Mark Roggy hasn’t used the events of Nov. 28, 2008, to motivate his team.
The longtime Greeley West coach hasn’t brought up what it felt like to watch Wheat Ridge score on a 56-yard run on fourth down with 19 seconds left to win the Class 4A state championship, 35-31 over the Spartans.
Roggy hasn’t reminded his team of the pain from that cold day at Invesco Field at Mile High. He hasn’t had to.
The second-seeded Spartans (11-0) have played like a team on a mission, rolling through the stacked Northern League despite the season-ending loss of quarterback Sean Blackmer (knee) in Week 8.
“I try as much as I can to keep the focus and attention on 2009,” Roggy said this week as the Spartans prepared to host the seventh-seeded Farmers (10-1) on Saturday. “But I know that the kids are thinking about it.”
The preseason Nos. 1 and 2, a playoff rematch was anticipated, although not in the state quarterfinals.
Jordan Gomez has filled in nicely for Blackmer, although a deep supporting cast makes life easy on the senior. Running back Steffen Bunting has rushed for nearly 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns; and Max Morgan runs, catches and anchors a defense that has two shutouts in the three games without Blackmer.
The Farmers no longer have do-everything standout Parker Orms, but they have running backs Kyle Mews and Austin Livingston, quarterback Charlie Land and receiver Eric Shannon. And they have plenty of toughness, confidence and swagger.
“That’s why kids play football, to play in games like this,” Roggy said.
