LONGMONT — The questions floating among the Class 3A field are: “Who are these Vista Ridge Wolves, and where did they come from?”
In their first full season of varsity football, the fifth-seeded Wolves from Colorado Springs have surprised everyone in the state but themselves. The ride continued Friday night after a decisive 26-0 trouncing of No. 14 Silver Creek in the quarterfinals at Everly-Montgomery Stadium.
“I’ve always been a believer in these guys,” said Wolves coach Dean Huffman, who was sporting shorts in the freezing temperatures. “They’ve worked so hard, I’ve never had any doubts.”
Vista Ridge (10-2), whose only losses were to 4A Falcon and Florida’s Jupiter Christian, will host the winner of today’s Elizabeth-Frederick game next week in the semifinals.
The tone was set in the very first series by the Vista Ridge defense against the passing Raptors (8-4). Seniors Adam Figurski and Tyler Keith each had big hits, Keith’s resulting in a sack of Raptors quarterback Austin Apodaca.
After another three-and-out by Silver Creek, the Wolves’ power-running game — which goes eight to nine backs deep — went to work. The most successful call all night was the counter and Brandon Cartagena went 36 yards the first time he touched the ball to get Vista Ridge on the board.
“Every time we ran it, I knew we were going to get 5-plus yards,” said Vista Ridge quarterback Thomas Newman, who rushed for 74 yards and threw for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. “Trusted the halfback and the line to get it done.”
Silver Creek’s defense had no answer and had trouble getting off the field. Vista Ridge’s second scoring drive ate up more than six minutes and went 84 yards, capped by a Brandon Drager’s 17-yard run.
Another 15-play drive killed 7:18 off the third-quarter clock and all but devastated the Silver Creek defense, which had to endure another 16-play scoring drive in the fourth quarter.
“The coaches put us in positions to succeed and we just couldn’t get it done tonight,” Silver Creek defensive lineman Ben Wooching said. “I look at it as good teams will put their head down and great teams will come out and get a victory. Tonight we were just a good team.”
