Longmont – With apologies to ZZ Top, Merino’s backs have legs, and they know how to use them.
The Rams ran over and through Longmont Christian, totaling 370 yards on the ground, in Saturday’s Class A 8-man quarterfinals 48-12 at Sandstone Ranch.
Merino (10-0) will play Granada on Saturday in the semifinals.
The Rams, whose motivational ploy all season has been a picture of themselves hoisting the second-place trophy from a season ago, established their ground presence early. The first time they touched the ball offensively, the Rams marched 88 yards on 16 plays in seven minutes and opened the scoring on Chance Barber’s 2-yard run.
“We had a game plan to go right after them, and we were able to execute it,” said Barber’s partner in the backfield, Ross Brunkhardt.
The Rams built the lead to 21-0 on touchdown runs of 45 and 14 yards by Brunkhardt, and it looked as though they could put it in cruise control.
Longmont Christian (9-1) answered Brunkhardt’s second score with 1:04 remaining, running the two-minute drill to perfection and cracking the scoreboard with one second to play when Mark Powers’ catch-and-run from 31 yards made it 21-6 at the break.
“I’m a little bit surprised, because I thought if we came out and got 21 points up on them, they might quit, but they didn’t,” Merino coach John Barber said. “Then you could see kind of late in the third, they wore down, and I don’t think they had been through four quarters of physical football yet.”
Merino quickly took away any sort of momentum the Central League champion Warriors might have carried into the second half. Quarterback Karl Mertens scored on a 34-yard run just 1:27 into the half.
Mertens led all rushers with 145 yards on 17 carries. Brunkhardt finished with 126 yards on 16 carries and three touchdowns.
“We haven’t tackled kids like that all year,” Warriors coach Jerry Martin said. “We weren’t surprised by any of the plays or schemes that they ran, but the thing you can’t scheme for is the quality of kids they bring.”
Longmont Christian’s backfield tandem of Powers and Jacob Jelosek was held to a combined 46 yards on 18 carries. Powers finished the first half with 10 yards on nine carries.
“The big talk was about Powers being really good, so we just decided to take it to him the whole time,” said Brunkhardt, who doubles as a linebacker. “Then, after that, they just sort of stumbled.”
Merino 14 7 14 13 – 48
Longmont Christian 0 6 0 6 – 12
M – Barber 2 run (Bartlett kick). M – Brunkhardt 45 run (Bartlett kick). M – Brunkhardt 14 run (Bartlett kick). LC – Powers 31 pass from Mendenhall (run failed). M – Mertens 34 run (Brunkhardt kick). M – Brunkhardt 1 run (Bartlett kick). M – A. Amen 1 run (kick blocked). M – Shahid 12 fumble recovery (Bartlett kick). LC – Jelosek 4 run (pass failed).
Jon E. Yunt can be reached at 303-820-5446 or at jyunt@denverpost.
