Banner performances keep rolling in for area youth football teams.
Week 5 of the Young America Football League saw Durango squads go 2-2, led by a stellar performance by the sixth-grade team.
The sixth-graders took on the Farmington Scorpions and scored 20 points in the first half to take a 20-6 victory.
Emmet Thompson got the Demons on the board first with a 37-yard touchdown for a 6-0 advantage. Farmington answered with a touchdown and also missed the extra point to make it 6-6. But it was all Durango from there, as Thompson rumbled for 164 yards on 19 carries to go with two touchdowns. Quarterback Jordan Stanley also hit receiver Ian Goodwin with a beautiful pass for a 20-yard touchdown to secure the win.
The defensive attack was led by Nate Messier’s eight tackles. Will Hardrick and Kooper Mann each had seven tackles and one fumble recovery, and Matt Pane added three tackles and an interception.
The sixth-graders will look to keep it going 3 p.m. Saturday at perennial rival Bayfield.
Durango’s other win came from the fifth-graders, who tangled with Cortez. The Demons had no trouble securing a 26-6 victory behind offensive touchdowns from Taggert Bardin, Jeric Baurch and Ethan Lennox. Bardin also had an interception on defense, while Josh Bates recovered a fumble. DJ Harris had a big goal-line stand, coming up from safety and stuffing a Cortez runner behind the line of scrimmage to keep Cortez out of the end zone. The fifth-graders will play against at 9 a.m. Saturday at Aztec.
The third-grade team saw its winning streak snapped 20-7 at the hands of the Farmington Titans. Cole Pontine led the team with 55 yards and one touchdown rushing. Linkin Griego and Braxton Waddell each rushed for 35 yards. Otto Aaland and Ryan Dugan led the team with three tackles each. The Demons will take on Bloomfield at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The fourth-graders saw only their second loss of the season in a 40-13 defeat to Bayfield. Tyler Harms had a touchdown pass to Zan Unruh, and Brett Hammer rushed for another score early in the game. Tanner Anderson led Durango with 11 tackles. The fourth-graders will return to action at 11 a.m. Saturday in Durango against the Aztec Warriors.
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
