Chaparral’s Jumpy Davis (5) smiles during a first-round 5A football playoff game against No. 4 Fairview. More photos. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
BOULDER – Thomas Creese watched as the ball and Fairview’s season sailed over his head into the endzone.
A bad snap on a fourth-down punt in the first quarter at Recht Field spelled doom for the Knights when the ball rolled into the endzone for a safety.
On the ensuing drive, the Wolverines ran the ball right through the Knights, capping the strong drive with an 11-yard touchdown run by running back Jumpy Davis to make it 9-0.
No. 5-seeded Chaparral rode that momentum en route to a 37-8 win over No. 4-seeded Fairview in the first round of the Class 5A football playoffs.
“The goal was to run the ball and we executed it,” said Davis. Head coach Rod Dobbs added, “You can’t keep Fairview on the field, you gotta maintain that possession clock.”
It was exactly that game plan that did the Knights in. Davis ran for 233 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries as the Wolverines ran all over Fairview. The senior running back had 148 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone.
“Our line just literally plowed through everybody today and (Davis) runs so hard,” said quarterback Taden Blaise. “He takes hits that look like somebody would never get up from, and he gets up and keeps just driving away.”
Chaparral grabbed the momentum on the nine point swing after the safety, and thanks to a 52-yard touchdown pass from Blaise to Austin Spindler, the rout was on with the Wolverines up 23-0 before the half. Blaise finished with 99 yards and two touchdowns on 5/10 passing.
Chaparral’s Jumpy Davis (5) finds room to run during the game against Fairview. More photos. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
“Anytime you get a momentum shift like that, those are things that you definitely want to build on and go capitalize,” Dobbs said. “I was proud of the boys, we did that.”
A fake punt on the first drive of the second half for Chap set up a 35-yard touchdown run by none other than Mr. Jumpy Davis on the very next play to put his team up 30-0.
Fairview looked to be out of sync throughout the game, only grabbing momentum near the end of the third quarter. The Knights took advantage of a Wolverine turnover, and took the ball down the field on the strength of quarterback Thomas Creese’s arm.
Creese had completions of 21, 20, 18 and 27 on the drive, finishing with 202 yards and one touchdown on 15-of-40 passing in the game.
“I’m so proud of our defense to hold Fairview to eight points,” Dobbs said. “You don’t see that very often. (Fairview) is a well-established program.”
With the loss, Fairview ends its season at 7-3. Chaparral improves to 7-3, riding a four-game win streak.
Next up for the Wolverines? No. 1-seeded Valor Christian (8-2). The Eagles took care of business in a 50-14 win over Legend in their first round game.
“It’s another game. It’s zero-zero,” Davis said. “They won, we won. They gotta come play us, as well.”
Don’t expect Dobbs’ team to back down from a Valor team that has only lost one game in the postseason in its history.
“They’ve been in the state championship six times in a row now,” said Blaise. “I would really like to end that streak.”
For Blaise, it’s more than a game — it’s a realization of a dream.
“I’ve been to every state championship except for last year so it’s going to be kind of a childhood dream, I guess you could say, to play Valor,” Blaise said.
Blaise and Chaparral will host Valor Christian in second round action of the 5A state football playoffs. Time and date is yet to be determined.
No. 5 Chaparral celebrates their victory and honors a fallen teammate after their win over No. 4 Fairview on Friday. More photos. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)