Berthoud – It has been a year of firsts for coach Dan McGinn and his Berthoud Spartans.
The first-time Tri-Valley League champs also completed their first 10-0 regular season Friday night, capping off the 2006 campaign with a 20-7 victory over Fort Lupton at Max Marr Field.
Berthoud will open the Class 3A playoffs at home next week against a familiar foe – Florence. The defending champion Huskies, who finished third in the South Metro League, throttled Berthoud 42-0 in the preliminary round of the playoffs last season.
“(Florence) popped us hard last year,” senior linebacker Shea Harvey said. “We kind of want to return the favor to them.”
Despite the loss Friday night, the Blue Devils had already secured a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 1991. The likely opponent for coach Bob Hudson’s squad, though the picture is unclear, likely will be Steamboat Springs.
“If there is a foot of snow on the field after we drive all the way up there, I don’t care,” said Hudson, who team finishes the regular season 6-4 overall and 5-3 in the Tri-Valley. “We’re in the playoffs.”
Friday night’s game was more for bragging rights than anything, with playoff positions already sewn up. Good thing for Berthoud, the Spartans were playing without their starting quarterback, running back and wide receiver, all out with injuries. Running back Derek Good, who had posted 24 touchdowns this season, missed his second straight game after a snowball to the face left blood behind the eye.
The Spartans didn’t seem to skip a beat though. The tailback tandem of Alex Sommers and Taylor Martin each went over 100 yards rushing and each scored. Sommers’ 6-yard score in the first quarter provided the only points of the first half.
“It’s neat to see, kids that are given an opportunity, rise up to the occasion,” said McGinn, who played quarterback for the Spartans during his high school years. “I’m proud of our guys, what we accomplished this year is very difficult, and I just can’t say enough about them.”
Three first-half Berthoud turnovers in Fort Lupton territory, including a questionable fumble by Daniel Lebsack that was ruled a touchback, kept the Blue Devils within striking distance.
“We wanted the shutout, but they worked hard,” Harvey said.
Fort Lupton 0 0 0 7 – 7
Berthoud 6 0 14 0 – 20
B – Sommers 6 run (kick failed). B – Sommers 1 run (Diffendaffer kick). B – Martin 38 run (Diffendaffer kick). FL – Balderrama 1 run (J. Pigg kick).
Jon E. Yunt can be reached at 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
