Highlands Ranch – ThunderRidge might never have another group as good as its 2005 state championship-winning team.
But in Friday’s rematch of the Class 4A state final, this year’s group of Grizzlies looked familiar in a 21-7 victory over Grand Junction that wasn’t as close as the score suggests.
Although minus the big-play explosiveness of their predecessors, the third-ranked Grizzlies were methodical and ruthless, chewing up huge chunks off the clock and shutting out the Tigers’ offense.
“We worked all week on getting to the ball and it paid off,” ThunderRidge linebacker Steven Savage said. “We knew they were fast, but we’re a fast team ourselves, so we just wanted to put it to them.”
The Grizzlies, ranked No. 3 in The Denver Post/9News 4A poll, got equal production from its trio of primary ball carriers. Quarterback Paden Faulkner ran for 77 yards and a touchdown, fullback Ben Faddis had 75 yards and a touchdown, and running back Chris Nwoke had 74 yards and a 19-yard touchdown to put ThunderRidge up 21-0 with two seconds left in the third quarter.
Faulkner also completed six passes for 66 yards as the Grizzlies had a 20-8 advantage in first downs and ran 65 plays compared to just 41 for the Tigers.
“We were just working on things – running the ball when we saw holes and throwing the ball when we saw openings,” Faulkner said.
ThunderRidge improved to 3-0 and stretched its winning streak to 26 games. The Grizzlies blasted the Tigers 51-21 last season at Invesco Field at Mile High. The seventh-ranked Tigers drop to 1-2.
Grand Junction gave up a 15-play scoring drive on the game’s first possession and then gave the ball back to the Grizzlies when quarterback Ross Koepsell fumbled on the Tigers’ first play.
ThunderRidge needed four plays to score and take a 14-0 lead with 1:58 left in the first quarter.
The Tigers threatened a few times but were driven back by poor execution, penalties and ThunderRidge’s defense. Koepsell led the Tigers with 57 yards passing and 44 yards rushing.
“Once the kids decide you’re going to step up to that next level then you can’t do those things,” Tigers coach Shawn Marsh said.
Grand Junction’s lone score came on a botched ThunderRidge field-goal attempt midway through the fourth quarter. Grand Junction’s Josiah Hoffman scooped up the loose ball, shrugged off place-kicker Tim Jenkins and raced 70 yards to the end zone.
Grand Junction 0 0 0 7 – 7
ThunderRidge 14 0 7 0 – 21
T – Faulkner 6 run (Jenkins kick). T – Faddis 1 run (Jenkins kick). T – Nwoke 19 run (Jenkins kick). GJ – Hoffman 70 fumble recovery (Sweeney kick).
