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A full wrestling plate

DHS will host Ignacio on a special night

The Durango Demons’ senior wrestlers have stared up at the names on the wrestling wall for four years hoping to add their name alongside the school’s state placers. Thursday night, the seniors will stand alongside many of those names.

Durango High School will host Ignacio High School in a wrestling dual-meet Thursday night at the DHS auxiliary gymnasium. While the Demons’ group of seniors will be honored during their final home meet of the regular season, it also will be a special night in which the Demons will honor their past along with their present.

“We’re excited to put on a great show. It’s alumni night and senior night, and we’re trying to get all of our alumni recognized along with the seniors,” DHS head coach John Gurule said. “We want to show the alumni they’re still part of this program, and we care about them. They’re Demons for life.”

Though they both may not have an opponent to wrestle Thursday night, DHS seniors Patrick Cunnion and Matthew Lavengood are looking forward to spending time with the alumni before an exciting home dual against a regional rival.

“They’re always up there on the wall, and those guys are great to have supporting Demon wrestling,” said Lavengood, son of Steve and Tamra Lavengood.

“Hopefully I get to meet them and kind of learn about the old days,” said Cunnion, son of Kelly and Peter Cunnion. “I love meeting the wrestling community.”

Added to the excitement for the Demons is the chance to field their first full 14-man roster in the two years Gurule has led the varsity program. If all goes according to plan, DHS won’t have to forfeit a weight class Thursday.

“We’re looking forward to that. We haven’t had a full lineup since I’ve been coaching here, and we might finally get it to work out where we do,” Gurule said.

Gurule will face a familiar foe in Ignacio, his alma mater. Though he insists the dual won’t be more personal for him, his wrestlers are committed to giving it their all to help him earn a victory against the Bobcats.

“It would be a sweet, sweet victory,” Cunnion said.

Respect goes both ways between the Bobcats and Demons. IHS head coach Cody Haga, also in his second season, can’t wait to see his team on the mat at DHS.

“Gurule is an old Ignacio wrestler, great individual,” Haga said. “I look at every match being a tough match. I’m not going to take anything away from Durango, because they’ve always been a tough squad for many years.”

Both teams are coming off road trips last weekend. DHS traveled to the Arvada West Classic Invitational, where only Cunnion placed, taking first at 182 pounds.

The Bobcats placed third at Salida behind Cedaredge and Bayfield, respectively.

Six Bobcats placed in the top three at that tournament, led by Stocker Robbins’ first-place finish at 113 pounds.

“Coming off lots of wrestling on Saturday, we have three days of wrestling coming up ahead of us,” Haga said. “I would say Durango is going to be one of the tougher teams we’ll meet up with.”

Neither team buys into any advantage with DHS being a Class 4A school and Ignacio in 2A. The both know to expect a tough contest.

“It will be a fun dual. Gurule says we match up good with them, so it will be fun,” Lavengood said. “I know he really wants us to take it to them, being his home team.”

Herald Sports Writer Kyle Grabowski contributed to this report.

jlivingston@durangoherald.com

If you go

Who: Ignacio at Durango

What: high school wrestling

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Durango High School

Twitter: @kylegrbwsk

More Info: Durango High will host a fundraiser benefit spaghetti dinner before the dual-meet. It will be held from 5-7 p.m., with tickets being sold at the front door for $10 a plate. All proceeds will go to benefit DHS wrestling.



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