Peppa: Demag’ em Seer pgs te THE Durango HERALD ” Sports (/sports) Callese Licategorics/collemesports) High Sehoel lentecorie/high-echeoleporiss Youth (raiegories/youthsporia) Cutdoors (/entesuriea/matdoura) Prep Spotlight: Durango's Autumn Stevens springs into action Sophomore center back key to Durango’s success in 2016 By Jon Fries i/staft'S0-joe-fikes) Herald Sports Witter Monday, April 25, 2016 2:25 PAM pete Meni, Apri 28 2008 260 PO Dorango High School's Autumn Stevens has taken on a huge tole this season for the currently tied for first place Demons girls’ soccer team. Scoring goals and bullying opposing forwards is just the beginning when it comes to the talents possessed by this sophomore, tae stcmeptercomrnntn BiE sae Behind the scenes. What ia your nicknemet: Otter Pap: ‘Who la your celebelty crush? Batrieke ‘SSenyre. Point Break, Raschouse, Dirty Dancing_Ive agen them as, ‘What childhood teacher or coach made u great impact on your: My DBA conch Jow Caney did a lot forms. ‘What i your favorite sports movieh: She's he Man De'you have any petats | have two Gop, Kove and Jeti, ‘What bn your favors eastancuct In Dursnget: Zis Taqueria What music ie you litten te before gamesT: I've been into French rap utic lated. My frlendin thnk en Deyou have snp other talents? | play ‘he plana and write my own musi. t iso wre poetry, secondary. Poop Spetigh: Eames ne Sr ping natn ‘On the field, Stevens has been called upon to grow up in.a hurry and lead the young Demons’ defense with senior Maddie: ‘Rebertson out for much of the season with a knee injury, ‘Stevens and the Demons didn’t just stay above water with their leader sidelined, they have cemented themselves as one of the 5A/4A Southwestern League's best squads in what was expected to be a year of growth and rebuilding with such a young roster. Instead of playing scared, Stevens, her defensive mates and goalie Leah Stephens have shut out five of Ll opponents. Now, ‘with Robertson back, goals are going to be even tougher to. come by for the opposition. “When we learned that Maddie was going to be out for awhile, it ‘was a lot of pressure for me because [wasn'ta very vocal player ‘out there and 1 knew that I needed to change that,” Stevens gaicl. “Lguess I've come out of my shell.” ‘Not only has she been stellar as the last line of defense in the center back position, Stevens is tied for the team lead in goals, ‘Her latest score gave the Demons the lead against rival ‘Montrose in Friday's 4-0win, ‘While ssccer is what gets her in the town newspaper, Stevens’ talents off the field make shutouts and free kick goals seem ‘The 4.0 grade point. average student, and daughter of Eric and Lynn Stevens, wns recently accepted ‘into the National Honor Society at Durango High School. ‘That's quite an achievement for any student, but she's already racked wp Social Studies Student of the Year, Davinci Renaissance Award and Math Student of the Year honors in her freshman year alone at DHS, ‘Out of the classroom, Stevens writes, sings, plays piano and records her own music, She wrote and ‘Professionally recorded her own song when she was 13. Down the road, the Li-year-old has plans to get into medical research and is attending a conference in Boston this summer to better familiarize herself with the industry. at Prop Spi Drags’ Asem Svoat pegs ts aint “Tm really fascinated by the medical sciences and see myself in some sort of medical job? she said. “Research and diseovery is something that really appeals to me, but I'm going to this conference to ‘open my eyes to different parts of that general field, so who knows.” ‘No matter which path Stevens chooses, she's already learned how to adapt to new situations, ‘become a leader and step up ina big way when the pressure mounts in just half a soceer season. Jifries@ durangoherald.eom