GREELEY — The monkey on the back of Dayspring Christian’s football team named Merino has had 11 years to grow into gorilla-like proportions.
It was 1997, the last time the Eagles got the better of the Rams, and on Saturday in The Denver Post game of the week at Brazelton Field the Eagles took out a little frustration on their Plains Division foes.
Dayspring Christian, ranked No. 2 in the Class A 8-man poll, finished the regular season 7-0 overall and ran the table in the division with a 27-0 whipping of the depleted Rams, who were No. 1.
“This is just unexplainable,” Eagles senior Brock Martin said. “These guys have had our number for four years and to finally come out and get them, especially for the league title, is just a testament to how much God has blessed us with the talent and the heart.”
Dayspring Christian will host Justice next weekend when the 8-man ranks enter cross-division play for the right to make the 16-team playoff bracket. Merino (4-1, 7-1) will host North Park.
The Eagles made a statement with their defense in the first quarter before the offense took over in the second.
Merino, playing without starting quarterback Wyatt Barber and end Dylan Rinaldo because of injuries, failed to convert on a first-and-goal from the 3-yard line.
“That would have given them one up on us in the touchdown round,” Dayspring coach Mick Holmes said. “We had what we call our heavy goal line in, and it’s all a bunch of fat kids in and they just root-hog everybody out of there and play the run 100 percent.”
The Eagles took over at the 2-yard line and went 98 yards on 13 plays for the first score of the game. Jared Sanderford threw a perfect lofted touch pass to a wide open Kyle Taplin out of the backfield for the score. Dayspring then pushed the Merino offense back on the next possession and forced a punt, that James Baer blocked and Wesley Lowe recovered in the end zone.
The Eagles would put a nail in the Rams’ coffin after Bryar Desanti’s fumble resulted in Sanderford’s second touchdown pass of the quarter, a 23-yard strike to Martin.
“There is no way that bunch gets beat unless they beat themselves,” said Merino coach John Barber, whose team was shut out for the first time since the 2006 title game against Haxtun. “It just wasn’t our day. I think they win the state title.”
Sanderford finished 12-of-15 passing for 182 yards and the two scores. Martin had five catches for 90 yards, and Mike Moore had four for 67 yards.
Merino 0 0 0 0 — 0
Dayspring Christian 0 21 3 3 — 27
DC — Taplin 17 pass from Sanderford (Sanderford kick). DC — Lowe blocked punt recovery in end zone (Sanderford kick). DC — Martin 23 pass from Sanderford (Sanderford kick). DC — FG Sanderford 29. DC — FG Sanderford 27.
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
