BROOMFIELD — Tony Chavarria smiled, laughed and shook his head when asked if he believed.
Did he really believe in the Cyclones? Did he believe in their second season at Class 4A, coming off a 5-5 season in 2006 when they lost four of their last five and opened this season with a loss to 3A Pueblo County, that they could make it to Invesco Field at Mile High in December?
“Yeah, I believed the whole time,” said the senior linebacker and fullback folks sometimes call “Tiger.” “I just can’t explain it, it’s so fantastic.”
Chavarria scored on a 2-yard run late in the third quarter Friday and Pueblo West shut out second-seeded Broomfield in the second half en route to a shocking 21-14 state semifinal victory at Elizabeth Kennedy Stadium.
The No. 6 Cyclones (11-2) got 110 yards rushing and a touchdown from running back Joe Torres and forced three turnovers to win their seventh straight and make sure the band plays at least a week longer in their Cinderella season.
Pueblo West will be the home team Dec. 1 at Invesco Field as the Cyclones will have to conquer No. 9 Monarch (12-1) for their first state title in the program’s history.
“I can’t, actually,” Cyclones coach Monte Pinkerton said when asked to describe the season. “Just keep working hard and taking care of the little things is what we just focused on. It’s unbelievable.”
The Cyclones executed well enough on both sides of the ball to overcome two fumbles and made enough adjustments in the second half to move the ball against a physically larger Broomfield defensive line.
Torres gave the visitors the lead with a 3-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter before the Eagles (12-1) answered with two touchdown runs of their own by workhorse running back Ryland Snow.
The Cyclones got the ball with less than a minute remaining in the first half when Eagles punt returner Chris Ongarato was hit after catching the ball. Ongarato appeared to signal for a fair catch, but the referees ruled it an improper signal and gave the Cyclones the ball on the Eagles’ 14.
Zach Fillmore hauled in an 8-yard touchdown catch from Chaz Vaughan three plays later to make it 14-14.
Snow, who carried the ball 37 times for 187 yards, fumbled late in the third quarter and quarterback Ted MacDonald lost the ball early in the fourth to gum up Broomfield’s rally.
“It’s a short game and we didn’t hang on to the ball,” Eagles coach Gary Davies said.
Pueblo West 7 7 7 0 — 21
Broomfield 0 14 0 0 — 14
PW — Torres 3 run (Padilla kick). B — Snow 3 run (McClaskey kick). B — Snow 2 run (McClaskey kick). PW — Fillmore 8 pass from Vaughan (Padilla kick). PW — Chavarria 2 run (Padilla kick).
