More photos. (Jeff Tucker/jefferywtucker.zenfolio.com)
LAKEWOOD — Just one victory away from returning to the Class 5A state semifinals for the first time in four years, Columbine’s football team weathered storms on multiple fronts Friday night.
The Rebels had to withstand sloppy field conditions in a blowing snowstorm and a strong start by Regis Jesuit at Jeffco Stadium. Columbine bounced back to take the lead for good midway through the third quarter, and then held off the Raiders down the stretch for a 27-14 victory in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs.
The Rebels (12-0) advance to next weekend’s semifinals where they will meet up with Jeffco League rival Pomona (9-3) for a spot in the 5A championship game Dec. 5 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Pomona beat Grandview in the quarterfinals.
“It’s an awesome feeling,” said Rebels junior Mikey Griebel, who accounted for all four Columbine touchdowns and rushed for 142 yards. “I couldn’t ask for anything better than this.”
On a night where the snow and slick field conditions accounted for a number of slips and falls, Columbine found a way to persevere. The two teams accounted for only one turnover — a fumble by the Rebels on the opening kickoff — which was surprising given the conditions.
“It was pretty slick,” Columbine senior defensive back Angelo Romero said with a laugh. “It was a slick game tonight, but our guys were able to man up and just do our job.”
More photos. (Jeff Tucker/jefferywtucker.zenfolio.com)
That may have been the case, but the opening quarter wasn’t particularly kind to the Rebels. After the Raiders recovered the fumble on the kickoff, the team wasted no time taking advantage. Regis Jesuit quarterback Michael Pavlakovich had all four of his team’s carries on the opening drive, capping it with a three-yard touchdown run.
Columbine responded with an 11-play drive that culminated in a Griebel touchdown run, but Pavlakovich broke off a 58-yard scoring run on the ensuing possession to make it a 14-7 game.
“It was a challenge for all of us. We all had to realize that we had to pick our heads up and just come back swinging,” Romero said. “It’s always a fight back.”
Griebel finished off a 12-play drive early in the second quarter with a 4-yard touchdown run to tie the game. He added his third score early in the second half to finally put Columbine back on top, despite the snow and wind picking up in intensity.
“That offense is based off this kind of weather. We’re just a ground-and-pound type team,” Griebel said. “We knew it wasn’t going to affect us, besides cutting. We knew we had to pound the ball and that’s what we did.”
The Raiders missed a 35-yard field goal late in the third quarter, and the Rebels all but put the game away with an impressive 14-play drive that ate nearly nine minutes off the clock. Quarterback Jake Lowry’s only pass attempt of the game finished off the drive, going for a 20-yard scoring strike to Griebel.
Regis Jesuit put together two long drives late in the fourth quarter, but both possessions ended with Romero making a play in the end zone on fourth down while covering 6-foot-5 tight end Jack Stoll.
“It felt pretty good but I have to thank my team for that,” Romero said. “If I didn’t have my safety over my back, I don’t know where that first play would have went.
“The second one, I had to man up and go one-on-one with him. He’s a tall kid with good hands, I just wasn’t fooled by anything.”
Pavlakovich led Regis Jesuit with 90 yards on the ground and 72 through the air. Alec Barnes added 64 yards rushing.
Tim Mullin and Lowry combined for 142 rushing yards for Columbine, which had 55 carries on the night.
The game with Pomona will be a rematch from Oct. 16, when the Rebels slipped past the Panthers 42-35. Columbine was eliminated by Pomona in last year’s playoffs and in 2012; the Rebels did the same to the Panthers from 2006-08.