned with in the midfield when it came to jockeying for possession.
“Obviously, his size gives him a little different level right away,” Champenoy said. “He’s close to (6-foot-4). We’re going to work quite a bit to maximize his athleticism going into his senior year. He’s a huge advantage in set pieces and 50-50 battles in the midfield. Individually, he was one of the more dominant players in the state this year when it came to controlling the midfield.”
Air Academy’s Thaddaeus Dewing was named the state’s player of the year in 4A, as he helped send the Kadets to a state title with 27 goals and eight assists. Air Academy finished with an 18-1-1 record and beat Denver North 2-0 in the state title game after beating Glenwood Springs 3-1 in the semifinals. Denver North coach Clayton Porter was named coach of the year after his Vikings finished the season 16-2-2 as the state runner-up.
While no other Demons were selected to the CHSAA all-state team, the Demons also saw senior defender Ian Mattox and senior forward Lance Townsend make first-team all-league along with Fullington and Heinicke. Townsend scored 11 goals and had five assists, while Mattox was a strong presence on the back line and a weapon with his big leg to help play set-pieces into the opposing goal box. He finished with two goals and two assists.
On the all-league second team for DHS were seniors Jack Beattie and Rensler Beasley. Beattie finished with seven goals and four assists, while Beasley had three goals and a team-high 15 assists.
Champenoy was named the Southwestern League’s coach of the year in his first year coaching in the league.
“It was a great year overall,” he said. “Coming in, I was bringing new ideas and a philosophy for the team from my experience from the college game. I wasn’t sure how the senior class would accept it, but they bought in quick. We all had a good relationship from the first day of preseason and built a strong relationship. We worked for each other. It’s a good start for the culture we’re building and what we want to do moving forward.
“It’s going to be tough to replace that senior class, but that’s part of the game, and the younger guys will grow and mature and fill those roles.”
The Wolverines (2-13) did not place any boys on the Class 3A all-state list, but Dylan Doskocil was named to the first team in the 3A/2A Southwestern/Intermountain League.
Doskocil, a senior, finished the year with four goals.
Bayfield sophomore Brayden Thayer was named to the second team for his performance as a defender.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
