The Durango High School wrestling team knows exactly what to expect this year.
As the second season of Demons’ wrestling under head coach John Gurule begins, the team is more comfortable in the wrestling room and has elevated its goals.
“I feel like our overall intensity in the room is stronger and feel like it will be a better year,” said DHS senior Matthew Lavengood, a state qualifier from a season ago. “We’re not going through an odd transition year with coaches. We know what to expect now and what we have to do. We know the feel, and it’s nothing new anymore. It feels a lot better.”
A strong senior class will lead the Demons this season. Pat Cunnion and Lavengood lead that group, and fellow previous state qualifiers Dillon Anthony and Hunter Hall also are leading that group.
The lighter weight classes are loaded for DHS, while the team still is rounding out some of its upper-weight classes. The team held wrestle-offs to determine its lineup for the season-opening dual-meet against Bloomfield, 7 p.m. Thursday at the DHS gym. Bloomfield won the Class 3A state championship in New Mexico last season and is a deep and talented squad.
“We have a few injuries at the heavier weights right now. I hope to have a full lineup coming out of winter break,” Gurule said. “Bloomfield is always tough, and it will be a great test for the guys at the start of the season.”
Along with the seniors, the Demons are excited about the skills of juniors Henry Dorr and Cole Gustavson, along with sophomore Tristan Martinez.
“Martinez is a sophomore who has made big improvements and has been working his tail off,” Gurule said. “Gustavson is another guy that’s been working hard all offseason after wrestling 132 for us last year, and I can’t wait to see what he does this year.”
With all the wrestlers showing improvement from this time a year ago, Cunnion said they’ve been able to focus on better techniques.
“You can tell the work the guys have put in. They’re looking good and starting to learn the ways of high school wrestling,” said Cunnion, son of Kelly and Peter Cunnion. “We’re cleaning up the beginners’ mistakes and now teaching more advanced moves. I’m proud of the guys and excited to see how they do.”
Lavengood said he expects the Demons to carry a much larger squad to the state tournament this season, and he’s learned from his trip to the Pepsi Center from a year ago as he chases a spot on the podium this year.
“The guys that were freshmen last year and are sophomores this year improved a ton. I think they could even make it to state and possibly place,” said Lavengood, son of Steve and Tamra Lavengood. “Last year taught me to be mentally tough and to keep my head up when times get hard. If I keep improving, and the team keeps improving, it will all pay off.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
