Now that the Colorado High School Activities Association has finally released the high school hockey all-state teams, it’s time to look at what Durango High School winter sports athletes made all-state teams.
Players from the Demons’ boys basketball, girls basketball, boys wrestling, ice hockey and Alpine ski teams were selected.
Hockey:
First-team all-state: Luka Remec
It was always a tall task for the Durango hockey team to repeat as state champions with the number of players it lost and a new head coach. The play of senior goaltender Luka Remec certainly helped the Demons’ quest for back-to-back titles.
Remec split time with fellow goaltender Evan Brock and Remec always looked ready to stop the opposing teams’ shots. He finished the season with 338 saves and only allowed 22 goals in 18 games.
The state title defense came up short with a loss in the quarterfinals of the 4A state playoffs. Brock and Remec will both be remembered for their contributions to the state title team and have left large skates to fill in front of the cage.
Alpine skiing:
First-team all-state: Lauren McClellan, Mathilde Roskam, Holden Bronson, Corbin Horrocks, Zach Oliver
The Durango High School Alpine skiing program had a fantastic showing at state this winter. French exchange student Mathilde Roskam won the state title in slalom for Durango while senior Lauren McClellan finished 18th in giant slalom.
On the boys side, junior Corbin Horrocks made it for slalom after finishing 22nd at state and senior Zach Olivier also made it for state after finishing 12th in slalom. Senior Holden Bronson finished seventh at state in giant slalom.
Boys wrestling:
Second-team all-state: Ryan Dugan
Durango boys wrestler Ryan Dugan had an incredible high school wrestling career, but could not capture a state title. The senior came so close this winter, losing in the state final to Pueblo East’s Julian Espinosa at 126 pounds.
Dugan was a force on the mat during his high school career, dominating the Western Slope high school wrestling scene and helping leave the Durango wrestling program in a better place.
Girls basketball:
Honorable mention: Claire Goodwin, Mariah Maestas
The Durango girls basketball team had a fantastic season, finishing 19-7 overall and in the 5A state quarterfinals. Junior guard Claire Goodwin and senior guard Mariah Maestas had a lot to do with the Demons’ success.
Honorable mention all-state is a fitting to Maestas’ career. The senior guard was super steady in her last two years as a starter, including her junior year where she was the only player to play in every game.
Maestas finished her senior season second on the team in scoring with 8.2 points per game, first on the team in assists with 2.5 per game and second on the team in steals with 2.2 per game.
Demons girls basketball head coach Lauren Moran will have a tough time replacing Maestas’ ballhandling, shooting and calmness on the court next season.
Goodwin burst on the scene this winter in her first season with the Demons after starting her high school career at Mancos. She immediately brought a scorer’s mentality to the team.
The junior guard led the team in scoring at 13.4 PPG, rebounding with 5.8 RPG and steals with 2.9 SPG.
Goodwin will have a lot more pressure on her next year with the Demons losing four seniors who were the heart and soul of the program in the last few years.
Boys basketball:
Honorable mention: Noah Miles
Durango boys basketball had a successful season that ended in the 5A Sweet 16. The highlight of the season was senior guard Noah Miles’ 3-point buzzer-beater in the second round of the 5A state playoffs.
Miles led the Demons in scoring with his lanky 6-foot-4-inch frame at the guard spot and his high release on his jump shot.
His three-level scoring will be missed next season as Durango boys basketball head coach Alan Batiste tries to retool his roster for another playoff appearance.
