HIGHLANDS RANCH — The first meeting between ThunderRidge and Highlands Ranch, which took so long to set up, should be everlasting.
Denver’s southern suburb finally got its first two schools together Friday night in The Denver Post game of the week and ThunderRidge defeated Highlands Ranch 33-14 at Shea Stadium to take control of the Class 5A Southern League.
The Grizzlies, ranked seventh in The Denver Post/9News 5A poll, improved to 6-0 overall, 5-0 league. No. 8 Highlands Ranch, which couldn’t get it together down the stretch, dipped to 5-1, 4-1.
Behind another terrific performance by senior running back Chris Nwoke, improved defense in the second half and sound line play, the Grizzlies trailed early, then gradually took control.
They built a 20-14 halftime edge and all but shut down the Falcons the rest of the way. Nwoke, ThunderRidge’s go-to player, particularly on third down, delivered with 143 yards rushing and four touchdowns, two in the final quarter. Fullback Kwade Glassman contributed 113 yards on the ground and a touchdown, but Nwoke continued to separate himself from nearly every other back in 5A.
“It was a real big win,” Nwoke said of finally establishing the rivalry. “We actually blocked real well, did well on defense and I couldn’t have done it without the offensive lineman.”
Said ThunderRidge coach Joe Johnson: “He made a couple of big runs. When he’s healthy, he’s such a different kid. He wasn’t healthy last year and I think some people wrote him off.”
Not anymore — the two teams traded a bunch of punches before Nwoke gave the Grizzlies the edge they needed on a series of difficult runs.
The Falcons, who were game on defense, grabbed a 7-0 lead in front of a packed house before ThunderRidge tied it on Nwoke’s first score. ThunderRidge’s first lead came on Glassman’s 1-yard plunge on the first play of the second quarter that was set up when the Falcons attempted a fake punt on fourth down and didn’t make it. Highlands Ranch would respond on Mitch Kahl’s 4-yard run, but that was it for the Falcons on offense.
While ThunderRidge was stout as well as patient, the Falcons had numerous opportunities to either tie it or pull away, but repeatedly came up short.
“They just made more plays than we did,” Falcons coach Darrel Gorham said. “We had our chances. But the good thing is that our kids are still in the mix. We hadn’t played a physical team like that.
“But it was a crosstown deal and you know how they are. I’m just happy with the way we played.”
Highlands Ranch could have taken the lead at halftime in the closing seconds, but penalties, which also haunted them later, started to appear.
Meanwhile, ThunderRidge started to play better on defense and Nwoke and Glassman ate up a lot of clock.
“I was pleased about that,” Johnson said. “I didn’t think we played real defensively at times in the first half, but I thought in the second we were tough.”
The Grizzlies sat on Falcons running back Mike Jose and speedy multithreats Jace Davis and Anthony Carr. Highlands Ranch also gave it over on downs in the second half, aided by a couple of penalties that wiped out a first-and-goal chance, and lost a fumble in the fourth quarter.
“We only gave up two touchdowns against a real good team,” Nwoke said. “I was expecting a tough game, so I ran real hard.”
Said Johnson: “Whatever we need to do, we’ll do.”
ThunderRidge 7 13 0 13 — 33
Highlands Ranch 7 7 0 0 — 14
HR — Jose 17 pass from Kahl (Gomes kick). TR — Nwoke 7 run (Jenkins kick). TR — Glassman 1 run (Jenkins kick). HR — Kahl 4 run (Gomes kick). TR — Nwoke 3 run (kick failed). TR — Nwoke 8 run (run failed). TR — Nwoke 5 run (Jenkins kick).
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
