If the numbers never lie, then something strange is afoot among the ranks in Class 1A football.
Burlington’s Brian Hendricks, clearly among this year’s crop of the best running backs in Colorado in any classification, has compiled such strange statistics that to look casually at his season on paper is to invite question marks.
Hendricks, who led the Cougars to a 10-1 record and a spot in Saturday’s semifinal round, has this season:
Averaged 34.8 yards per carry in a Week 3 game against South Park. His four carries totaled 139 yards and three touchdowns. He scored on 75 percent of his touches.
Averaged 11.9 yards per carry – more than a first down per touch – in racing to 322 yards on 27 carries and four touchdowns, including a 93-yard score, in a first-round playoff victory over Denver Lutheran.
And, despite missing half his junior season with a knee injury and playing sparse minutes this season in several blowout victories, Hendricks has improved his career rushing total to nearly 5,500 yards. Hendricks is the 13th- most accomplished prep running back in Colorado history.
Can the stats be real?
“We’re a running team,” Burlington coach Glynn Higgs said with understatement, “and we’re gonna run the football.”
Burlington (10-1) will host Akron (11-0) in Saturday’s 1 p.m. semifinal.
“Brian’s definitely going to gain some yards,” Higgs said. “But we also know they’re going to key on him.”
Hendricks’ history comes as no surprise to the field. His 1,980 yards and 26 touchdowns this season rank among the state’s best. And his 183 yards and a score in last week’s quarterfinals helped propel the Cougars to a 21-14 victory over longtime rival Wray.
“It’s to that point where you don’t fool a lot of people,” Higgs said. “You just have to play at a real high level.”
Despite ridding Burlington of playoff games against Faith Christian, Holy Family, etc. – the team dropped from Class 2A to 1A before the season – Hendricks and the Cougars face a formidable task Saturday against Akron.
The Rams have allowed just 50 points this season, including five shutouts and a 27-7 quarterfinal win over Byers last week.
“I’m sure they know we’re going to give it to Hendricks,” Higgs said. “But their kids are so fundamentally sound, we’re going to have to find some ways to be a little more creative.”
CLASS 1A | SEMIFINALS
LYONS (10-1) at LIMON (11-0)
When Lyons travels to Lloyd Gaskill Field for a Saturday (1 p.m.) semifinal, it will be the fifth time this decade the Lions and Badgers have squared off in the playoffs. Limon eliminated Lyons from the semifinals last season on its way to a third consecutive undefeated, championship season. Lyons’ 16-6 victory over Limon in the 2002 playoffs was Limon’s most recent loss. Since then, the Badgers have won 50 consecutive games, a Colorado record. “It’s easy for an opposing coach to fixate on their winning streak and ignore basic preparation,” Lyons coach John Nichols said. “Even though we’ve gotten to 10 wins the past two seasons, they’ve learned to win all the time.” Limon’s ability to hunker down defensively in the playoffs might be the key to its streak. Since 2003, the Badgers have allowed just 65 points in the playoffs, including five shutouts, for a 4.6 defensive points average. Lyons, a rough, grinding team with multiple running options, must overcome that defense to earn just the 10th win over Limon this decade.
AKRON (11-0) at BURLINGTON (10-1)
Limon has earned recent attention in Class 1A, but Akron has been nearly as dominant. The Rams, who travel to Burlington for a Saturday (1 p.m.) semifinal, are the only other team to earn a 1A title since 2001, winning back-to-back in 2001 and 2002. And they have qualified for four of the past five championship games. But Burlington, which dropped from 2A before the season, won a 2A title in 2001 and has eight state championships since 1940, including four since 1995. Perhaps only the old-timers will remember, but Burlington and Akron were heated rivals in the Northeastern League more than 30 years ago. On Saturday, the key will be Akron’s defense and whether it can stop 1A’s best player in Cougars running back Brian Hendricks. Akron has allowed just 4.5 points per game this season, and Burlington’s big task will be to involve offensive options besides Hendricks. “We can’t let them key on just one aspect,” Burlington coach Glynn Higgs said.
Nick Groke can be reached at 303-954-1015 or ngroke@denverpost.com.
