Memorial’s Durango named Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Year
Football, track star excelled in many roles; heads to Rutgers to play football
When Bryan Durango was a youngster, growing up in Colombia, he only knew of one sport – soccer.
"It was the only sport that people knew in Colombia," Durango said. "It was the only sport I knew."
However, when Durango moved with his family back to the United States when he was 11 years old, he was introduced to other sports, like football, the American variety.
"When I came back here, everyone I knew was playing football, so I joined Pop Warner," Durango said.
It was a move that would change his life forever, because Durango found instant success playing American football. His soccer days were history.
During eighth grade, when he was attending Public School No. 6 in West New York, a teacher signed Durango up for the grammar school track championships.
"I had never run track before, so I didn’t know what to expect," Durango said.
He merely won the 100-meter and the 200-meter championships.
"It felt good to win right away," Durango said.
That performance caught the eye of Memorial High School track and field coach Julio Lopez.
"I didn’t even know who he was," Lopez said. "I was there at that meet looking at someone else, but Bryan definitely stood out that day."
By the time he got to Memorial High School as a freshman, there was one physical ability that stood out more than any other.
"My first impression was that he had incredible speed, even at the freshman level," Memorial head football coach Ed Sargent said. "Bryan had special speed right away, the kind that stands out."
"With speed like that, we had to make sure we got him in races," Lopez said.
Thus began the incredible, versatile athletic career of Bryan Durango, who last week received the 11th Annual Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Year award.
Durango becomes the second Memorial athlete to receive the award, given to the Hudson County senior who participates and excels in more than one varsity sport. Jonathan Robinson, currently playing football at the University of Pennsylvania, received the award in 2000.
Durango’s resume of athletic achievements reads like a legacy of versatility and greatness.
On the football field, Durango was a three-year varsity starter, always playing outside linebacker on defense, but playing three different positions – tight end (sophomore year), wide receiver (junior) and tailback (senior) – excelling at each position. He was a two-time member of the Hudson Reporter All-Area team.
During his tenure as a football player, Durango helped to lead the Tigers to one HCIAA National Division championship and two berths to the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group IV playoffs.
As a track and field performer, Durango showed more of that ability to do everything and anything – and do it very well.
Durango earned statewide acclaim as a sprinter, but during the course of his career, he competed in several events – the high jump, the long jump, the high and intermediate hurdles, and three running events, the 100-meter, the 200-meter and the 400-meter runs.
"Anything he did, he picked up right away," Lopez said. "So I kept putting him out there as much as possible."
During his career, Durango captured nine different HCIAA and Hudson County Track Coaches Association championships in either the hurdles or sprints during both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
He enjoyed his best success on the track as a junior, when he finished third in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes at the NJSIAA Group IV championships and finished sixth in the 200-meters at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions.
Durango also helped to lead Memorial to 11 different county championships (indoors and outdoors, both relays and individuals) as a team during his four years.
Durango struggled through a severe strain of his right quadriceps muscle throughout his senior season, yet managed to compete injured and still qualify for the NJSIAA Group IV championships in two events.
"It was very disappointing to me, not to be able to finish my career the way I wanted to," Durango said. "Ever since I started running, I always set goals. It was a disappointment that I could only go so far."
Despite the late season disappointment, Durango carved out his niche as one of the more versatile and talented performers Memorial High School has ever produced.
"The kid played so many different positions for us," Sargent said. "Whatever we needed, Bryan filled a hole. His junior year, we needed a wide receiver and he filled that role well, but for his senior year, we moved him to tailback and he was great."
Durango rushed for 956 yards and scored 16 touchdowns, although he never played running back before that season. He was also one of the Tigers’ leading tacklers from his outside linebacker slot.
"Durango never asked out of anything," Lopez said. "Whatever we told him to do, he went and did it. He saw when we had needs. He was always a very team-oriented guy. He never saw himself as being the best. He always put the team first."
"He never said ‘Get me out of the game,’" Sargent said. "He never complained about anything. He just did everything."
Durango said that his ability to handle all the different roles helped him to perform better both on the gridiron and the track.
"I think it helped me a lot, made me a more versatile athlete," Durango said. "I felt the more versatile I was in attacking the opposition, the better edge I had. It gave me more strength and confidence to perform. The coaches always know more than me, so I did whatever they told me to do. They know best. I’m not going to question them."
Now, as Durango leaves Memorial with a great legacy, he has to endure yet another challenge, playing football on a scholarship to Rutgers University.
Once again, when Durango arrives to play with the Scarlet Knights, he will have to learn a new position – this time, for good. Durango will play free safety in college football.
"It’s a totally different position for me, but I’m looking forward to it," Durango said. "I just can’t wait to get there."
Durango will get his first taste of big-time football when he plays for the New Jersey team in the Governor’s Bowl at Columbia University on July 13.
His coaches were asked what would be the lasting memory they had of their brilliant athlete.
"His smile," Sargent said. "He was always smiling. He never thought he accomplished as much as he did. He was the same kid all the time. But the smile is what I will remember. You don’t get athletes like this all the time. And we’ve had two in the last couple of years that I’ve been really fortunate to have coached."
"He’s a great kid," Lopez said. "He was always happy and never got mad. He was fun to be around with the other runners and always helping out the others. We never lost a county championship with Bryan Durango as a member of the team. That says a lot about what he meant to us."
Durango was asked if the honor caught him by surprise.
"Very much so, when you look at all the other great athletes there are in Hudson County," Durango said. "It’s almost too much to handle. I’m overwhelmed by everything."
Added Durango, "I only had one goal and that was to get a college scholarship. I wrote it down in a letter to my freshman homeroom teacher and I stuck with it. I never believed that I would get that chance, but I am. Now, that I’m going to Rutgers to play football, I’m really looking forward to that challenge."
Considering Durango’s track record, is there any doubt he will tackle that challenge as easily as he runs down opponents in the open field? Right. No doubt whatsoever.