Trailblazers on playoff path

“We’re No. 2!”

It’s not exactly a traditional rallying cry during a jubilant postgame celebration.

But this has been no ordinary season for Durango High’s football team, which improved to 4-1 overall and 3-1 in Southwest League play with a 31-28 win at Spring Valley on Friday.

The defeat came against Bishop Gorman, a huge favorite to win the division. Friday’s victory enables the Trailblazers to control their destiny as far as capturing the No. 2 seed for the playoffs, only a year after finishing 1-9.

“This whole week our plan was to get the second seed in the playoffs,” quarterback Chase Roberts said. “We’re second in our division now. We can still get knocked off, but it’s pretty tight.”

Roberts was a major factor in Durango’s victory as Julio Mora, who entered as the leading 4A rusher in Southern Nevada, was held to 53 yards on 18 carries.

Roberts, a junior, passed for 175 yards and three touchdowns during the first half when the Trailblazers opened a 24-14 lead.

“We know (opponents) have to put men in the box to stop (the run) and it opens up our passing game,” Durango coach Gary Maki said. “In the past four games we’ve been very fortunate with our running game. Tonight we had to rely on our passing game and it came through. We know our quarterback can do the job and we have good receivers.”

Spring Valley (3-2, 3-1) almost came back to win by holding the Trailblazers to 28 yards in the second half.

Trailing 31-14, the Grizzlies scored two touchdowns in the final 3:06. After Nick Uniate’s 2-yard scoring run, the Grizzlies recovered an onside kick to set up a 1-yard score by Uniate.

Spring Valley got the ball back one last time in the closing seconds after a failed onside kick and a defensive stand, but a desperation heave by Jordan Cox was intercepted.

Mora’s longest run of the game resulted in his only touchdown. He carried 10 yards for the Trailblazers’ only points of the second half after John Williams got his second blocked punt of the game to set up a short field early in the fourth quarter.

“If one part of our team is slacking, the other parts have to step it up,” Williams said. “Being the defensive captain, I told the guys that if the offense can’t do it, the defense is going to have to pick them up. That’s how a team works.”