WestsiderSPORTS
Westsider 19 November 23, 2012
OUT OF BOUNDS
BY THE NUMBERS Number of opponents the Valor Christian defense has held to seven points or fewer during the Eagles dozen games this season.
9
Wins for the ThunderRidge football team in 57 games since joining the Class 5A ranks. The Grizzlies face Valor Christian in the first 5A semifinal Friday night at Shea Stadium.
44
Number
of points Ralston Valley and Pomona combined to score the first time they faced each other on Oct. 12.
Ralston Valley celebrates after a turnover against Pomona Friday night at the NAAC.
52
Number
of points those two t e a m s combined to score in regulation of last week’s much more defensiveminded quarterfinal, which Ralston Valley won 22-20 in overtime.
28
Left, Pomona’s Chris Marquez is upended by Ralston Valley’s Justin Buys, resulting in an injury for Buys during a quarterfinal matchup between two Arvada schools. Ralston Valley won in overtime 22-20. Right, Pomona’s senior wide receiver Dominic Martinez makes an aerobatic catch on the last play from scrimmage to end the first half against Ralston Valley. Photos by Andy Carpenean
Ralson Valley edges Pomona in overtime By Jonathan Maness
jmaness@ourcoloradonews.com ARVADA - Barely three months ago the Ralston Valley Mustangs strapped on their helmets and went to work, eager to build off of last season’s playoff run - which ended in the quarterfinals. And on Friday, the hard work paid off as a hoard of Mustang defenders halted Pomona’s Konner Burns on a two-point conversion attempt in overtime to seal a 22-20 quarterfinals victory at NAAC and advance to a semifinals matchup with Cherokee Trail on Saturday. “We knew we had to stop them,” senior Jakob Buys said. “Our defense, especially right there, stepped up. We knew coming into this game it was not going to be easy.” Ralston Valley put the pressure on in the overtime period with Andrew Wingate’s touchdown run and Carlos Gonzalez’s 2-point conversion. Pomona responded with a 9-yard score by Chris Marquez, but Burns was swarmed by the Mustangs on the two-point try leading to Ralston Valley’s celebration. “This is awesome, just to be right here right now,” Buys said. “I love every single one of these guys. To celebrate with a family you love, family you spend six months with throughout the year, it’s just emotional.” It was a battle of two heavyweight foot-
ball teams, and two squads that know each other well. Earlier this season, Ralston Valley topped Pomona 30-22 and since then neither team had lost a game going into Friday’s battle in front of a packed stadium. But that streak had to end for one of the two juggernauts. Pomona came into the game scoring more than 40 points over the previous three weeks, while Ralston Valley had shutout its first two opponents (Castle View and Fort Collins) of the state playoffs. “Pomona is a good squad,” Ralston Valley coach Matt Loyd said. “We knew they were going to play us tough.” Unlike the first meeting, it was apparent that it was going to be a defensive battle with each team’s defense controlling the field. Pomona scored on its opening possession, but could only score seven more points despite getting into the Mustangs’ territory five times. Buys tackled Marquez for a six-yard loss to halt a first-half drive and the Panthers twice turned the ball over in the second half. “We played hard, we played relatively smart,” Pomona coach Jay Madden said “We just had a couple of mistakes that haunted us.” It was apparent that the Panthers were out for revenge from the opening whistle, forcing the Mustangs to go three-and-out and then turning to their run game to wear down Ralston Valley’s defense.
Marquez touched the ball seven times on the opening drive, including finding paydirt from two yards out. Jacob Knipp evened the game up for Ralston Valley when he scored on a QB sneak to cap a 10-play, 70-yard drive by the Mustangs in the second quarter. Alec Feland broke loose for a 38-yard gain to open the second half, which took the Panthers to Ralston Valley’s 25. However, Marquez fumbled on the next possession. The Mustangs took advantage of the opportunity and Wingard’s 34-yard run took the ball to Pomona’s 10 and three plays later Knipp scored his second TD of the game to give Ralston Valley its first lead. The Panthers responded on the next possession. Marquez picked up three first downs on the drive, including a key third down to set up an 11-yard touchdown pass from Feland to Hunter Hogoboom. Ralston Valley had a chance to win the game late in the fourth, but Collin Root’s 47yard field goal sailed wide left. There was a scare in the fourth quarter, when Justin Buys, Jakob’s brother, was injured while during a play. The game was delayed nearly 20 minutes while Justin Buys was attended to by paramedics and EMTs and was taken off the field on a stretcher. Lloyd said the senior defensive back suffered a stinger and was taken to the hospital just to be safe.
GAME OF THE WEEK FOOTBALL
Ralston Valley (11-1) vs. Cherokee Trail (11-1), Saturday, 1 p.m. Legacy Stadium The Mustangs travel east to take on Cherokee Trail in a 5A semifinal for the right to battle for the championship on Dec. 1. THEY SAID IT “We have to work harder than we have all season if we want our season to continue.” Ralston Valley coach Matt Loyd