HIGHLANDS RANCH — This one was so anticipated, so full of points (86), so long between the two programs (about 250 miles), so long (4 hours, 9 minutes) and, well, so ironic.
“This one was about defense, about getting stops,” Grand Junction quarterback Sean Rubalcaba said Friday night after his Tigers took a marathon 51-35 decision over host Highlands Ranch at Shea Stadium in a Class 5A nonleague game.
After a 1-hour, 34-minute delay because of a series of lightning storms that suspended play midway through the first quarter, the Tigers, ranked No. 4 in The Denver Post media poll, remained in a hurry against the No. 9 Falcons, who couldn’t keep up — either up front or with the Tigers’ speed.
Rubalcaba rushed 13 times for 191 yards and threw for 74 more. Backfield mate Jerreon Dennis, also a stalwart on defense, ran for 189 yards as Grand Junction surpassed the 400-yard mark despite losing a late snap among substitutes that netted a loss of 23 yards.
The two teams split two games a year ago, with the Tigers taking the playoff game on the road in the second round.
But Grand Junction made quite a statement.
“We don’t get a lot of respect,” Tigers senior wide receiver Chandon Rose said.
Highlands Ranch coach Darrel Gorham, formerly head coach of Rifle, said: “We couldn’t deal with them up front. They’re big and they ran against us all night.”
The Falcons played catch-up all game despite a 22-point second quarter. The Tigers built an 11-0 lead as Rubalcaba ran for 29 yards on the game’s first play and Dennis added 20 a play later. In all, Rose had two touchdowns, as did Dennis, and Rubalcaba threw for one.
“We’re just going to keep going and work as hard as we can,” Rose said.
The Tigers, who won 10 straight games a year ago in finishing 10-2, also benefited from an early safety and the Falcons’ inability to answer scores.
