Familiarity can breed football with feeling. Consider The Denver Post game of the week Friday night at 7 p.m. at Shea Stadium between Highlands Ranch and ThunderRidge.
It matches the Nos. 8 and 9 teams, respectively, in The Denver Post Class 5A media poll. It also looms large in the Continental League. But many of the players won’t need rosters to look across the line of scrimmage to address their foes by first names.
“These kids all know each other and know each other well,” Highlands Ranch coach Darrel Gorham said. “They played in middle school, before that, and still are good friends.”
The immediate prize is the league lead. Both teams are 5-1 overall and 2-0 in league play, tied with Regis Jesuit.
Gorham’s Falcons opened with a 51-35 loss to No. 1 Grand Junction but have gained steam, including surviving a late rally by Mountain Vista in a 23-21 victory last week.
Quarterback Steve Donatell and two-way back Joe Hansley have done most of the damage on offense. The Falcons’ lines have employed players going both ways, which will remain a concern for the rest of the season.
Other than a late defensive lapse against Ralston Valley, city rival ThunderRidge has been physical, had success running the ball and is threatening as a state-wide challenger.
But coach Joe Johnson’s concerns about ball protection are real.
“We’re playing hard, but we’ve had way too many turnovers the past two weeks,” he said. “It’s a mental issue, and we have to get over that.”
The Grizzlies had six miscues last week before surviving Chaparral and three the previous week against Mountain Vista. Sophomore quarterback Brody Westmoreland, running back Garrett Tempel and Patrick Voelker are the primary offensive threats. ThunderRidge also has welcomed back H-back Zach Jones, who is playing through a knee injury.
Johnson calls Jones the team’s best blocker.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
Colorado prep football player to watch: Joe Hansley, Highlands Ranch
RB-DB Joe Hansley
Each of Colorado’s nearly 300 football teams has one — the involved player who seems to be everywhere.
For Highlands Ranch, that player is Hansley. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior has 1,062 yards rushing with 11 touchdowns and 13 receptions for 215 yards and four touchdowns. All those totals lead the team. He also returns kicks and punts and is among the team’s top defenders. There are rumors coach Darrel Gorham must threaten Hansley to leave the field.
“It’s just a matter of keeping him healed up week to week,” Gorham said. “He takes a beating. He does a little of everything.
“He’s just a football player.”
