Jeffco Preps With Pleuss is a monthly roundup of Jeffco prep highlights hosted by Dennis Pleuss, Jeffco Public Schools’ sports information director. Prep football action started up in early October. We’ve got highlights from four games — Columbine vs Arvada West, Pomona vs Lakewood, Central of Grand Junction vs Dakota Ridge and Wheat Ridge vs Chatfield — from the first few weeks of the 6-game regular season. Boys tennis season wrapped up with Lakewood and Ralston Valley having good showings at the Class 5A state tournament at Gates Tennis Center in Denver. Cross country season also concluded with the Jeffco League Championships that led into the state meet held in Colorado Springs.
The 2020 all-state softball teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.
These team were created following a process where the coaches voted upon a list of nominees. Players who were named first-team all-league are eligible for the all-state ballot.
Coaches also voted specifically for player and coach of the year.
LAKEWOOD — The newly tagged No. 1 football team in Class 4A didn’t have an issue with the new weight on its shoulders Thursday night.
Dakota Ridge — top-ranked 4A team in the CHSAANow.com rankings this week after moving past defending state champion Pine Creek in the polls — stayed perfect on the season with a 42-0 victory over Standley Lake at Jeffco Stadium.
Dakota Ridge senior Miles Reitan (53) tries to bring down Standley Lake quarterback Jake Worm during the first quarter Thursday night at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“When Pine Creek walks on the field they assume they are the best team on the field. We’ve got to get to that point with this group,” Dakota Ridge coach Ron Woitalewicz said. “We should be the big dog on the field right now and they kind of embraced that this week. We know we are going to get everyone’s best shot with that (No. 1) target.”
Dakota Ridge (3-0, 2-0 in 4A Jeffco League) has now outscored its first three opponents 155-26.
“We have full belief in ourselves, full belief in our coaches,” Dakota Ridge senior Charlie Offerdahl said. “We know our capabilities. We have a lot going for ourselves this year. We are going to take it all the way.”
The Eagles actually fumbled on their opening drive, but was sharp offensively after the miscue. Dakota Ridge scored touchdowns on its next four drives to take a commanding 28-0 lead.
“It was definitely slick. We had to have two hands every time,” Offerdahl said of weather conditions that included freezing rain. “I give the credit to our offensive line. Great job up front. Everything works around them.”
Dakota Ridge sophomore Noah Triplett opened up the scoring with a 62-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter.
“Credit to the youngster, Noah,” Offerdahl said of the sophomore running back. “He can play. The more weapons we have the better.”
After a Standley Lake turnover, Dakota Ridge quarterback Ben Gultig hooked up with senior Colin Stuhr for a 29-yard touchdown.
“What I was really impressed with was how Ben (Gultig) threw the ball early on with the wet ball and it was cold and windy,” Woitalewicz said.
Dakota Ridge senior Charlie Offerdahl (44) attempts to break the tackle of Standley Lake sophomore Max Stout. Offerdahl had touchdown runs of 35 and 15 yards in the second quarter to extend the Eagles’ lead to 35-0 at halftime. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The Eagles capitalized on another Gator turnover to set up a third touchdown. Senior Steve Reyes rumbled in from 7 yards out on the first play from scrimmage in the second quarter and Offerdahl ran in a 2-point conversion to give Dakota Ridge a 21-0 lead in a driving rain with 11:55 left in the second quarter.
Offerdahl put Dakota Ridge up 28-0 minutes later on a 35-yard touchdown run. The senior capped off the scoring in the first half with a 15-yard touchdown, his seventh touchdown on the season.
“As long as we have 44 (Offerdahl) we are going to have a chance to be in the game,” Woitalewicz said. “That’s three straight games with a pick on defense for him. Every time he touches the ball on offense something dynamic can happen. He is a pretty special player.”
The senior standout intercepted a pass from Standley Lake quarterback Jake Worm on the opening drive of the second half. Following a 34-yard pass from Gultig to senior Mason Galbreath that set the Eagles up in the red-zone, Offerdahl scored his third touchdown of the night on a 10-yard scamper into the end zone.
The eighth touchdown of the season for Offerdahl induced a running clock for the remainder of the game with Dakota Ridge’s 42-0 lead.
Standley Lake (2-1, 1-1) threatened to end the shutout bid in the final minutes, but a goal-line stand gave the Eagles their first shutout of the season.
Dakota Ridge is scheduled to be back in action next Friday night at Trailblazer Stadium in Lakewood. The Eagles face Wheat Ridge (0-3, 0-2) in another 4A Jeffco conference battle.
Standley Lake will try to get back in the win column when the Gators face Bear Creek (0-2, 0-1) on Oct. 30 at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada.
Dakota Ridge sophomore Noah Triplett (4) races past Standley Lake’s sideline during a 62-yard touchdown run during the first quarter Thursday night at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
There were quite a few changes to this week’s football rankings, with Dakota Ridge (4A), Roosevelt (3A), Resurrection Christian (2A), and Fleming (6-man) taking over atop their respective classifications.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.
