The Durango High School football season came to an end Saturday in Longmont.

After winning the last four games of the season to get in the playoffs, the No. 12 Demons drew undefeated 5-seed Silver Creek (11-0), and gave the Raptors a fierce fight.

In the end, Durango came up just short and lost the Colorado High School Activities Association’s 3A opening-round playoff matchup 27-19. DHS finishes the season with a 7-4 record.

Demons sophomore Dawson Marcum was unstoppable in the first half with over 100 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the game’s first 20 minutes.

Marcum’s 62-yard touchdown run gave Durango a 12-3 lead in the first quarter, but Silver Creek responded with quick strike.

One play after a Raptors kickoff return set the offense up at the Demons’ 48-yard line, Andreik Knechtel took a handoff on the first play and quickly reclaimed momentum for Silver Creek with a long touchdown run.

On the Demons’ next possession, senior quarterback Peyton Woolverton was intercepted by Tyler Gibbs, and the Raptors’ senior ran 52 yards for a touchdown to give Silver Creek its first lead.

Durango fought back, though, and grabbed the advantage once again after Marcum’s 8-yard touchdown run, his third of the half, made the score 19-17 Demons.

The home team answered back, and kicked a 20-yard field goal as the first half expired to hold a 20-19 lead to the break.

The big-play filled first half turned into a battle for field position in the second. Neither offense could get much going and the defenses started to settle in.

Finally, the Raptors broke through with a fourth quarter touchdown pass from Dylan Ordway to Khari Harrison that pushed the Demons’ backs to the wall trailing by eight.

The offense couldn’t find the final response in the final drive, however, and time ran out on the Demons’ season.

jfries@durangoherald.com