LAKEWOOD — It was so Columbine.
The action wasn’t pleasant to watch, the offensive approach appeared prehistoric and the Rebels were banged up and missing multiple players after in-house suspensions earlier in the week.
No matter.
The Rebels did what they do and they did it very well . . . again.
Their 28-7 victory Saturday over Arvada West, a rematch of Big 8 League play from the regular season, came in the second round of Class 5A playoffs at Jefferson County Stadium and only underlined the fact that their machine-like approach of power rushing and strong defense comes with replaceable parts.
“It was a week,” Columbine coach Andy Lowry said after his team improved to 10-1, moved to next weekend’s quarterfinals and was assured of another Big 8 do-again.
Even without key members of its starting backfield, Columbine rolled to 322 yards rushing behind another crisp line effort. Chris Rogers and Bryce Schwindt paved the way for gifted junior quarterback Danny Spond (135 yards rushing), still battling a shoulder problem; shifty Phillip Romero (58); and Zane Norris (120), who took advantage of extended playing time and ran for two touchdowns and added a scoring reception.
“They’re the best,” Norris said of his offensive linemen. “I was so honored to run behind them. I’ve been playing with them since Little League.”
After a first quarter that produced five punts, Gary Miller capped a 75-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge. Norris got his first score 13 seconds before halftime, then carried it 13 times on an 80-yard drive to open the third quarter that consumed 8:36.
A-West, which ended 7-4, displayed little offensive life through three quarters but came alive on an 81-yard scoring run by Joe Altman on the first snap of the fourth. The Wildcats next got a break by recovering a fumble and got within 2 yards of getting within a touchdown, but a fumbled snap on their first exchange under center — they had been in shotgun formation all game — deflated them.
“I wish we could have gotten in there,” ‘Cats coach Casey Coons said in pondering the possibilities of his overachieving team. “But (the Rebels) just kind of grind on you.”
Lowry admitted he was concerned about having to suspend players for a game who were involved with alcohol but balked at the attention it received.
“This happens at every high school,” he said. “We’ll get through it. They’ve paid enough, pretty handsomely; they’ve paid their penalties and now they’ll be back.”
Arvada West 0 0 0 7 — 7
Columbine 0 14 7 7 — 28
C — Miller 1 run (kick failed). C — Norris 3 run (Miller pass from Spond). C — Norris 1 run (Link kick). AW — Altman 81 run (Wright kick). C — Norris 11 pass from Spond (Link kick).
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
