If Durango High School is going to get back to the state football playoffs, head coach David Vogt thinks it all will come down to his team’s mentality.
What is he looking for?
Intensity.
The Demons had their first chance to test that mindset Friday night in a three-team scrimmage with Aztec and Bayfield.
After losing 18 players to graduation from last year’s state playoff team, DHS was looking to find some leadership Friday night.
“It is taking some time to get there, but we finally saw some guys starting to rise to the top,” Vogt said. “We want some guys to take control as a team and be those leaders. It doesn’t necessarily have to be seniors, just guys making a lot of plays and knowing other guys can rally around them and their intensity.
“It’s all about the level of intensity the guys bring this year, on both sides of the ball.”
The DHS defense held opponents to an average of 14.64 points per game a season ago when the Demons went 8-3 and 3-1 in league games. But the Demons are in a new league this year – the Pikes Peak League – that features defending state champion Pine Creek, as well as Air Academy, Liberty, Palmer Ridge and Rampart, all Colorado Springs-area schools.
“It is going to be like last year where we are the underdogs again because we are in a tougher league,” DHS senior safety and wide receiver Justin Marcum said. “It will be harder to play in, but I believe we will be ready to go out and fire off like we did last year.”
At the beginning of team workouts, Vogt let the team know every position would be open to competition. That includes the quarterback position, where senior Hayden Sill and junior Terrence Trujillo are vying for the starting job.
After hit-and-miss performances Friday night in the scrimmage, Vogt still isn’t ready to name a starter for the season opener against Beckman High School of Irvine, California.
“They are just battling, and they are not close to being perfect, yet,” Vogt said of his quarterbacks. “Hopefully we can study some film and determine who we are going to start, and then we will go from there. They both are getting equal reps in practice, and both are equal right now.”
Senior wide receiver Dayne Rowley said he has faith in both quarterbacks to perform when their numbers are called.
“They both throw the ball really well, and I have a whole lot of confidence in both of them to get the job done,” said Rowley, son of Darren and Kari Rowley.
The Demons hope their three-headed rushing attack of seniors Jalon Malone and Steele Spies and junior Lawrence Mayberry will help take pressure off whoever the starting quarterback is.
“It is so good to have three running backs. We can pound one and have another guy fresh, as well as a bit of a scatback who will be explosive,” Vogt said.
Still, the focus for DHS is on defense. Vogt’s goal is for the team not to give up more than 21 points in any game this season.
“I think our team is tough. We aren’t as big of a team as we were last year, but we have worked hard with the defense and want to maintain the same level we’ve always had,” said Marcum, son of Damian and Stephanie Marcum. “We will be back to the level, if not even better.”
With No. 1 Pine Creek and second-ranked Montrose both visiting DHS this year, the Demons hope to take advantage of home-field advantage in their two toughest contests. Montrose visits in a non-league game Sept. 26, and Pine Creek will make a trip to DHS on Oct. 17.
Along with Beckman, DHS also will play non-league games against New Mexico’s Aztec, Farmington and Piedra Vista.
“It’s definitely a strong schedule for us, and we worked our way up into a harder league schedule for sure,” said Rowley, who also will play defensive end. “But I think we’ll be good. It is more of a challenge for us, but I think it is looking good for us to surprise some people.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
