LITTLETON — Arapahoe entered Friday night’s Class 5A Big 6 rivalry game with Heritage having allowed just nine points over four games, with three shutouts.
So when the Eagles struck first at Littleton Public Schools Stadium, the Warriors felt some uneasiness on their sideline.
“Wake-up call,” quarterback Alec Gieser said.
Arapahoe, however, played terrific defense from that point on, producing five turnovers — two interceptions went for touchdowns — in a 38-14 victory in the league opener for both teams.
Arapahoe (5-0) amassed 319 yards and got two TD receptions from sophomore tight end Ethan Brunhofer (81 yards receiving). Heritage (3-2) was limited to 230 yards, many coming from two acrobatic catches by senior wide receiver Michael Schandle.
“High-intensity, both teams. Fun game to play, no matter what,” Gieser said. “But they have a lot of guys going both ways, and we just kept trying to be a physical football team. Luckily, we finished on top.”
Heritage, which began 3-0, struck first with a 3-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Andrew Shaffer on the fourth play of the second quarter. The big play on the 57-yard drive was a 39-yard screen pass from quarterback Ryan Novak to Bryan Carlson.
Arapahoe then scored 17 unanswered points, including James Hall’s 22-yard field goal to end the half. Brunhofer’s 9-yard TD reception tied it at 7-7 and Marcus Fleming made it 14-7 with a 1-yard run.
A 12-yard interception return for touchdown from senior Joe Hamilton made it 24-7 early in the fourth quarter. Thomas Saager, a 6-foot-6 junior cornerback, had two interceptions for Arapahoe, and Michael Babb turned the Warriors’ fourth interception into a 44-yard score.
“In this game, (turnovers) will do it every time,” Heritage coach Mike Griebel said. “Our kids played hard. We came out and started the ball game well, set the tone and had them on their heels a little bit. I thought we were in good shape at halftime, down by 10. I told them, ‘Just stay the course, relax, let’s come out and get a score.’ And then we kind of had the implosion, I guess we could call it. You can’t do that. They’re too good.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
Arapahoe: 0 – 17 – 0 – 21 — 38
Heritage: 0 – 7 – 0 – 7 — 14
H — Shaffer 3 run (Chirico kick).
A — Brunhofer 9 pass from Gieser (Hall kick).
A — Fleming 2 run (Hall kick).
A — FG Hall 22.
A — Hamilton 12 interception return (Hall kick).
H — Schandle 18 pass from Novak (Chirico kick).
A — Brunhofer 49 pass from Sparks (Hall kick).
A — Babb 44 interception return (Hall kick).
