LAKEWOOD — Broomfield senior quarterback Cole LaCrue looked like he should have been running down the track at Jeffco Stadium on Friday night.
LaCrue sprinted for touchdowns of 73 and 92 yards in the second half to allow Broomfield to win going away in the top-10 Class 4A battle of the Eagles — mascot for both Broomfield and Dakota Ridge.
“We had a speed option play,” LaCrue said of his 73-yard touchdown run that opened up a 41-17 lead midway through the third quarter. “I gave a little fake and saw the guy jump so I cut it up field. My guys did a great job blocking downfield.”
The No. 2 ranked Broomfield (6-0 record) stayed undefeated on the season with a 55-24 road win over No. 10 Dakota Ridge (2-4).
LaCrue tossed a 65-yard touchdown pass to junior Anthony Cobb on the first possession for Broomfield in the second half to extend its lead to 34-17.
“Cole is an athlete that we can ask him to do just about anything,” Broomfield coach Blair Hubbard said. “Throwing the ball or running the ball, he showed he can do both things tonight for us.”
LaCrue used his feet on the second score of the second half for Broomfield. After breaking off his 73-yard touchdown run, he added a 92-yard touchdown run later in the fourth quarter to make it a 48-17 margin.
It took a dozen offensive plays for Broomfield to score the first three touchdowns of the night in the battle of the Eagles. Broomfield sprinted out to a 21-0 lead with 3:44 left in the first quarter.
“Defintely happy with the start,” Hubbard said. “We told the kids all week long don’t look at Dakota Ridge’s record, they have played some really tough teams. They are better than their record.”
LaCrue scored on a 5-yard touchdown run just 26 seconds into the game. Senior running back Ryland Boehmer set up the score with a big 62-yard run down to Dakota Ridge’s 5-yard line.
LaCrue went to the air for Broomfield’s second score. Senior Kaelan Frey made an amazing catch at the pylon for a 28-yard touchdown to make it a 14-0 game with 6:35 left in the first quarter. After a second straight 3-and-out for Dakota Ridge resulted in a quick 43-yard touchdown run by senior Luke Francis.
“We took a lot of offense to how we played last year,” LaCrue said of the Eagles going 5-6 and getting knocked out of the first round of the playoffs. “We are trying to make a statement right now.”
Broomfield has outscored its six opponents 289 to 72 so far this season. Broomfield also has a short week. The Eagles are on the road against Aurora Central Thursday, Oct. 6.
Dakota Ridge did answer with junior quarterback Blake Palladino leading the way. Palladino had a big 3-yard touchdown run on a fourth-down play to start the second quarter to get the Eagles on the scoreboard.
Palladino was sacked and fumbled on Dakota Ridge’s next drive. Junior linebacker Noah Biller picked up the loose ball and returned 40 yards for a touchdown and a 28-7 lead for Broomfield.
However, senior Landon Giebler kicked a 28-yard field goal and senior Noah Triplett had a 17-yard touchdown run in the final five minutes before halftime to cut Broomfield’s lead to 28-17 at halftime.
“We felt good at halftime,” Dakota Ridge coach Ron Woitalewicz said of cutting Broomfield’s lead to 11 points at halftime.
Triplett scored on a 20-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter ended a 20-run by Broomfield.
It has been a bumpy road for Dakota Ridge. After going the pervious two seasons without a regular-season loss, the Eagles suffered losses to No. 7 (4A) Pueblo West, along with area rivals No. 2 (5A) Columbine and Chatfield.
Woitalewicz reminded his players after the game that he took a No. 14 seeded team into the state semifinals before.
“It’s just a matter of getting in,” Woitalewicz said. “You get in and anything can happen.”
Chatfield begins league play next Thursday night back at Jeffco Stadium. The Chargers face Bear Creek.
“That’s the goal right now. It’s a new season starting next week,” Woitalewicz said of Dakota Ridge starting league play. “We just have to go 1-0 the next four weeks and we’re in the playoffs.”