The Bear Creek Bears had begun each of the past two seasons losing to potent Mullen. On Friday when the Bears entered the game’s final huddle in the second overtime down 35-34 at Jefferson County Stadium, they knew their two- point conversion attempt would either:
A.) Reveal why Mullen would be the favorite to repeat as 5A high school football champions.
B.) Create a new order.
The Bears had lost 28-7 and 35-24 to Mullen in recent seasons. They had not beaten Mullen in 15 years. Bear Creek entered the game ranked No. 8 in the state. Mullen was ranked No. 1.
Mullen has been a giant.
Bear Creek has been a Bear at the end of seasons but often a bore at the start.
“We’ve had a lot of 1-2 and 0-3 teams that made the playoffs and did well,” Bear Creek coach Tom Thenell said. “You’ve got to have tough kids to do that.”
You have to have tough kids to go for it all on one play.
This may be his toughest team. This one got its season started right.
This is Thenell’s 14th season at Bear Creek. Before joining the Bears, he was an assistant for seven years at Mullen.
This is his first team that beat Mullen. It won it, 36-35.
Bear Creek led 21-7 and watched Mullen scrap and tie it and push the game into overtime. Both teams scored seven points in the first overtime. Mullen scored seven in the second. Bear Creek got its turn, scored a touchdown and opted for the two-point conversion.
Thenell looked at the Mullen bench; he said it had nearly 100 players. He looked at his bench; he said he dressed 47.
“We were getting tired,” Thenell said. “Playing not to lose bothers me. We decided to play right there to win it. You can’t be afraid to win. You’ve got to take risk in life. That night, that risk, it was the right time.”
The play was 2-Half-99. The count was,”Go.”
Quarterback Jake Spitzlberger to receiver Aromous Robinson on a fade route in the far left corner of the end zone.
“The defensive back was playing me man-to-man, and just before the snap he started to shade inside,” Robinson said. “That was good.”
“The idea was to put it up there enough for Aromous to make a play for it,” Spitzlberger said.
Ball lofted. Robinson leaps. Catches it. Lands. Robinson, Spitzlberger, everyone is looking at the official. Arms up. Party on.
There is little more gratifying in sports than lifting a foot off your neck, than breaking a hex, than slaying the giant. It teaches confidence. It teaches humility.
Thenell’s decision to go for the victory on such a high-risk play also illustrated to his players how to play football with courage. Every day he tries to teach them how to live courageously.
“Our players on Wednesdays go to the elementary school to help the younger kids with reading,” Thenell said. “In the summers they are here working with kids in our camps. I make sure they know that it’s not all about them, but about others, too. This is a diverse school, with 2,000 kids and a great community that supports our team. We gave them something back with this victory.
“I always have a difficult time sleeping after a game. If we lose, I replay it 1,000 times over how I messed up. If we win, I’m kind of relieved. The team, the school, the community has something to be proud of.”
This victory provided Bear Creek – which plays at Gateway on Thursday night – one of its best-ever football memories. It has played in two state 5A finals, losing in 1997 to Arvada West and in 2000 to Columbine.
“That game changed the entire confidence level of our team,” Spitzlberger said. “We’ve got a lot of football left and a challenge in each one. But I don’t expect to lose a lot.”
It certainly was a winning sight on the bus ride after the game. The Bears were dancing.
“Fortunately, I can sing,” Thenell said. “A Bon Jovi song came on the radio: ‘It’s my life.’ I sang that.”
The coach who had just won his 91st game, all at Bear Creek, remembers this most about his special night. He looked around the bus and saw his son, Zach, 13.
Zach is like his dad. Keeps things in check.
“And there he was with the biggest smile on his face,” Thenell said. “That meant the world.”
There were plenty of smiles in the Bear Creek High hallways Monday. Peers kept telling Robinson he won it.
“I tell them, ‘No, the team won it,”‘ Robinson said.
A little courage, a little humility goes a long way.
Staff writer Thomas George can be reached at 303-820-1994 or tgeorge@denverpost.com.
