Littleton – Although some of the names have changed, Douglas County’s formula for success remains the same.
The top-ranked Class 5A defending state champions did it by the book Friday night against Arapahoe, softening the Warriors with a bruising running game, stifling them defensively and knocking them out with a well-timed pass.
“We did a lot of film study this week and our line did a good job and we got it done,” Huskies senior quarterback Keiffer Garton said.
Garton threw for 101 yards and ran for 88 as the Huskies won their 15th consecutive game with a 28-9 Continental League victory at Littleton Public Schools Stadium in The Denver Post’s game of the week.
Garton opened the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and slammed the door late in the third quarter with a 58-yard bomb to Mike Whitney as the Huskies improved to 2-0.
Junior Ryan Misare kept Douglas County’s vaunted running game intact, carrying the ball 28 times for 134 yards and two touchdowns.
“I like that. It’s good stuff,” Misare said of his workload, which included scores from 13 and 12 yards.
The Warriors, ranked No. 7 in The Denver Post/9News poll, were game for most of the first half until they lost junior running back Bill Mercer to a shoulder injury in the second quarter. Mercer was run out of bounds on the left side and ploughed into the first-down marker, snapping it in half.
With Mercer gone, the Warriors unraveled and managed just two first downs in the second half.
Arapahoe quarterback Matt Johnson was 12-for-26 for 100 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter to give the Warriors a brief 9-7 lead.
The Huskies banged away early with Misare and eventually opened up their option attack. Garton executed the option and misdirection plays flawlessly and staked the Huskies to a 7-0 lead with a 16-yard run late in the first quarter.
The Warriors answered with a 38-yard Patrick Shortall field goal and a fumble recovery on the Douglas County 20 to set up their first touchdown.
Junior receiver Derrik Overton was in the right place for an 18-yard touchdown grab on third-and-8, hauling in the ball after it deflected off the hands of defensive back Tyler Jackson.
Overton caught six passes for 66 yards.
Arapahoe had another chance to get points when Kaither Holiway dropped a punt the Warriors recovered on the Huskies 15.
But the Warriors came up empty after a 17-yard holding penalty and four incomplete passes.
“I don’t think we ran one play correctly in the second quarter,” Warriors coach Mike Campbell said. “We had a lot of mental mistakes. It seemed like we were pretty nervous.”
Douglas County 7 7 7 7 – 28
Arapahoe 0 9 0 0 – 9
DC – Garton 16 run (Giepel kick). A – FG Shortall 38. A – Overton 18 pass from Johnson (kick blocked). DC – Misare 13 run (Giepel kick). DC – Whitney 58 pass from Garton (Giepel kick). DC – Misare 12 run (Giepel kick).
