Former athletes often say they would do extraordinary things, and make absurd sacrifices, just to play one more game. This year, Durango High School senior Cole Johnson made those sacrifices and overcame extraordinary circumstances just to be back on the soccer field for senior night, and he’ll never forget it.
Johnson overcame two knee injuries, one at the start of his junior season and another one before this season began, to start on senior night last Friday at DHS against Grand Junction Central. Just being on the field was enough for him, but, when he scored his first varsity goal in the game’s first minute, and added two more to complete the hat trick, the months upon months of hard work were merely an afterthought.
“I was so nervous before that game,” he said. “I just wanted to get on the field and run around with my friends again.”
Running around, for Johnson, has been tough the last two years. In the summer heading into his junior season, he was working hard to be one of the Demons’ varsity contributors, until his plans were derailed.
“We were doing drills and I jumped for a header, but I landed awkwardly,” said Johnson, son of Abigail and Stan Johnson. “I knew something was wrong, but I wasn’t sure how bad it was. I thought it was a knick or a bruise or something, so it was a shock when we found out.”
He tried to play through the pain, but an MRI revealed a torn ACL and heavily damaged meniscus that required surgery.
After six months of arduous physical training to get back into game shape, he returned to play with his club team in an effort to shake off the rust and fine tune his skills for his senior season.
However, something didn’t seem right.
“I don’t think there was a specific time when I re-injured it,” Johnson said. “The meniscus didn’t heal right, and it was devastating news after I had put in so much work just to get back. I had already lost so much time and felt like there was no way it could happen again. I really couldn’t believe it.”
With six more hard months of rehab in front of him, simply playing another game was a stretch. Getting healthy after another operation was one thing, but getting ready to play at a varsity level, if only for a week, would require another grueling rehab.
“The moment I got the date of my surgery, I went to the calendar and counted six months,” he said. “I immediately checked it with the soccer schedule and it just happened that the day was Oct. 21, and that was senior day.”
The chance to play the last game of the regular season was enough for Johnson to commit to the grind to get back on the soccer field.
As expected, the second rehab was even harder, but Johnson put in the effort and found himself in uniform before the match on Oct. 21 with the 14-1, three-time league champion Demons.
“I wasn’t even sure if I would play,” he said. “Coach (Dalon) Parker told us to go check out the board to see the starting lineup, and they put me up front. I’ve never played up front.”
Just seconds into the match, all the games he had watched from the sidelines paid off.
“I’ve been able to watch the team practice corners for months now and I knew where I was supposed to go,” he said. “Connor Henry put his hand up and my run was straight at the keeper. A couple guys cleared away and the ball found me all alone. Scoring a goal was the last thing I expected.”
If scoring one wasn’t expected, the two goals Johnson scored in the first 13 minutes, and the hat trick goal that followed, made all the minutes of pain worth it, just for this one last game.
“When I saw my parents after the game, they were in tears,” Johnson said. “All night, everyone kept saying ‘Welcome back, Cole’ and, yeah, it was totally worth it.”
jfries@durangoherald.com
Behind the scenes
What is your nickname?:
“Ginger” or “El Gingero”
Who is your favorite athlete?:
Mesut Ozil, a German soccer player for Arsenal
What was your favorite childhood TV show?:
Bob the Builder
Do you have any hidden talents?:
I’m getting good at the Kendama. It’s a Japanese toy with a ball, a string and a handle.
Where is your favorite vacation spot?:
Hawaii
Which teacher has had a great impact on your life?:
Dale Garland is a history teacher at DHS and an advisor on student council. He’s been a big help.
What is your dream job?:
I’d like to be an athletic trainer for a professional soccer team. That would be pretty cool.
What is the best restaurant in town?:
T’s Smokehouse and Grill
Who is your celebrity crush?:
Anna Kendrick
What place would you like to most like to visit one day?:
I’d love see a soccer match in London one day.
