The Durango Demons defense allowed a touchdown on the game’s first drive in Friday night’s game at Aztec. It took four hours and two lightning delays later for the Tigers to score again, but that was all they needed.
The Demons led 12-6 at 8:33 p.m. when the first lightning delay was issued and when the game was restarted at 10:04 p.m. Unfortunately, Durango couldn’t find a spark after the delay, and a late touchdown led Aztec to a 13-12 win. The one-point loss came one week after the Demons earned a big one-point win at Delta in the season opener.
“We had some good momentum going up until the first delay, and we just couldn’t find a rhythm after that,” Durango head coach David Vogt said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “We came out cold. Hats off to them, they just executed better than we did.”
Aztec jumped out to an early lead, as quarterback Cody Smith marched the home team right down the field for a first possession touchdown. However, the Demons answered with a 95-yard drive punctuated by a Dawson Marcum 12-yard touchdown run.
Both teams failed to convert the extra point attempt and the defenses settled in after the first two drives.
After a Smith fumble set the Demons up with excellent field position, Durango senior quarterback Peyton Woolverton broke the tie late in the second quarter with a 4-yard touchdown run. Again, though, the Demons botched the point after attempt and settled for a 12-6 lead they took into halftime.
Just minutes into the third quarter, lightning flashes made the night much longer than anyone hoped for, and changed the complexion of the game.
After the hour and a half delay, Durango (1-1) and Aztec (1-1) struggled to find the form they showed early. Turnovers and punts became a commonplace, and Durango clung to the 12-6 lead.
With the chance to put the game away, Woolverton was flushed out of the pocket by the Tigers defense and heaved a deep ball that was intercepted.
“There were a lot of plays that cost us this game,” Vogt said. “Our quarterback tried to make a throw to win the game, and they made a heck of a play on it. Last week the missed kicks went our way, but this time they killed us.”
Aztec took advantage of the late opportunity and marched right down the field. Smith found Sebastian McLean over the middle for the go-ahead score, and the Tigers put the game away by making the all-important extra point.
With just 3 more than minutes left, the Demons had one last chance, but the final drive stalled at midfield and Aztec ran out the clock.
Durango will try to rebound at 7 p.m. Friday at Piedra Vista.
jfries@durangoherald.com
