The Loveland Indians will put it all on the line in Saturday’s Class 4A state final.
Better said, they’ll put the prospect of their seventh football championship since 1939 on Andrew Keirns, Justin Newhall, Simon Rivas, Logan Pitner, Cullin Kelly, Steven Meyer and Evan Krening.
Those seven seniors – possibly the most talented group in 17 years – will determine how much good luck the Indians (10-3) have at Invesco Field at Mile High when they take on the Wheat Ridge Farmers (12-1).
Between those seven they won’t throw the ball, catch the ball or tackle anyone carrying the ball. They will, however, try to rip holes in the defense big enough for their teammates to pound the ball into the end zone.
Better said, the Indians want to run the ball down your throat and their offensive line is here to make you open up and say “Ahhhhhh.”
“We’ll come straight at you,” right tackle Kelly said. “We’ll let you know we’re going to run straight over the top of you, and then we’ll do it.”
Cocky? No, just confident. And these Indians know they are the Alpha and Omega when it comes to Loveland’s success when running the trademark smash-mouth offense of veteran coach John Poovey, now in his 29th season.
Behind this offensive line, the Indians have paved the way for two 1,000-yard rushers this season. Fittingly, bruising fullback Daniel Freismuth leads the charge with 1,244 yards and 17 touchdowns while the lightning-fast Jesse Lewis has 1,162 yards and another 17 TDs, including four in last week’s overtime win over Greeley West.
While playing big is the nature of trench warfare, these Indians don’t measure up to the prototype when it comes to size and being somewhat docile when compared to the defense.
Loveland’s offensive line averages 220 pounds in its five-man set and 223 when it goes to seven. Wheat Ridge, by comparison, averages 236 on its defensive line and 252 on its offensive line.
Marty Gocken, a former lineman at Wyoming, joined Poovey’s staff as the offensive line coach in 1989. And when he chooses players he surveys the mind over the matter.
“Their toughness. Their physical toughness,” Gocken said. “They will literally go toe-to-toe with anyone from another team and toe-to-toe with anyone from their team.
“O-linemen are … the ones that are going to be pushing the edge.”
Although quiet in demeanor, Rivas is probably the best example this season. The center stands just 5-feet-3 and began the season weighing 174 pounds. Those numbers are small consolation when he’s attacking your legs and hips.
“It’s hard, but a lot of technique has to be used to beat those kinds of guys,” Rivas said of bigger opponents.
Newhall is the unit’s best short trapper. Kelly and Pitner pull extremely well on the counter, as does Keirns from the tight end spot. Krening exemplifies determination after missing his entire junior season with major knee surgery. Meyer, whom Pitner calls “an oddball” for his random sense of humor, is also the most unhinged when the whistle blows.
“Meyer is down your throat, you know, get-in-front-of-me-and-I’m-going-to-remove-you type player,” Gocken said.
But don’t think of these boys as unruly or uncivil. They are polite, respectful and bound by a friendship that extends to their free time when they meet for linemen dinners capped off by pool or X-Box tournaments.
That blend of teamwork and tenacity is why Gocken considers this group to be the best he has coached. That should pique anyone’s interest considering the dominating line Loveland had in 2003 behind All-Colorado standout Jeff Byers, now at the University of Southern California.
“Byers and those guys, they had so much natural ability,” Gocken said. “They weren’t real assignment sound at times, but because they were so physically dominating, it didn’t make any difference.
“These guys are so assignment sound they make almost no mistakes.”
Mistake-free football will be imperative Saturday if the 15th-seeded Indians want to upset the No. 4 Farmers.
It could also be enough for a Loveland team putting everything on the line.
