HIGHLANDS RANCH — As he stood at the top of the circle created by his players on the turf at Shea Stadium on Saturday on a warm mid-November afternoon, veteran coach Joe Johnson addressed an attentive group of ThunderRidge Grizzlies.
“We’re getting better,” Johnson preached. “And the teams that are advancing are the ones getting better.”
The Grizzlies know about getting better and advancing. They handled Fruita Monument 40-14 in Class 5A’s second round to set up a meeting next weekend with defending state champion Cherry Creek. The Grizzlies will host.
Just 4-6 a year ago and 1-4 to begin 2015, ThunderRidge now is 7-4.
Saturday, the Grizzlies gave up a 15-play, 71-yard drive against the Wildcats to open the game before their trademark power rushing and defense gradually shifted the momentum.
Behind a rushing attack headed by Johnson’s son, Zeke, improved line play and a defense that got stronger as the game wore on, it ended in a rout.
“It feels awesome. It’s something that nobody thought we could do at the beginning of this season,” said Zeke Johnson, who ran 24 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Vic Lavigne also rushed for two touchdowns. Josh Duckworth’s 24-yard run on a draw play on third-and-goal just 1:01 before halftime gave ThunderRidge the lead it never relinquished.
Fruita Monument, which lost 21-12 to the Grizzlies on Oct. 9, was traveling from the Western Slope for the fifth time in six weeks. The Wildcats ended 5-6 and are expected to be in 4A for the next two-year cycle.
Fruita Monument7007—14ThunderRidge0141214—40
FM — Yeager 1 run (Mosnes kick). T’R — V. Lavigne 10 run (Mueller kick). T’R —Duckworth 24 run (Mueller kick). T’R — Johnson 4 run (kick failed). T’R — Johnson 2 run (pass failed). T’R — V. Lavigne 4 run (Hamm kick). FM — Triplett 1 run (Mosnes kick). T’R — Nault 60 run (Hamm kick).
