ARVADA — Finally, on possession No. 19, there was a breakthrough.
Barely.
Nate Ekhoff’s 42-yard field goal narrowly crossed the North Area Athletic Complex’s north uprights, giving No. 10 Ponderosa a 3-0 third-quarter lead against No. 7 Dakota Ridge in a Class 4A nonleague game. And 3-0 is how it ended Thursday night in an offensively challenged, defensively dominant Week 3 contest.
More than one Ponderosa player pointed out that “even soccer games have more scoring,” but the Mustangs (2-1) will take it.
“Both defenses played great throughout the game, but we were able to dig in and hold them out,” Ponderosa linebacker Austin Gabel said. “We knew they had a little less players than us and that they were going to get tired, so we just kept after it.”
The lack of rhythm for both offenses lent the impression that Ekhoff’s field goal might stand up as the winner despite about a quarter and a half remaining. Despite the narrow margin of success on the kick, Ekhoff felt good about it.
“I felt like I hit it farther, but it just barely got past the goalpost,” Ekhoff said. “I felt pretty good about it because I hit the solid spot of the ball.”
The Mustangs nearly made a critical mistake when they attempted to run out the clock on fourth down in the waning seconds but downed the ball with 0.5 seconds to play at their own 28. It allowed Dakota Ridge to try a 45-yard field goal, but Keaton Greenstreet’s kick was short.
Dakota Ridge (2-1) played most of the game without starting running back Brent Terrell, who injured his hip in the first quarter and did not return.
“We just couldn’t move the ball, that’s what it comes down to,” Eagles quarterback Bolton Howes said. “It always hurts to have a senior captain out, but we should have still been able to move the ball.”
Ponderosa outgained Dakota Ridge 137-136, with Howes the only rusher or receiver to gain more than 50 yards (he rushed for 64).
Ponderosa 0 0 3 0 — 3
Dakota Ridge 0 0 0 0 — 0
P — FG Ekhoff 42.
