Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Bodis Duran, Box Elder Football

In case you haven't noticed, there is a storm brewing along the Hi-Line in Class C Six-Man football and it's happening in Box Elder, where the Bears have built a true state title contender.

It has taken a lot for the Bears to get their program where it is today and a number of players and coaches deserve credit. One of the players who has been a key building block over the past four years is senior Bodis Duran.

Duran, who is a multi-sport athlete, competing in both football and basketball for the Bears, earned a spot on the varsity football team his freshman year and ever since, he has been a big part of what Box Elder does on both offense and defense.

Offensively, Duran is the team's running back - the bell cow. And even though the Bears love to spread it out and throw the ball around with All-State quarterback Brandon The Boy, they know it sometimes takes old-school football to win and that's when they turn to Duran.

"I usually get the ball when we need a first down, or near the end zone," Duran said. "I just try to keep the momentum going for us when I get the ball."

And thus far this season, Duran has been doing that and more. Last weekend, in a big win over North Division rival North Star, Duran was part of an attack that racked up 293 rushing yards. Duran also scored a rushing touchdown and even got in on the act defensively, returning a fumble for a touchdown in the second quarter of the 60-19 win.

Yet, in three other games this season, against Valier, Geraldine/Highwood and Sunburst, Duran has produced multiple rushing touchdowns and so far this season he has seven rushing touchdowns in just four games. And with his defensive score, he has a total of eight.

But in terms of scoring points, Duran doesn't stop there. That's because in addition to being a standout running back and linebacker, he is also the team's kicker and as far as Six-Man football goes, he is pretty good.

A unique rule to Six-Man football is that an extra point is worth two points, whereas, a two-point conversion is worth just one. That is due to the fact that kicking an extra point with six players is generally more difficult than advancing the football two yards, which is what the two-point (one-point in Six-Man) conversion requires.

However, the Bears, unlike most Six-Man teams, kick a lot of PATs because Duran makes them so consistently. His ability to convert extra points had turned into a major weapon for Box Elder as evidenced by his 6-of-7 performance against North Star, which gave his team an extra 12 points and him a total of 24 for the game.

Currently, Duran is focused on football and ending the Bears (4-0) long playoff drought. But, when the winter rolls around, he will have a chance to showcase his skills on the hardwood.

When it comes to basketball, Duran had a longer road to hoe in terms of making the varsity squad, but last season, after two years of hard work, he finally did it. And when he got his chance to play, he proved he is more than just a mere role player.

Multiple times last season, Duran poured in more than 20 points and he was part of a team that won its third consecutive District 9C championship. The Bears lost just twice last season, both coming to Highwood, with the second loss coming in the Northern C divisional tournament, which stopped the Bears from being able to defend their 2014 state basketball championship.

Box Elder certainly wants to reclaim that championship in March of 2016, but right now, Duran and his teammates are focused on winning a different state championship - one in football.

So far, the Bears are off to a great start, winning four games, against four difficult teams. This week they will turn their attention to the Big Sandy Pioneers, but before they take the field again, the Havre Daily News caught up with Duran for five questions.

HDN: If you had to choose between football and basketball, which sport would it be?

Duran: "It would be football."

HDN: When you guys came in four years ago, did you believe you could turn the Box Elder program into a contender this quickly?

Duran: "Yes we did. Back when we were freshmen, we thought that we had a chance to be good. We just knew that we needed to put the work and the time in and that's what we have done."

HDN: What position is more fun to play, running back or linebacker?

Duran: "Running back, because I get to score. But, linebacker is pretty fun, too. I get to hit people."

HDN: What will you miss most about playing sports for Box Elder once you graduate and move on?

Duran: "I think I will miss playing with friends and being around the fans. I will miss people cheering for you and congratulating you. But mostly, I will just miss the time with my friends."

HDN: What has been your favorite moment as an athlete so far?

Duran: "I think starting 4-0. I don't know if I ever thought that would be 4-0, so it's pretty awesome that we are 4-0 right now."