ARVADA — Columbine junior Rocky Shields ripped away a possible undefeated Class 5A Jeffco League run for Pomona on Thursday night.
The No. 10-ranked Rebels led the No. 8 Panthers 13-6 early in the fourth quarter. It looked like Pomona senior running back Chase Muller was going to score on an 11-yard touchdown run to potentially tie things up.
“It was one of those things where they were running away from my side,” said Shields, a two-way lineman. “You can’t give up on a play. It’s about effort and pursuit. That’s what I did. I was at the right play at the right time to make the play.”
Shields ripped at the ball as Muller was about the get into the end zone. The ball came loose and Columbine senior Grayson Headrick recovered the ball on the Rebels’ 2-yard line.
Columbine (7-3, 3-2 in league) took over with 8:49 left in the fourth quarter. The Rebels went on a 15-play, 98-yard drive that was capped off with a 1-yard touchdown plunge by sophomore James Cillessen with less that 2 minutes to play to seal a 20-6 victory for the Rebels.
“That is Rebel Ball at its finest,” Shield said of Columbine 98-yard touchdown drive to make it a 2-touchdown game. “That is what we work on and preach.”
Pomona (6-4, 4-1) actually already wrapped up the conference title last week. Four straight league victories over Lakewood, Ralston Valley, Arvada West and Mullen combined with a little help when rival Ralston Valley defeated Columbine last week allowed the Panthers to clinch the league title before Thursday’s late-afternoon tilt at North Area Athletic Complex.
“Those two turnovers were killers,” Pomona coach Nathan Johnson said after the Panthers’ 4-game win streak came to an end. “I respect the heck out of (Columbine’s) offense. When you make mistakes like that and are negative in the turnover margin it’s tough.”
The only two scores in the second half was a Columbine field goal by senior Wes Jones and the touchdown run by Cillessen. Both scores came after Pomona turnovers.
Columbine opened the game with a bang. On the first play from scrimmage sophomore Josh Snyder had a 53-yard touchdown run sprinting past the Rebels’ sideline.
“I was just thinking run, run, run,” Snyder said. “It was awesome to hit them right off the bat.”
The Rebels were shorthanded with senior running back/linebacker Seth Cromwell sidelined with an injury.
“We weren’t sure what the outcome would be,” Snyder said about playing without the Rebels’ leading rusher. “We just worked our best and the outcome with 20-6.”
Pomona’s lone score of the game came on a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Noah Epley with 4:49 left in the second quarter to cut Columbine’s lead to 10-6. The loss will likely force the Panthers to play in the opening round of the 5A state tournament next week.
“Five weeks ago a lot of people thought we were down and out. I think when our team realizes their backs are against the wall they get pretty feisty and a controlled desperate,” Johnson said. “I can’t wait to see the bracket come out.”
Columbine and Pomona now wait to see how the 24-team 5A state tournament bracket shapes up. The top 8-seeded teams will receive a first-round bye. The Colorado High School Athletic Association will release the brackets Sunday, Oct. 31.
It was a huge bounce-back win for the Rebels, who had lost three of the past five games before winning the regular-season finale.
“We were pretty down. Last week kind of scared us a little bit. We didn’t know who were really are,” Columbine coach Andy Lowry said. “We practiced harder. We practiced with more focus. They guys played their butts off tonight against a really physical football team.”
Columbine was 11th in the RPI standings before the victory. So there is a chance the Rebels could grab a valuable first-round bye to get healthier before the round of 16.
“I would sure love it,” Lowry said of the Rebels getting into the top-8 to grab a first-round bye. “It’s going to be close.”
