Traditions take time to establish.
Usually.
The Dodge City High School Athletic Department is no stranger to tradition. State Championships in seven sports, forty-five trips to the state basketball tournament, eight straight trips to the state soccer tournament, and individual state wrestling champions on a consistent basis.
Year 150 at Dodge City High School not only added to those traditions, it very well may have been the start of some new ones.
One did not have to flip very many calendar pages before 2022 became a special one for Demon Nation. In only the second year for the program, the Lady Demon Wrestling team claimed the 5A-6A State Championship. The WAC champions not only claimed just the third KSHSAA Girls Wrestling title, but they are currently ranked number one in the state heading into 2023.
The Girls Wrestling State Championship was followed up a week later by a pair of Red Demon State Championship performances by senior Damian Mendez and junior Luke Barker. Barker is also currently ranked number one.
March Madness struck Dodge City Basketball in a big way in 2022. After a third-place finish at the Tournament of Champions, the Red Demons defeated Topeka Washburn Rural in the Sub-State Championship to clinch the 45th State Tournament appearance for the Red Demons. Not to be outdone, the Lady Red Demons won the Newton Tournament on their way to a Sub-State Championship game against Wichita Heights. Heights featured a Division 1 point guard and home court advantage. However, the senior-laden Lady Demons would not be denied their second straight trip to the State Tournament as they dominated the Lady Falcons on their way to a second straight State Tournament.
The spring season was highlighted by a freshman. Jasmine Ruiz set the school record for goals scored on her way to being named the All-WAC Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
The Lady Demons finished 13-4 losing to Wichita Northwest 1-nil in the Regional Finals.
Emanuel Aguilar became the 33rd Red Demon to represent the Red Demons in the Kansas Shrine Bowl to highlight the summer.
Fall welcomed fans back to The Palace on the Plains as Memorial Stadium hosted the Ring of Honor ceremony where legendary Red Demon Football coach Dick Masters and Demon Historian Doral Grose were inducted. History was made when the annual Hatchet Game was played at Riverfront Stadium in Wichita. The Demons came up short, but the Red Demons faithful showed up and showed out with outstanding performances for the Pride of Southwest Kansas, DCHS Drill Team, and even a coin flip appearance from Miss Kansas, DCHS Graduate Ayanna Hensley.
The Red Demon Soccer program continued its dominance on the pitch with their third-place finish at the 6A State Soccer Tournament. The Red Demons have finished in the top three of class 6A three of the past four seasons. The Red Demons finished the season as undefeated WAC Champs (8-0), Regional Champions (eight straight years), and with an outstanding 20-1 final record.
What a year for Red Demon Athletics. Can 2023 compete? It appears the Girls Wrestling program is primed to compete for another state title. Western Athletic Conference play begins for most winter programs after the Christmas break and spring sports are just under two months away.
The final phase of Memorial Stadium has already began with completion of the three year renovation project set for August 2023.
Old traditions. New traditions. One consistent theme. Red Demon Nation had a great 2022 – and the future is bright.
Happy New Year!
