The Durango boys soccer team was inches away from playoff triumph Wednesday night, but being inches away ultimately wasn’t enough.
Demons players had numerous near misses in overtime and in the penalty kicks, as Durango fell 7-6 in PKs to Air Academy in a thrilling second-round 4A state playoff bout.
The match was tied at 1-1 after regulation and two overtime periods prior to penalty kicks.
“We battled,” Demons coach Danny Suits said. “I told the guys after the game I was super proud of them, not for this game but for the whole season. Sometimes, it comes down to PKs, and it doesn’t go one way for one team or another and it’s just a funny game.”
Durango ended its season at 13-3-1 after finishing first in the 4A Southwestern league at 6-1-1. It was the Demons’ first loss since Sept. 8.
Air Academy improved to 12-4-1 after the win and will play top-seeded Mead in Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Early in the first half, Air Academy showed its speed on the outside. It caused some issues for Durango, but the Demons stayed the course. Suits said his outside backs “played phenomenal.”
The referees handed out a yellow card to Air Academy after a brazen tackle down the left side around the 20-yard line in with over 27 minutes to go.
Throughout the night and especially in the first half, Durango midfielders had a lot of space to operate in as the Air Academy players were packed near its back line.
“I thought we connected really well,” Suits said. “We possessed the ball and we moved the ball really well from side to side. We had a few chances but all credit to Air Academy. They played a lights-out game down a man and they battled too.”
However, the Demons struggled to find any good looks most of the first half. Air Academy continued to attack with its wings, as well as through free kicks and corner kicks.
The Kadets finally struck in the 28th minute off a corner kick. The ball bounced around inside the 18-yard box as Durango defenders frantically tried to clear it. But Air Academy’s Brennan Jonswold put the ball in the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
Junior defender Cooper Grey gave the Demons their best chance late in the first half. Grey sent a lofted cross over Air Academy’s goalkeeper Jackson Gorr that hit the post and bounced to senior midfielder Teryk Webber, who missed the header over the crossbar.
After leading 1-0 at halftime, things got interesting. Air Academy was down one player 10 minutes into the second half after one of its players got a second yellow card.
Durango senior midfielder Davis Cameron soon took advantage with a strike from about 25 yards out into the lower left corner with just under 29 minutes left, tying the match at 1-1.
The momentum shifted Durango’s way, as it had numerous chances to take the lead. However, the Demons couldn’t find the back of the net with some questionable shot selection.
“Some were good, some were bad,” Suits said of the second-half shot selection. “I’ll have to go back and look at the tape a little bit. Definitely some of those I’d want back. I know they’d want them back and sometimes you just have to go for it.”
Durango dominated possession in the last 15 minutes, but couldn’t find the right holes in the compressed Air Academy defense.
The score remained the same in both 15-minute overtime periods. The Demons had a few great opportunities for the golden goal, but couldn’t get the shots on target.
During penalty kicks, each team’s first three players made their kicks.
Durango goalkeeper Quinn Harrison made a huge save on the Kadets’ fourth kick. Cameron then had a chance to end it, but was stopped by Gorr.
After five attempts, each team sent five new players out to kick. Numerous players missed kicks consecutively, which sent the crowd into a frenzy as the kicks kept coming.
Both junior defender Duncan Madrigal and Air Academy’s Tommy Tygart missed kicks wide. Gray missed the next kick for Durango, and Hale’hu Naputi won the match for Air Academy. His goal brought the Kadets’ bench out screaming and the Demons’ players to their knees.
“It was an amazing group of guys; super intelligent, and outstanding young men and I couldn’t be prouder of them,” Suits said of his 2023 Durango squad.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
