Colorado’s big-school football championship, owned for decades by traditional powers, added a new entry Saturday in its first foray at Invesco Field at Mile High.
Much as they have done throughout the 2005 season, Douglas County’s Huskies rocked, rolled and rode Andy Muns and stellar line play to their first championship with a convincing 35-13 decision of 2004 Class 5A champion Mullen.
In winning their 13th consecutive game, the Huskies became Colorado’s most surprising and unlikely champion in 20 years. Their effort, while thorough and based on power football, brought back memories of Lakewood’s legendary thrashing of perennial power Cherry Creek in 1985 despite dressing fewer than 30 players and Northglenn’s lofty run a year earlier.
A school that won just its sixth football league title, its first championship in football and began in 1897, decisively joined the state’s elite with one of the most physically dominating playoff showings on record. Douglas County outscored four playoff foes by a combined 176-80 and handed Mullen its first loss in six title games.
“I’m ecstatic,” Muns, a senior running back, said after piling up 239 yards and two touchdowns.
Afterward, coach Jeff Ketron had a smile as wide as Douglas County.
“You have no idea how good it is,” he said. “This is what it’s all about. The thing I’m most overwhelmed with is that we came here, and people didn’t think we could do this. The community has supported us with everything and now we get to pay them back.”
As had been their habit, the Huskies took a lead, played well with it and won going away.
In ending 13-1 – Mullen finished 11-3 – the Huskies rolled to a 28-7 halftime bulge behind Muns’ 140 yards rushing and two touchdown runs, including a 73-yarder midway through the second quarter. It was of his trademark variety, too, as he muscled through the point of attack, then outraced pursuit.
The Huskies went into more of a shell on offense after the break, but their defense came up with the necessary plays, notably harassing Mullen quarterback Clint Brewster, who was sacked six times.
When Mullen gained momentum in the third quarter and got within 28-13, it squandered its next three possessions – one in which it had first-and-goal at the 9-yard line and had a touchdown negated by penalty, and another when it had first down at the 12 – and left the field unfulfilled.
“We had plays to make that were there all day and we just didn’t make the plays,” Mullen coach Dave Logan said. “I congratulate Jeff and his staff. They’re a real good team.”
And they were good on defense when it counted.
Threatening to get within a touchdown, Mullen got the ball at midfield, but gave it over on downs on a fourth-down sack by Luke Diehl and Ryan Misare.
The Mustangs’ next two choice chances resulted in another sack of Brewster by Diehl and an interception in the end zone off a tipped pass by Ryan Groat, the latter with 4:22 to play.
“The defense stopped Mullen when it had to,” Muns said. Diehl, who had a big game roaming inside and outside, said his line “kept a push on (the Mustangs) and kept them off me.”
Douglas County added a 1-yard run by quarterback Keiffer Garton in the final seconds, but ultimately it was about Muns, Garton’s two touchdown passes and a front wall that gave them room to operate.
Steve Fendry and Josh Rodriguez each had three receptions for the Huskies, one of Rodriguez’s a picture-perfect grab in which he was falling out of bounds, yet managed to keep his toes in play.
For Mullen, Jarrett Hullum and Phillip Morelli kept its ground game going and Devin Aguilar had eight receptions for 77 yards, but the Mustangs, who started 11 juniors and two sophomores, will have to wait another year for their fifth title.cq
This one was about the Huskies, first-time winners who also have an eye toward the future.
“Maybe we can do it again next year,” Ketron said.
Douglas County 14 14 0 7 – 35
Mullen 0 7 6 0 – 13
DC – Muns 2 run (Reynolds kick). DC – Fendry 11 pass from Garton (Reynolds kick). M – Morelli 3 run (Pavy kick). DC – Muns 73 run (Reynolds kick). DC – Rodriguez 29 pass from Garton (Reynolds kick). M – Brewster 1 run (kick failed). DC – Garton 1 run (Reynolds kick).
A – 11,423.
| DC | Mul. | |
| First downs | 15 | 17 |
| Rushes-yards | 34-236 | 41-130 |
| Passing | 108 | 118 |
| Passes | 8-13-2 | 12-23-2 |
| Return yards | 17 | 81 |
| Punts-avg. | 4-27.2 | 3-27.3 |
| Fumbles-lost | 2-0 | 3-0 |
| Penalties-yards | 7-72 | 8-45 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Douglas County, Muns 31-239, Garton 3-(minus 3). Mullen, Hullum 12-69, Morelli 17-69, Aguilar 1-29, Woulf 1-7.
PASSING – Douglas County, Garton 8-13-2-108. Mullen, C. Brewster 12-23-2-118.
RECEIVING – Douglas County, Rodriguez 3-62, Fendry 3-32, Nappo 1-13, Whitney 1-1. Mullen, Aguilar 8-77, Morelli 2-13, Hullum 1-17, Watson 1-11.
