Wiggins’ 0-2 start to the football season wasn’t fooling anybody.
The Tigers, a preseason pick by a lot of coaches to make some noise in the tough Class 1A North Central League, felt they had played well against Limon and 2A Platte Valley but had nothing to show for it.
Wiggins finally enjoyed the sweet smell of victory Saturday, defeating Denver Lutheran 24-6 at the Lights’ Brinkman Field.
“We had some opportunities in our last two games to come away with victories,” Wiggins coach Greg Whis-ler said. “But as I told the guys, I don’t care if it’s 14-7, 20-6 or 48-0, we are still on the wrong side.
“Our kids had the best week of practice they’ve had all year. We just came out and did what we do.”
What the Tigers do with no players heavier than 210 pounds is win battles at the line of scrimmage with speed and strength. Their offensive linemen paved the way for sophomore Garret Walker to gain 141 yards on 19 carries.
“We just seem to make do with a faster offensive line,” said Walker, who also carries a 4.0 grade-point average.
Wiggins got on the scoreboard quickly after the Lights fumbled the game’s opening kickoff. Taylor Risner ran 10 yards to cap a three-play, 20-yard touchdown drive.
The Lights’ lone bright spot came later in the first quarter. Senior standout Ryan Langewisch ran 29 yards on a fourth-and-1 play to cut Wiggins’ lead to 8-6, but that was all Denver Lutheran, playing in the newly formed Metro South League, could muster.
Wiggins came right back down the field using a no-huddle, on-the-fly offense. Travis Groves scored on a 37-yard reception, a swing pass from Risner.
“Today we capitalized,” Whisler said. “We bent but we didn’t break, and we showed our never-quit character.”
Wiggins’ offense seemed to get stronger as the game progressed. The Tigers had an 11-play, 80-yard drive in the third quarter, capped by Risner’s 1-yard keeper for a touchdown.
“They were tougher than us today up front,” said Lutheran coach Joel Brase, whose team dropped to 1-2. “We were worried about Risner getting to the outside, and our D-ends did a good job of containing him. But when they ran it up the gut, we had no answer.”
Langewisch finished with 103 yards on 14 carries. Lutheran quarterback Cole Stuerke, who seemed to be on the run constantly, hit 7-of-17 passes for 49 yards and was intercepted twice.
Risner contributed 54 yards to Wiggins’ running game and completed 10-of-22 passes for 145 yards.
The Tigers host Class 3A Ridge View Academy in their next game before starting league play.
Wiggins 16 0 8 0 — 24
Denver Lutheran 6 0 0 0 — 6
W — T.Risner 10 run (Walker run). DL — Langewisch 29 run (kick failed). W — Groves 37 pass from T.Risner (Frihauf pass from T.Risner). W — T.Risner 1 run (Groves run).
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
