Arvada – A relative newcomer to Colorado’s football elite having first qualified for the playoffs in 1995, Faith Christian has furiously made up for lost time.
The Eagles, 12-2 in the postseason since 2003, have years to go before catching Limon’s 17 state titles or Fort Collins’ 12 trophies. But after a 41-7 drubbing of visiting Platte Valley in front of more than 3,500 people in the Class 2A state championship game Saturday, Faith Christian claimed top honors for the third time, second in the past three years, and ended the year undefeated.
“We had a fire from last year,” Faith Christian fullback Brandon Mathis said in reference to a semifinal loss to Holy Family in 2005, the only kink in an otherwise stellar three-year stretch. “That’s one of the main things that drove this team.”
Facing a Platte Valley team that had scored 100 points in three playoff games to reach its first final, Faith Christian switched schemes, stacking its defense with extra linebackers in a 4-3 scheme instead of its standard 5-2.
But after the Eagles turned three Platte Valley turnovers from the Broncos’ first four plays into a 21-0 lead, it seemed Faith Christian could have lined up in a 1-10 scheme for all the effort.
“That really just took away their spirit, their energy,” said Faith Christian linebacker Mark Cerf, The Denver Post’s most valuable player. Cerf last weekend sealed a 7-0 semifinal victory over Brush with a late interception in the end zone. “When you put that many big athletes out on the field, you just get the job done every time.”
Cerf’s eight solo tackles and six assists led an Eagles defense that averaged 6 feet, 240 pounds in its middle. Alex Vigil added 14 combined tackles, a fumble recovery and a 24-yard interception return for a touchdown as the Eagles’ defense shined.
“I don’t think we expected them to be that big, that fast,” Platte Valley quarterback Ty Tschacher said. “We had our hands full.”
Added Broncos coach Mike DeWall: “I hope they graduate a bunch of kids, because I don’t want to see them again.”
Faith Christian’s Mathis scored twice in the Eagles’ (13-0) big first quarter, on runs of 3 and 2 yards. And his 3-yard rush for a score with 1:55 remaining in the second quarter led to Faith Christian’s 35-0 halftime lead. He finished with 93 yards on 15 carries.
Tyler Funk ran for a game-high 116 yards on nine carries, including a 96-yard scamper down the right sideline that put Faith Christian ahead 28-0.
Tschacher, who finally got Platte Valley (11-2) on the board after a 13-yard scramble for a touchdown with 3:07 remaining, led the Broncos with 96 yards of total offense on 49 yards rushing and 9-of-23 completions for 47 yards. Craig Wisehart led the Broncos with 71 yards rushing on four carries.
“That monkey is off our back from last year,” Faith Christian coach Blair Hubbard said. “It was just a good matchup for us.”
Platte Valley 0 0 0 7 – 7
Faith Christian 21 14 6 0 – 41
FC – Mathis 3 run (Roche kick). FC – Vigil 24 interception return (Roche kick). FC – Mathis 2 run (Roche kick). FC – Funk 96 run (Roche kick). FC – Mathis 3 run (Roche kick). FC – Lewis 6 pass from Carbajal (kick blocked). PV – Tschacher 13 run (Tschacher kick).
Nick Groke can be reached at 303-954-1015 or ngroke@denverpost.com.
MVP
Mark Cerf, Faith Christian
Six Eagles defenders – Cerf, Alex Vigil, Levi Ostrom, Kevin Cooney, Jeremy Aupperlee and Brad Stark – recorded at least 10 tackles apiece, and Vigil, Stark and defensive back Josh Murphy combined to come up with five Platte Valley turnovers. But it was Cerf, a junior linebacker, who most punished the Broncos. His two hard hits on Platte Valley receivers, on a kickoff return and an incomplete pass, set the tone early. Cerf contained the Broncos’ spread offense for just 95 yards in the first half, often outracing them to the outside and forcing them back in the middle.
* This story has been corrected: Because of a reporter’s error, this story identified Faith Christian running back Tyler Funk as Tyler Sharp, who is his teammate. Tyler Funk ran for a game-high 116 yards on nine carries.
