(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
HIGHLANDS RANCH — When the Centennial League title is on the line, every trick in the book is in play.
Valor Christian coach Rod Sherman got everything he needed from Dylan McCaffrey, including some trickery as the No. 3-ranked Eagles beat No. 2 Grandview 31-14 to clinch the Class 5A Centennial League championship.
It’s the first Centennial League title for the Eagles and their first football league championship since 2011.
“This league championship meant a lot to our program,” Sherman said. “This was a goal of our team and it means a lot to us. We’re really proud of our guys for coming out in what most would consider the best league in our state.”
After receiving the opening kick, the Eagles wasted no time in moving the ball down the field and finding the end zone on a McCaffrey screen pass to Gabe Kortz to take a quick 7-0 lead.
Grandview wasn’t going to be intimidated, however, and leaned on running back Hayden Blubaugh who has been vital to their success on offense. He was able to pound his way into the end zone to make it a 7-7. Early on, it looked like the game was going to be a close battle like last year’s regular season finale which saw the Wolves come away with a 24-21 win.
But the Eagles weren’t going to let that happen. With 8:03 left in the second quarter, the Eagles pulled ahead with a 37-yard field goal from Jarred Kendziorski. On the ensuing Grandview drive, the Eagles forced a fumble and recovered it deep in Wolves territory.
And that’s when Sherman dug into his bag of tricks.
They called for a double-reverse pass that saw McCaffrey hand the ball off to Ben Waters, who pitched it to Christian Elliss who immediately looked for a streaking McCaffrey on the sideline. The pass was on target and the Valor quarterback hauled in a 28-yard touchdown reception.
“It was really fun and exciting,” McCaffrey said. “That play was one we’ve been working on all year and we finally got a chance to run it.”
McCaffrey finished the night with 164 passing yards, also throwing for two touchdowns. He added 88 rushing yards which included a 58-yard touchdown run, and 28 receiving yards.
On a night where the Eagles emerged as the best in the Centennial League, McCaffrey truly demonstrated how special a player he is.
Taking his lead, the Eagles came out an physically dominated the Wolves, taking them out of contention by halftime. They got a great performance out of Blubaugh, who ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to counter a physically superior Valor team.
“They were much more physical up front the entire game,” Grandview coach John Schultz said. “Physically, we were not ready to go.”
Both teams now await the release of the 5A playoff bracket, which will be announced Sunday. Until then, it’s a waiting game but with the way the Eagles are playing, they know they have a great shot at being seeded high.
“No matter where we sit, we’ll have to play the toughest teams if we do what we’re supposed to,” McCaffrey said. “A high seed would be preferable, but it all comes down to playing the best teams.”