SECURITY — Neither an unusually early wintry storm that also canceled the pregame parade nor Mesa Ridge’s Devante Johnson could keep Widefield from keeping The Ball.
The Gladiators overcame three deficits Saturday to get past Mesa Ridge 27-20 at C.A. Foster Stadium in the Class 4A Foothills League. Snow, rain, cold and wind that let up to varying degrees while the game was played between the two rivals who also share the field allowed Widefield to keep the meeting’s prize, an original game ball from the two program’s first meeting in 1998. Widefield also won the 2010 matchup.
“We just wanted to pass something around for this (annual) game,” Widefield coach Fred Marjerrison said.
Ultimately, Gladiators quarterback Kevin Stringer scored on a 2-yard rollout with 2:36 to play. A snap earlier, Stringer had connected with Tony Carodine on a 20-yard sideline route on fourth down.
“I wouldn’t want it in anyone else’s hands,” Marjerrison said.
Stringer, on his winning jaunt, said, “It was, like, a last-minute thing; (the linebacker) wasn’t there.”
No, but the defense for Widefield (5-1, 1-0) was. Despite trailing 7-0, 14-6 and 20-14, the Gladiators withstood Johnson’s 206 yards rushing (a 4A-leading 1,265) and two touchdowns, and never let him loose on the Grizzlies’ final possession that ended in one of his two fumbles.
“He’s as good as they come,” Marjerrison said. “He got us a little bit, but when it came down to it, our kids sucked it up.”
Marquis Coddington pounded his way to 113 yards rushing for Widefield, which also blocked a Mesa Ridge (4-2, 1-1) punt that Phillip Wainwright recovered for a touchdown.
“It’s a good rivalry game,” Stringer said. “It’s good opponents. We’re just trying to win the league championship and get a good playoff seed.”
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
Mesa Ridge: 14 – 6 – 0 – 0 — 20
Widefield: 6 – 8 – 6 – 7 — 27
MR — Gilbert 2 run (VanDeCasteel kick).
W — Coddington 2 run (kick failed).
MR — Johnson 26 run (VanDeCasteel kick).
W — Wainright fumble recovery in end zone (Coddington run).
MR — Johnson 10 run (kick blocked).
W — Pace 9 pass from Stringer (kick blocked).
W — Stringer 2 run (Fairthorne kick).
