Lakewood – When it was decided last week that Columbine, a Jefferson County stalwart the past decade, would face Lakewood, once the dominant force in big-school suburban football with seven state titles to its credit, memories flooded to the fore.
Remember when Lakewood shocked the state in 1985 with a 47-8 title-game romp over Cherry Creek? Remember when the Tigers turned heads in Week 1 with an 18-3 win over Columbine? Remember when they surprised again last weekend in upsetting Grandview 14-7?
It was as if Lakewood, which hadn’t played big-school ball since 1989, jumped right back to its old form.
But after Columbine dominated the line of scrimmage to earn a 50-6 thumping of Lakewood on Saturday in a Class 5A quarterfinal at Jefferson County Stadium, the Rebels again have football fans living in the now.
“We played about as well this time as we did poorly the first time,” Columbine coach Andy Lowry said, comparing Saturday’s game to his team’s loss in the first week. “Our offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage. They’re just too athletic. And I think they took some things personal after Week 1.”
Columbine’s offensive line – with Ryan Miller, Christopher Rogers, Steven Hughes, Joe Bieber, Travis Duffy – averages 6-feet-1, 257 pounds. The Rebels’ clear size advantage surfaced for 471 yards rushing, led by Chad Korodaj’s 187 yards on 27 carries. Korodaj only twice ran for more than 15 yards and never more than 20.
“They’re a lot bigger than everybody else,” Lakewood coach Mark Robinson said of Columbine’s front. “They just pushed us down the field. They’re so strong.”
The game-winning score, it turned out, was on the board 11 seconds into the game after Orenzo Davis took a 24-yard pass from C.J. Gillman for a touchdown.
Lakewood would respond just once, more than 47 minutes later, when Donnie Reed caught a Lawrence Montoya pass for a score as time expired. Montoya led the Tigers with 104 yards passing on 11-of-23 completions.
“We definitely had a little bit of revenge to get,” said Columbine’s Miller, a 6-7, 285-pound lineman headed to the University of Colorado. “I can’t compare us to others in the state. But our line has the most heart.”
Columbine 21 9 7 13 – 50
Lakewood 0 0 0 6 – 6
C – Davis 24 pass from Gillman (Anundsen kick). C – Davis 62 run (Anundsen kick). C – Korodaj 9 run (Anundsen kick). C – Cicchinelli 6 run (kick failed). C – FG Anundsen 26. C – Gillman 9 fumble recovery (Anundsen kick). C – Cicchinelli 30 pass from Gillman (Anundsen kick). C – Willingham 1 run (kick failed). L – Reed 10 pass from Montoya (kick failed).
Nick Groke can be reached at 303-954-1015 or ngroke@denverpost.com.
