In its first game of the year, a showdown with Parker city rival Legend, Ponderosa gave up 24 points in the first half of a 31-28 loss.
But since those two quarters, the Mustangs defense has been stingy, having yielded just 19 points in the past six and a half games. And the offense has been superlative, averaging nearly 45 points per game as No. 4 Ponderosa has reeled off six consecutive wins.
Such success, building off last season’s 8-3 record, is a direct result of the team-first mindset embraced by the players.
“We have such a close bond with each other on and off the field, so we have a brotherhood between us,” junior linebacker and leading tackler Quinton Ostdahl said. “When we take the field that bond translates, and it’s not about any one individual—it’s about our team goals of getting stops and getting scores on the offensive end, and that’s why we’re rolling.”
Sweat equity has been a big factor, too, as Ostdahl & Co. know they need to grind to restore the Ponderosa football program back to the pinnacle it was at in the early 2000s, when the Mustangs won several league championships and the 2003 Class 5A state title.
“Coach (Jaron) Cohen and the senior captains this year have really focused on buying into the program, and how not many other teams are doing what we’re doing in terms of the weightlifting, the 6:30 a.m. practices during the season and all the extensive film study we do together as a team,” Ostdahl said. “Everyone’s truly buying into the program, and that’s something I think this program has lacked in other years in the past.”
That buy-in—combined with the continued improvement of junior quarterback Sterling Ostdahl (Quinton’s twin brother) and terrific offensive line play that’s enabled the Mustangs to consistently dominate on offense—should give Ponderosa faithful reason to believe this year’s team is capable of surpassing 2015’s first-round playoff exit. And be a contender for the Class 4A state title.
“We have a lot of balance in our offense,” Cohen explained. “We’ve got about 1,300 yards throwing and 1,200 yards on the ground, and it’s great that Sterling’s making good decisions in the pass game and in the read game.”
The Mustangs host Grand Junction Central on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Echo Park Stadium, a Plains League showdown against Warriors senior quarterback EJ Barrera and the top passing offense in 4A.
For now, that’s where Ponderosa’s focus is at, but Cohen knows his team is one of a handful that will be in the title conversation when the postseason begins.
“Hopefully we’ll have the opportunity to win our league and get a home game in the playoffs,” Cohen said. “I’ve seen all the top teams on film, and I feel like there’s six to eight teams in the mix in 4A for a state championship. Hopefully we’re one of them.”
