School: Falcon Falcons, ranked No. 2 in The Denver Post/9News Class 3A poll; Class 3A South Metro League.
Record: 6-0 overall, 3-0 league; 13-13 career.
Coaching résumé: Assistant at Falcon from 2002-04; head coach since 2005.
Life lines: Age 29. Born in Lewistown, Mont. Graduated from Fergus High School in Lewistown in 1996. Attended Dickinson State University (N.D.) for three years, earned degree in secondary education from Montana-Western in 2002. Teaches mathematics at Falcon.
Back in his day: Starting quarterback for Fergus Golden Eagles from 1994-95; wide receiver-defensive back at Dickinson State from 1997-98.
What he has done lately: “We were more physical than they were,” Catron said.
Not many coaches can make that statement about their teams when playing Pueblo County’s Hornets, the 2006 state runners-up who are widely recognized as the biggest, baddest boys on the 3A block.
But the Falcons out-hit, out-toughed and outlasted the Hornets 23-6, knocking off the previously No. 1-ranked Hornets and forging a tie with Florence for the league lead.
“They weren’t expecting it,” Catron said of the Hornets, although Catron, the Falcons and everyone who has followed them expected it.
Falcon hasn’t made the playoffs since 1992, when Catron was entering ninth grade. It hasn’t had a winning record since 2000, when it was 5-4 in 2A.
But its sixth consecutive victory of the season was fueled by what produced the first five – an offensive line that has smashed everything in its way, another terrific performance by running back Keenen Ballage (168 yards and three touchdowns; he is averaging 9 yards per carry) and a weight-training and speed program in the offseason that appears to be paying dividends.
“We’re injury-free because of it,” Catron said. “It has been huge to our success.”
Linemen James Ausmus, Jared Balaich, Brenden Condon, Lucas Musseau and Duke Yi have been brilliant at the point of attack as well as downfield, and Ballage has been one of the premier rushers in the state.
“It’s kind of surreal to me still,” Catron said.
The Falcons next get defending 3A state champion Alamosa, on Friday, in their bid to erase their playoff drought.
“It’s amazing how much success we’ve had week to week,” Catron said. “In some ways, it began last year. We could have a shot.”
