GREELEY — Max Morgan caught the ball over the middle, and then disappeared into a blur of powder blue. In the few seconds it took him to complete a 57-yard scoring reception, Morgan became the personification of Greeley West’s quick-striking efficiency Friday night against Broomfield.
Overcoming an early 6-0 deficit, the Spartans hit-and-ran-over the Eagles 28-6 at District 6 Stadium. Morgan was one of several two-way stars for the Spartans (2-0), last year’s Class 4A state runners-up.
With Broomfield still hanging around, down 14-6 in the third quarter, Morgan broke from his left wideout position over the middle and caught quarterback Sean Blackmer’s perfectly thrown pass and ran it to the end zone. That was pretty much it for the Eagles (1-1), who hurt themselves with penalties and inefficiencies on third down.
“The first half we ran the exact same play, and we saw their safety jump the outside receiver,” Morgan said of his TD catch. “We came back with that, and I knew I was going to be open.”
Morgan had another highlight play of the game — a huge open-field hit on Broomfield running back Sean Gentry.
If teams are to beat the Spartans, they best be in shape. After losing the state title game in the final minute to Wheat Ridge, Spartans players took it upon themselves to endure a more punishing offseason than usual in the weight room.
It looks to have paid off in many Spartans starters, including the rugged Morgan. Senior running back Steffen Bunting, despite being only 5-feet-9 and 180 pounds, can squat 525 pounds, Greeley West coaches said. Bunting had one of the game’s bigger plays too, a 47-yard run down the left side to the Eagles’ 6 in the third quarter. One play later, Blackmer ran it in for his second scoring run of the game. Blackmer, a 6-2, 205 senior, threw for 181 yards and two touchdown passes.
He said last year’s disappointment in the title game will serve as the ultimate motivator to reverse things later this fall.
“It was a tough loss, but juniors like us who turned senior, it just made us want to work harder; run harder, lift harder and become more of a team,” Blackmer said. “Because we only have one more chance to get it.”
Broomfield lost standout running back Dan Guebelle to injury early in the game.
“You can’t lose a kid like that, he’s a special kid. That played a role in this game, but we came together as a team after the first quarter,” Greeley West coach Mark Roggy said. “We made a few adjustments in our pass protection, and that gave our quarterback more time.”
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
