ARVADA — Faith Christian took the field without anything even resembling the sort of swagger that comes with being a defending state champion.
On the opening kickoff of the postseason, the Eagles’ two returners collided, leaving the ball at the 5-yard line.
Faith committed two false starts on its first possession, and by halftime the Eagles had added a costly personal foul and two holding penalties while facing a 9-6 deficit against a 12th-seeded Basalt team making its first playoff appearance in 27 years.
Yet when Faith finally found its groove after the break, the Eagles made quick work of the upstart Longhorns.
Junior quarterback Alex Buchmann threw three touchdown passes in the second half, leading the fifth-seeded Eagles to 34 unanswered points and a 40-21 victory in the first round of the Class 2A state playoffs.
Faith (9-2) will take a seven-game winning streak into its second-round game at home against Olathe.
“We got off to a terrible start right from the opening kickoff,” Faith coach Blair Hubbard said. “The entire first half, the penalties were just killing us. We have to clean that up against Olathe. They are a much better team and they are going to take advantage if we don’t play cleaner football next week.”
Basalt led 9-6 at halftime after a 38-yard field goal from Bertillio Garcia and a 5-yard touchdown run by Zach Mobilian.
Faith took the lead for good when Oran Tool capped its first drive of the second half with a 14-yard touchdown run, the first of two touchdowns by the junior running back.
Buchmann connected twice with Nolan Beasley, first on a 30-yard scoring play and again on a 68-yard strike on the second play of the fourth, before a 46-yard touchdown throw to Dylan Tucker gave the Eagles a 40-9 lead.
“The defense came out with fire in the second half and our offense just rode the backs of our line,” Buchmann said. “Basalt really gave us a great battle. The state championship was last year, and of course there are going to be jitters. ”
Basalt 3 6 0 12 — 21
Faith Christian 6 0 20 14 — 40
B — Garcia 38 FG; FC — Henry 8 run (kick failed); B — Mobilian 5 run (kick blocked); FC — Tool 14 run (run failed); FC — Beasley 30 pass from Buchmann (Phillips kick); FC — Tool 20 run (Phillips kick); FC — Beasley 68 pass from Buchmann (Phillips kick); FC — D. Tucker 46 pass from Buchmann; B — Morrison 10 run (run failed); B — Madrano 2 run (pass failed).
