FORT COLLINS — With their bread-and-butter running game essentially toast, the Fossil Ridge SaberCats found a new way to roll Saturday. Pass, pass and keep passing.
“Skyline did a good job of shutting down our running game, so we had to move the ball other ways,” quarterback Brennan Salz said after winging the ‘Cats to a 42-7 Class 4A Northern League victory over the Falcons.
Salz completed 10-of-12 passes for 231 yards, including two long touchdown throws to running back Hayden Rowley. Salz ran for the opening touchdown at J. Ray French Field as the ‘Cats (1-1, 1-0 in league) turned a defensive struggle into a rout with a four-touchdown second quarter.
Rowley caught three passes for 105 yards and fullback John Moore ran for 41 yards and two touchdowns. The offensive line, which coach Clint Fick had worried about in the preseason, didn’t allow a sack.
“I was shocked, to tell you the truth, at how well things went there,” Fick said.
Defensively, the ‘Cats didn’t allow the Falcons (0-2, 0-1) to get a first down in the second and third quarters. They blocked a punt, which Anthony Taylor returned 15 yards for a touchdown, and they forced three turnovers. Nose guard Luke Biedscheid recovered a fumble and defensive back Ravin Defonseka had an interception and forced a fumble.
“It felt amazing,” Bied scheid said.
The ‘Cats’ first scoring drive seemed to demoralize the Falcons. Skyline twice had Fossil Ridge in third-and-long situations and once in fourth-and-3, only to give up pass completions of 24, 34 and 11 yards. Salz dived in for the score to cap the 12-play drive.
The ‘Cats’ next offensive play was a 60-yard touchdown catch-and-run by Rowley, who made the catch after it was partially deflected by the Falcons.
The Falcons were tough up front, forcing three turnovers, including their only touchdown — a 45-yard fumble recovery by senior linebacker Daniel Swartz. But when the ‘Cats started to fly, the Falcons lost track of players in the seams and didn’t wrap up on the crossing routes.
Falcons coach Kevin Rice wasn’t surprised by the ‘Cats aerial efficiency.
“I know they can, because we play them in 7-on-7 in the summer, and they always have good 7-and-7 teams,” he said.
Skyline 0 0 7 0 — 7
Fossil Ridge 0 28 14 0 — 42
FR — Salz 1 run (Demario kick). FR — Taylor 15 blocked punt return (Salz run). FR — Rowley 60 pass from Salz (Demario kick). FR — Moore 4 run (kick failed). FR — Rowley 42 pass from Salz (Demario kick). FR — Moore 13 run (Demario kick). S — Swartz 45 fumble return (Steed kick).
