HIGHLANDS RANCH — In a first-round matchup of teams entering the Class 5A playoffs on opposite momentum swings, form held.
But it wasn’t as easy as eighth- ranked ThunderRidge might have hoped.
The Grizzlies, who had won six of seven games following a one-point loss to Ralston Valley, struggled early against No. 25 Arapahoe, but rebounded with 21 second-half points and sent the Warriors to their fifth consecutive loss, 28-14, Friday night at Shea Stadium.
The win earned the Grizzlies (8-2) a rematch against the only team that beat them during their hot stretch, Highlands Ranch.
“We’d love to play them,” ThunderRidge running back Garrett Tempel said of the Falcons, who pinned a 23-14 loss on the Grizzlies on Oct. 14.
The Grizzlies, who average 255 yards rushing per game, had just 49 at half, with Tempel, their leading rusher for the season, limited to 12 on seven carries. But Tempel finished with 106 yards and two second-half touchdown runs and the Grizzlies had 219 as a team.
“We just needed to execute,” Tempel said. “Once we did, we were unstoppable.”
Arapahoe, playing without its suspended leading rusher, Jose Cancanon, and down to its No. 4 back in the second half, gave ThunderRidge an early scare in a game marred by turnovers.
The Grizzlies lost three of five first-half fumbles, had a missed field goal early and got their only score of the opening half when Eric Loar recovered a blocked Arapahoe punt by Brad Schlagel.
But ThunderRidge capitalized on two of three second-half turnovers by Arapahoe, which also lost a fumble in first half.
Tempel scored on a 3-yard run after a Warriors fumble at their 28-yard line for a 14-7 lead late in the third quarter.
A 73-yard drive capped by Brody Westmoreland’s 15-yard scoring strike to Steve Ray gave the Grizzlies a 21-7 lead early in the fourth.
Moments later, an interception by Dylan Mandigo led to Tempel’s second touchdown from 2 yards out.
ThunderRidge, whose current three-game streak includes a 10-3 win over Regis Jesuit, regrouped following its loss to Ralston Valley.
“Coach (Joe Johnson) said that sometimes we need a loss to figure out who we really are,” Tempel said. “Right now I don’t think we can be beaten.”
Arapahoe 7 0 0 7 — 14
ThunderRidge 0 7 7 14 — 28
A — Austin Pedersen 20 pass from Alec Gieser (James Hall kick). TR — Eric Loar recovered blocked punt in end zone (Logan Beck kick). TR — Garrett Tempel 3 run (Beck kick). TR — Steve Ray 15 pass from Brody Westmoreland (Beck kick). TR — Tempel 2 run (Beck kick). A — Ethan Brunhofer 4 pass from Gieser (kick Hall kick).
