More photos. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
AURORA — The bitter temperatures and the loss of their top runner couldn’t stop the Grandview Wolves as they made their way into next week’s Class 5A semifinals.
The Wolves defeated the visiting Fountain-Fort Carson Trojans 28-7 in front of a loyal, frigid crowd at Legacy Stadium.
The win sets up a rematch between the Wolves and league rival Valor Christian. Grandview won the first meeting by a score of 24-21.
“I’m proud of our kids; we’ve had such a good weather year since a rain storm back in week two, we knew (the cold) was coming and we’d have to win a tough game in it,” Wolves coach John Schultz said. “We have another week to get better. Valor’s been getting better as the playoffs have progressed and we know we have to get better too.”
After gaining only a couple of yards on their first drive, the Trojans got the Wolves’ attention as Drue Harris broke free for a 91-yard touchdown run. Grandview, who finished the season ranked first in state, suddenly found themselves on their heels.
Salt was added to that wound when it was revealed that a hip injury to Wolves running back Chukwuma Obinnah was bad enough to sideline him for the rest of the game.
Down 7-0 and without their star running back, the Wolves found themselves in a hole, a position they had not seen in the postseason. With one more drive remaining with the wind in the first quarter, they were able to drive down the field where Cody Summers connected with Morgan Smith for a nine-yard touchdown pass.
More photos. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
“(Obinnah’s injury) affected us quite a bit,” Summers said. “Our game plan was to run the ball and he went down we knew Ben (Marshall) and those guys had to step up and they did.”
The score would remain 7-7 through the bulk of the second quarter. But with time running out, the Trojans were facing a 4th down and were forced to punt. Charles Tigner took the snap and attempted a rugby-style kick that he missed, giving the Wolves the ball on the 50-yard line.
Minutes later, Ben Marshall carried several Trojan defenders down to the five, punching the ball into the end zone the following play. The Wolves went to the locker room at halftime with a 14-7.
“It’s one of those games where you don’t want to blame anyone or anything,” Trojans coach Mitch Johnson said. “Football is a game of mistakes and whoever makes the fewest is going to be successful. You create your own momentum.”
The Trojans defense continued to their admirable performance to start the second half, forcing the Wolves to punt the ball away on the first possession of the second half. But the special teams unit continued their struggles as another poor punt by Tigner gave Grandview the ball in Trojans territory.
The Wolves drove down inside the 5-yard-line, before three straight runs were stuffed by the Trojans. Facing 4th and goal on the one, the Wolves timeout to discuss their options. The offense ran back out on the field, where Summers pushed the ball in to give Grandview a 21-7 lead.
Disaster struck for Fountain-Fort Carson on the ensuing possession as a botched hand-off from quarterback Stock Chenault fell into the hands of the Wolves at the Trojan 13-yard line. Despite the loss of Obinnah, the Wolves running game remained successful as Austin Quarles scampered into the end zone on a two-yard run.
With a 28-7 lead, only time was standing in the way of a rematch between Grandview and Valor Christian. The Trojans failed to make the game any closer and as the closing seconds ran off the game clock, the crowd exploded into a chant of “We Want Valor.”
The prospect of the rematch with the defending state champions put a huge smile on Summers’s face as he walked off the field.
“We’re really excited for that one,” he said.
More photos. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)