(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
PARKER — Rivalry games are fun. So much fun that Legend and Ponderosa made sure every fan in attendance got their money’s worth for making it out to the opening football game of the 2019 season.
Early on Legend looked unstoppable. At one point, it looked all but defeated. But when time expired, it was the Titans who emerged with a 28-21 win to stake claim to the town of parker, at least for now.
“It’s just that innertown rivalry,” Titans running back Blake Rarog said. “We just have it in our blood here. We know. (beat) Pando, (beat) Chap. We have it in our blood. We went out and we got this.”
Rarog put on a show in the first half by carrying the ball 19 times for 93 yards and the Titans’ (1-0 overall) only score to that point.
But when Legend needed him the most, the Class 4A No. 3 Mustangs (0-1) had him bottled up. Three rushes went for a total of one yard with just over a minute left in the second quarter and the Titans were forced to punt the ball away.
Then Jack Hanenburg found his groove. He worked quickly off the snap and looked for classmate Carter Motichka often on the final drive of the half. Motichka’s first four catches of the game came in quick succession. The fourth catch came in tight quarters, but he was able to move the ball inside the pile on to tie the game at halftime.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
“We went in at halftime to try and come up with a game plan just to break everything down and see where we can get back on the board and win the ballgame,” quarterback Kalen Shoemaker said.
With momentum seemingly on the side of the Mustangs, the second half couldn’t have gotten off to a better start. Hanenburg picked up right where he left off in the first half, this time seeking out Mikee Barker.
Barker made up for his fumble in the first half by hauling in two catches for 22 yards on that drive. Ponderosa moved inside of the five-yard line before an unnecessary roughness penalty backed them up 15 yards, ultimately leading to a missed field goal.
“We came out and played really sloppy, but Legend was playing really hard and it’s always a super competitive, super fun game,” Ponderosa coach Jaron Cohen said.
After a stalled drive for Legend, Ponderosa once again fumbled the ball away, giving the Titans yet another opportunity to take the lead. But the defense that Cohen so often gushes about held its ground, stopping Rarog on fourth and two.
Two plays later, Hanenburg found Jack Hufford who turned on the afterburners and breaking away for a 42-yard touchdown reception, giving the Mustangs their first lead of the game at 14-7.
For a brief minute, it seemed like the Titans had let doubt creep into their play, but Shoemaker turned the tide with one 43-yard run to set them up at the Ponderosa 20. The next play he found Jackson Warner and just like that, the game was tied at 14.
And that proved to be the spark that was needed for Legend.
“Sometimes you feel like you need to have a little momentum boost,” Shoemaker said. “I tried to give it to him as best as I could.”
Connor Eise regained the lead for Legend with a 96-yard touchdown run. Two passes from Hanenburg to Hufford pulled the Mustangs even once again.
The Titans stuck with the ground game and once again it was Rarog with a 50-yard run that setup his second touchdown run of the night, which proved to be the decisive score of the game. After going blow for blow early in the third quarter, Legend emerged with a one-score win to kick the 2019 football season off in thrilling fashion.
“That was a heck of a second half wasn’t it,” Legend coach Monte Thelen said. “We feel fortunate to be able to pull it out, but we’re really proud of our kids in our program right now.”
Legend will bookend its season with Parker rivalry games as they’ll close out regular season play against Chaparral on Nov. 1. Next week, the Titans are back at home to face Poudre.
Things won’t get any easier for the Mustangs who host Columbine next Thursday.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)