Name: Gary Davies
School: Class 4A Broomfield Eagles, 2005 champions of the Skyline League
Record: Finished the regular season 7-3 overall, 6-0 league; 168-70 career.
Coaching résumé: Head coach at Bennett High School from 1981-83; assistant at Sierra (Colorado Springs) from 1984-87; head coach at Broomfield since 1988.
Life lines: Age 47, native of Greeley. Graduated from Broomfield in 1976; graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in 1980 with a degree in biology; earned master’s degree in secondary education from UNC in 1996. Teaches mathematics at Broomfield.
Back in his day: Defensive back at Broomfield 1972-75, two-time all-Skyline League selection, second-team all-state as a senior. Also played basketball and baseball. Was a pitcher at UNC and a four-year letter-winner.
What he has done lately: “It was how you want to script it,” Davies said of his team’s 21-0 victory over rival Monarch on Friday night that decided the league championship.
The Eagles played terrific defense, were able to run the ball and displayed nearly flawless play, a high point for a team that had been experiencing inconsistencies earlier in the season.
“We’re not very big and we get outphysicaled,” Davies said. “But I don’t think we had a negative-yardage play.”
Broomfield got 241 yards rushing from Jeff Wilkerson as it ended Monarch’s 39-game regular-season winning streak, dealt the Coyotes their first shutout loss since Week 5 of the 2001 season (18-0, by 5A Northglenn) and took a 4-3 lead in the series.
“To get a shutout was a neat deal for us,” Davies said.
Gratifying, too – the Coyotes’ ground attack, complete with size, experience and know-how, is difficult to keep out of the end zone.
“They 4-yard you to death,” Davies said. “Then – bam! – they get a 70-yard touchdown.”
Davies credited defensive coordinator Tom Burgesser for his approach in stopping Monarch, and he’ll be asked to do it again soon.
The Eagles will begin the 4A preliminaries Friday night at home against Ralston Valley.
Note
The Denver Broncos high school coach of the week, in its 10th year, will have 10 honorees in the regular season. NFL Charities will present a check for $1,000 to the school’s program. A coach of the year will be announced at the Broncos’ Dec. 11 game against the Baltimore Ravens at Invesco Field at Mile High and receive $2,000. Coaches are selected from a panel consisting of Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post; Billy Thompson, the Broncos; Susie Wargin, KUSA-9; Marcia Neville, KCNC-4; and Andy Lindahl, KKZN-760 AM.
