HIGHLANDS RANCH — ThunderRidge, erratic and mistake-prone without warning at various points in 2011, and then turning effective, did its part Thursday night to gain at least a share of the Class 5A Continental League championship as well as a prime seed in the state playoffs.
“I hope so,” Grizzlies coach Joe Johnson said after his team overcame assorted shaky moments to take down rival Douglas County 42-21 at Shea Stadium.
Ranked No. 8 in The Denver Post 5A media poll, ThunderRidge improved to 7-2 overall, 4-1 in the Continental. The Grizzlies own a half-game lead against Highlands Ranch and Regis Jesuit, which will play tonight.
Plus, Johnson is counting on being seeded no lower than eighth when the 32-team bracket is released Sunday by the Colorado High School Activities Association.
“Our lines were very good,” Johnson said. “(But) we do things at times that are just very frustrating. We let people back in games.”
And then the Grizzlies usually respond. For example, they were handled by Highlands Ranch in disappointing fashion, but turned around and downed Regis Jesuit. On Thursday, they threatened to run away and hide from the Huskies (3-6, 0-5), and were fortunate to have a muffed punt that could have been a touchdown for Douglas County to take the halftime lead. The play was eventually ruled a harmless touchback.
Garrett Tempel scored four touchdowns for the physical Grizzlies and helped them re-establish order at various points.
“It feels great,” Tempel said of entering the playoffs on a high note. “I have a lot of confidence in our defense. If we’re in a tight game, it can hold almost any offense we play. And I have confidence in our offense rushing and passing.”
Travis Holder had an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that helped the Grizzlies keep the Huskies at bay, and Jake Hand added a 27-yard scoring run.
For Douglas County, which lost its fifth game in succession, had few seniors on the field and probably will miss the playoffs as it was 32nd entering the game, but coach Jeff Ketron will take next week’s matchup among the also-rans as further experience and incentive.
“We’re really young, but we’ll be back,” he said.
Douglas County: 0 – 14 – 0 – 7 — 21
ThunderRidge: 13 – 8 – 7 – 14 — 42
TR — Tempel 2 run (kick failed).
TR — Tempel 2 run (Beck kick).
DC — Rosipajla 19 run (Bryan kick).
DC — Rosipajla 1 run (Bryan kick).
TR — Holder 88 kickoff return (Tempel run).
TR — Tempel 1 run (Beck kick).
TR — Tempel 1 run (Beck kick).
TR — Hand 27 run (Beck kick).
DC — Moreau 9 pass from Rosipajla (Bryan kick).
