The calendar has flipped to 2025 but the accomplishments of Durango High School fall athletes in 2024 haven’t been forgotten.
Durango had many successful teams in the fall thanks to many great athletes. Football made it to the state playoffs with a new head coach and quarterback. Golf made it to the state championship as a team, boys soccer made it to the state playoff quarterfinals.
The Demons had seven teams compete in the fall. Here are the five nominees for Durango High School’s best fall athlete:
Senior quarterback Cully Feeney did not have an easy job heading into the 2024 season. He was replacing three-year starter and current Colorado Mesa quarterback Tyler Harms. Feeney was playing under a new head coach in interim head coach Ryan Woolverton and had a new starting running back next to him after Jaxton Fancher graduated in 2023. The Demons also moved from class 3A to 4A and into a new league.
Despite all these challenges, Feeney found his groove and thrived after a slow start to the season. He led Durango to a 7-4 overall record and a 4-1 record in 4A Soco 2 League play.
The senior lefty finished 10th in 4A in passing yards with 1,753 yards. He had 20 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Durango started 0-2 overall and Feeney had 242 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in those games. In the Demons’ final nine games, Feeney threw for over 200 yards four times and had multiple touchdown passes in seven of those nine games.
Feeney showed accuracy with short, medium and deep throws to his talented receiving core.
When none of those receivers were open, or protection broke down, Feeney used his speed and athleticism to gain yards on the ground. He rushed for at least 50 yards in seven of 11 games.
Feeney had an incredible showing in Durango’s 32-14 win over Palisade on Sept. 20. He threw for a season-high 251 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 90 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Another one of Feeney’s best performances came in Durango’s 42-0 win over Liberty on Oct. 25. He threw for 222 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He ran for a season-high 148 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Feeney was rewarded with a second team all-state selection for his efforts.
It will be strange for Durango volleyball supporters not to see senior setter Eva Stewart on the court next fall. Stewart was a fixture in the middle for the Demons and had a four-year varsity career.
Durango volleyball had some struggles this season that led to the Demons finishing 10-15 overall. Stewart was not one of them. She had consistent quality play for a team that had injuries.
Stewart finished the season finished 12th in 5A with 637 assists. She finished her career with 2,271 assists.
At 6 feet tall and with long arms, Stewart was a great blocker, along with spreading the ball out well for her teammates to have great looks at kills. She was also second on the team with 30 aces.
This season, Stewart had at least 20 assists in 18 out of 25 matches. She had a season-high 46 assists in a 3-2 loss to Fruita Monument on Sept. 14. She had 36 assists in only three sets in a 3-0 win over Longmont on Nov. 1.
Stewart was honorable mention all-state for her efforts.
Senior defender Duncan Madrigal was the only Durango fall athlete to make a first team all-state. There aren’t a lot of individual statistics for Madrigal as a center-back; he was fourth on the team with five assists. Madrigal’s impact on the Demons had to be seen.
He was a constant for the Demons and anchored their defense. He was always under control and almost always made the right play, making him one of the most important players for Durango.
Madrigal was a big reason Durango only allowed three goals once and had seven shutouts. The Demons finished 12-3-3 overall, 7-1-2 in the 5A/4A Southwestern League and made it to the 4A state quarterfinals with Madrigal in control on the back-line.
Ruggiero made an instant impact on the Durango girls cross country team as a freshman in 2023. She followed up a strong freshman year with another strong year as a sophomore in the fall.
With senior leader Sofia Voss out for the season with an injury, Ruggiero stepped up and led the girls team the entire season. She had seven top-10 finishes, including a win at the Bloomfield Invitational on Oct.12; it was the only win for Durango boys or girls cross country. Ruggiero’s fastest time came on Sept. 20 at the Southwest League Championships in Grand Junction on the Lincoln Park Golf Course. She ran the 5-kilometer race in 18 minutes and 57.8 seconds.
Ruggiero should take another step forward as a junior in the fall under head coach Michael Fadil’s guidance. Fadil’s daughter, Zia, will be a freshman. Ruggiero and Zia Fadil should be a very strong duo for the Durango girls cross country team.
Sophomore golfer Drew Jepson was one of the main reasons Durango boys golf was a force in 4A. Jepson stepped up his game as a sophomore and used his physical growth to blast drivers and iron shots farther.
Jepson played in 10 tournaments before the state championship. His worst finish was tied for sixth. He won the Panther Invitational, Durango Hillcrest Open and The Farmington Fall Fling His best round came in a tied-second place finish at -2-under par at the Montrose Red Hawk Tournament-Cobble Creek.
He finished ninth at the 4A state championships to finish his 2024 season.
Jepson should be one of the top golfers in 4A in his junior season and will be one of the big reasons if Durango makes it back to state as a team.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
