Everything changes for football season.
Summer is officially put on notice, the schools fill up and the neighborhoods empty into the local stadiums for a shot of America’s new pastime.
Even Mother Nature got the cue Friday night at All City Stadium. The clouds rolled in and a stiff southern breeze made jackets en vogue.
Change was also the operative word for Thomas Jefferson.
The Spartans entered their Zero Week contest with Green Mountain under the guidance of new coach Tim Owens and prepping for a season playing in the skeletal remains of the Class 5A Denver Prep League – now reduced to three teams and including Fruita Monument from Grand Junction.
At a time when wrinkles usually rule, the Spartans were clean and pressed throughout their 28-14 nonleague victory. They ran the ball well between the tackles, mixed in some timely passes and turned in a solid defensive effort.
It was enough to make a new coach smile.
“We stayed simple and they got after it,” Owens said.
The Spartans got rushing touchdowns from Nigel Nelson, Alfonzo Moore and Issac Moore, while Ian Kane punctuated an outstanding evening with a 48-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Michael Mankoff as TJ (1-0) took a 14-0 lead into halftime.
TJ survived two turnovers in the third quarter and went up 28-0 with 4:50 left in the fourth quarter before the Class 4A Rams (0-1) avoided the shutout with two touchdowns.
“Hard-nose football, that’s all it is,” said Nelson, who ran for 98 yards on 14 carries. “I put my nose in there and just run for the bus, you know?”
The Spartans also showed they have nose for the ball by turning several near disasters into big plays.
Alfonzo Moore put TJ on the board on the last play of the first quarter when he scooped up a fumble by teammate Eric Ramsey and burst 10 yards into the end zone.
The Spartans capitalized late in the second quarter after their defense stopped Green Mountain on fourth down near midfield. TJ answered in one play as Mankoff threaded the ball through a defender’s hands right for Kane to take down the sideline for a 48-yard strike.
Kane also recovered a fumble and batted down two passes on defense.
The Rams were hot and cold as they continue to deal with a new passing offense. Quarterback Marc Amos threw for 315 yards but narrowly missed several home run shots when the game was close.
Said Rams second-year coach Kevin Rice: “Here’s why TJ deserves to win: On both sides of the ball, when a play needed to be made, they made them.”
Green Mountain 0 0 0 14 – 14
Thomas Jefferson 6 8 7 7 – 28
TJ – A. Moore 10 run (kick failed). TJ – Kane 48 pass from Mankoff (Nelson run). TJ – Nelson 8 run (Molai kick). TJ – I. Moore 4 run (Molai kick). GM – Amos 2 run (run failed). GM – Brovsky 19 pass from Amos (Piccinilli pass from Amos).
