If you ask any member of the Durango High School volleyball team what their position is, they’ll tell you it’s anywhere on the floor.
The Demons are looking to return to the Colorado High School Activities Association state volleyball playoffs for the first time since 2017, and while the floor positions are fluid, there’s no denying the athleticism in this year’s squad.
“We have a really close bond and we’re all really close friends, which is super exciting because we’re trying to build a new culture with DHS volleyball,” said senior outside hitter Millie O’Ketter, who competed in Europe over the summer. “We’re a super scrappy and defensive team this year, and I think we’re going to make a lot of fun plays and get the crowd hyped up.”
Durango opens the season Tuesday night in Farmington. With four seniors and a number of juniors who have varsity-level experience, DHS head coach Colleen Vogt, who enters her sixth season in charge, believes the added experience will help with the high level of competition.
“I feel like even though we may have four seniors, we’re not young,” Vogt said. “Our juniors have all played, they all have some varsity experience and our seniors definitely have varsity experience. That wasn’t necessarily true last year because the group ahead of them was so strong. Everybody feels comfortable with the level of competition, and they’re ready to rock and roll.”
While O’Ketter and junior outside hitter Kyle Rowland are two players to watch, Durango has also improved significantly on defense.
“The potential is endless, this group is so athletic, which is really fun and the ball doesn’t hit the floor,” Vogt said. “We’ve been working on that and been trying to utilize that to our advantage. We’re trying to serve aggressively, but I’ve never had a team that can consistently pass better, so it makes me really excited for all the athleticism we’re going to have on the court tomorrow, and going forward.”
Last season, Durango went 9-14 and was 3-5 in the 5A/4A Southwestern League but fell just short of a playoff berth.
Vogt said the 1-2 punch of Rowland and O’Ketter will be a large part of the Demons’ success, but they’re not the only attacking threats this year.
“(O’Ketter) and (Rowland) have set themselves apart for their all-around play, and you just can’t take them off the court – we need them on the court all the time,” Vogt said. “Lainey Voss has also been great for us this year, and we need her for our offense. Paige Ammerman will have a similar role in both set and hit for us, and Leah Wesley has done a great job of filling in at libero for us.”
Ammerman said scrappiness is the key to the Demons’ success this season.
“We don’t have a lot of height this year, and our motto is to be scrappy,” Ammerman said. “We’ve been working really hard to get all of the balls up that aren’t on the net necessarily. Even though we lack in height, we definitely hustle. Defense is definitely our specialty this year.”
Durango will open the season against three teams from New Mexico, as it will play Farmington on the road and inside the Demon Dome, and will also play another power in Piedra Vista on Sept. 10. In the SWL, Montrose will be tough to beat, as the Indians received five votes in the preseason Class 4A coaches poll, while Fruita Monument will be talented as well.
“I think it’s our goal to always win league,” Vogt said. “Fruita and Montrose are going to be good, and Montrose is the team to beat. They always bring their ‘A’ game, but it’s always our goal to compete for that league championship, and I think, if we can do that, that will set us up in the top 36 for playoffs.”
Durango will play in two tournaments, at Battle Mountain the weekend of Oct. 4, and will end the season at the Ponderosa Tournament on Nov. 1. In addition, the Demons will have the annual home-and-away series against Bayfield High School, as they will host the Wolverines on Oct. 1 and will travel to BHS on Oct. 29.
DHS kicks off its season against Farmington at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Farmington High School.
bploen@ durangoherald.com