More photos. (Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)
LOVELAND — To say the Loveland Indians have confidence is an understatement.
After starting the season with a 2-4 record, Loveland (7-5) continued its incredible turnaround with a 49-21 drubbing of fifth-seeded Durango (10-2) in the Class 4A quarterfinals on Saturday at Ray Patterson Stadium in Loveland. They will host Pine Creek (12-0), the two-time defending 4A state champions, in the semifinals next Saturday at 1 p.m.
One week after going down to Colorado Springs and running over the fourth-seeded Vista Ridge Wolves 30-14 in the first round of the playoffs, the 13th-seeded Indians once again played with a swagger that 5-5 regular season teams don’t typically possess.
Loveland feels the postseason, in a lot of ways, started back when they were 3-5 with Adams City and Greeley West left on the schedule.
“I think we gelled as a team toward the middle of the season,” Loveland coach Wayne McGinn said. “We had to win the last two games to have a chance at getting into the playoffs, and we did that. We basically are two games ahead of everybody else in playoff experience. That’s the way I look at it.”
Loveland trounced Adams City 49-15. Then, after going down 14-7 at the half at Greeley West in a win-and-you’re-in playoff situation, the Indians overcame the Spartans 29-21 to seal a postseason spot. Now, Loveland is competing with a nothing to lose attitude.
“They play their hearts out,” McGinn said. “We’re one family and we’re playing like one family right now.”
After a defensive smothering of Vista Ridge in a game in which Loveland held the Wolves to zero points through three quarters, the Indians’ triumph over Durango was more about offense—as in offensive fireworks.
On Saturday, the Indians took a 7-0 lead on the first possession of the game as 225-pound bruising back Charles Dunkelman plunged in from four yards out. Loveland then used some trickery for their next touchdown. After a 48-yard run by senior quarterback Ayden Eberhardt to the Durango 32 yard line, the Indians faced a 4th and 11 situation from the 31.
More photos. (Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)
Eberhardt dropped back, threw a lateral to wide receiver Aidan McQuade, who then tossed to a wide open Ryan Svendsen for a touchdown. The play pushed Loveland’s lead to 14-0 with 9:10 to go in the first half.
Here and there, Durango answered back. Gavin Mestas bobbled and then caught a 6-yard touchdown from Terrence Trujillo to pull within 14-7, but Eberhardt came back with a 46-yard scamper for the score and LHS had a two-point conversion to go up 22-7.
At the break, it was 28-7 after a 44-yard touchdown catch by the speedy Calvin Kelley.
The highlight-reel plays continued for the Indians in the second half as Eberhardt threw a beautiful 25-yard touchdown to McQuade in the back of the end zone to make it 35-7. Trujillo then ripped off a 72-yard touchdown run, but Eberhardt found Svendsen for a 79-yard rumbling, tumbling touchdown to go up 42-14.
While Durango made some plays throughout, especially while going to the air, Loveland was opportunistic in stopping the Demons on several 4th down attempts. The Indians also intercepted Trujillo, who entered the game with 25 touchdown passes, four times. Svendsen accounted for two, Kaden Morin had one off an athletic tip from McQuade, and then McQuade had one of his own.
Eberhardt, who finished with 169 yards rushing and one touchdown, threw for 199 yards and three scores, as well. He also had a 61 yard punt from the back of the end zone right before halftime. The dual-threat quarterback credited his line for the scoring outburst.
“With all the highlight plays, honestly the line stepped up,” Eberhardt said. “They were working their butts off. They made every play happen. Cohesive offense is what we have right now and that’s awesome to see.”
Loveland will now host Pine Creek, winners of 37 consecutive games and the heaviest of favorites to, once again, claim the state championship. While the LHS players and coaches alike know the enormous challenge of going against the 4A powerhouse, the Indians will enter another week with the confidence that has gotten them to this point.
“All we wanted was a shot at Pine Creek and that’s what we got,” Eberhardt said. “We’re blessed with an opportunity to be able to play them.”