Name: Reid Kahl.
School: Class 4A Wheat Ridge, Mountain Plains League.
Record: 4-0 in 2006, 1-0 league; 10-14 career.
Coaching résumé: Assistant at Fort Morgan from 1989-2001 (as the Mustangs won seven league titles and two state titles, and had a state runner-up); head coach at Coronado 2002-03; assistant at Fort Morgan in 2004; first year at Wheat Ridge.
Life lines: Age 38. Native of Fort Morgan. Graduated from Fort Morgan High School in 1986 and University of Northern Colorado in 1991, degree in kinesiology. Teaches physical education and weight training at Wheat Ridge.
Back in his day: Quarterback, defensive back and punter at Fort Morgan from 1983-85, all-state defensive back by The Denver Post in 1985. Played defensive back at UNC from 1986-89.
What he has done lately: Consider the Wheat Ridge Farmers as serious 4A players. They took down two-time defending state champion ThunderRidge 28-7 on Thursday in a Mountain Plains opener and ended the Grizzlies’ winning streak at 26 games.
“We had to respect who they are and what they’ve done,” Kahl said.
Certainly, the Farmers were seeking regard and accomplishment of their own. Since their most recent state championship, in 1996, they were 44-50 from 1997-2005, including 29-42 from 1999 to last year, and gone through three head coaches.
However, Kahl, out of coaching in 2005, has Wheat Ridge back in 4A prominence. The Farmers’ 4-0 start is their best since 1995.
Trailing 7-0 at halftime, a balanced Wheat Ridge squad took over behind two touchdowns rushing by Beau Stevens and a first-team defense that had allowed only three points through three games. By taking advantage of three turnovers and giving up only one touchdown and conversion kick, the Farmers nearly held the Grizzlies to their only other single-figure output in the regular season in the 2000s (ThunderRidge fell 10-6 to Lakewood in 2003).
The Wheat Ridge interior lines, quarterback Dylan Orms and the Wright non-brothers, Connor and Matt, added significant contributions as the Farmers also took a big first step in a dominant league that has sent a team to the 4A title game in four of the past five years.
“Our kids are confident right now,” Kahl said.
Note
The Denver Broncos high school coach of the week, in its 11th year, will have 10 honorees in the regular season. NFL Charities will present a check for $1,000 to the school’s program. Lakewood’s Mark Robinson, Pueblo East’s Rick Upchurch and Cherokee Trail’s Monte Thelen are previous winners in 2006. A coach of the year will be announced at the Broncos’ Dec. 31 game against the San Francisco 49ers at Invesco Field at Mile High and receive $2,000. Coaches are selected from a panel consisting of Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post; Billy Thompson, the Broncos; Marcia Neville, KCNC-4; and Andy Lindahl, KOA 850 AM.
