When considering the scheduled hoopla for Saturday’s Class 5A football championship game, such as flyovers, parachuters, fireworks, college booths, tours, etc., don’t forget there will be a game between two Colorado big-school programs of interest.
Invesco Field at Mile High’s first foray as home to the state’s upper classification championships may have an ultimate 5A matchup in 2005 good enough to attract followers to a vacant lot.
Concerning the two qualifiers as schools and programs, Mullen versus Douglas County contains similarities and contrasts in history, location, outlook and approach that point toward a top-flight finale worth watching.
“That’s the thing, with all we have going on, this should be a great one,” Colorado High School Activities Association assistant commissioner Bert Borgmann said.
Mullen against Douglas County means many things.
It’s the preseason No. 1 team in The Denver Post Post/9News 5A poll against one that began the season unranked.
It’s the defending champion against another that hasn’t come close.
It’s a regular playoff power against a usual first-round loser … if it qualifies (it has won just six league titles).
It’s also private against public; the southwest side of a major city against a former small town now a substantial suburb; the annual favorite against the decades-long underdog; and, as usual in big schools, the Centennial League against the rest of 5A. It’s the 22nd time since 1977 that the Centennial has had at least one team in the final.
And it’s about power football.
“That gang we’re going to play on Saturday,” Mullen coach Dave Logan said of the Huskies, “has been physically dominating everybody they’ve played.”
Said Douglas County coach Jeff Ketron: “I see the same things when I was (an assistant at the Centennial’s Overland). They’re typical Mullen, with a lot of size and skill kids.”
Mullen, 36-4 overall in the past three seasons and winner of nine of its past 10 postseason games, may have been considered too young to repeat, perhaps a year away from dominating again. The Mustangs start 11 juniors and two sophomores.
But the younger talent joined senior leadership in commitment to the program, notably through developing another running game, as the Mustangs will play for their third championship since 1998.
After two years of riding Maurice Greer, the leading 5A rushing force of the time, Jarrett Hullum and Phillip Morelli have patiently followed another top-notch Mullen line. Quarterback Clint Brewster has gained confidence over the course of 2005 and spread it around, particularly when hooking up with the superlative Devin Aguilar and, lately, Morelli out of the backfield.
Defensively, Mullen has proven strong in all three areas: up front, at linebacker and in the secondary. Its speed, quickness and playmaking have been constant.
The Mustangs have lost twice – by a combined four points and both on the final play of the game.
“They’re very solid, it’s that simple,” Ketron said.
Meanwhile, Douglas County has been referred to as somewhat of a “Hoosiers” entry, and it has merit – the Huskies have been big-school doormats for years. Examples: They were 29-53 over the first 20 years of the Centennial (1964-83) and 23-38 in 5A the previous six years. Previously, on average they had defeated programs in big schools’ upper crust with the frequency of motorists trading in vehicles.
However, they have stepped on virtually everyone else since dropping their opener in the final seconds, and any fluke talk, which tried to surface weeks ago, never made it into the rounds.
“There is no question about them,” Logan said. “There’s a reason they’ve won 12 straight games. They’re the biggest and most-physical team we will face this year.”
Said Ketron: “We kind of skipped a few hurdles, but, again, it goes back to senior leadership and our coaching staff.”
And running back Andy Muns. If the senior hasn’t been Colorado’s best player in 2005, he’s certainly the most important. Douglas County has enjoyed production by junior quarterback Keiffer Garton (18 touchdown passes), but Muns has combined inside success with the ability to run away from tacklers. His 2,609 yards and 36 touchdowns haven’t been by accident.
The Huskies’ lines, led by University of Colorado recruits tight end Steve Fendry and defensive tackle Eric Lawson, have been effective, durable and convincing. There haven’t been many series in which they haven’t won the line of scrimmage.
The Castle Rock area has responded to the Huskies with a following that clearly has hungered for success. Among other items, they have a classic double-decker bus that makes road trips as do the parents of Ketron, Phil and Vickie, who haven’t missed a game despite living in Cheyenne.
“It’s the way I envisioned it when I took over (in 1999),” Ketron said. “This was the goal.”
