Mullen 41, Douglas County 38

Scott Stocker, Rocky Mountain News

Published November 26, 2006 at midnight

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CASTLE ROCK - With a trip back to the Class 5A state championship football game for a third consecutive season on the line, Mullen’s Devin Aguilar received one of the most important calls of his high school career.

This one came from Mullen head coach Dave Logan and Aguilar, the leading pass receiver in the state this season, answered it with authority. The called play was for a double-reverse on a third-down and six-yards to go situation Saturday in front of a packed crowd at Douglas County High School.

And, it turned out to be a game winner in Mullen’s dramatic 41-38 victory over Douglas County in a rematch of last season’s state championship game.

Mullen quarterback Clint Brewster took the snap and handed the ball to tailback Phillip Morelli who ran to his left. The Douglas County defense went with Morelli, but he slipped the ball to Aguilar, who skirted back across the field and into the right side of the Huskies end zone.

"That was a good call as we held off to the last minute for the play," said Aguilar, who scored four touchdowns. "They over pursue all the time. Coach Logan made a good call right there. I knew I had to get it in, he put the ball into my hands, the team executed and we couldn’t have played it any better. All the guys did their job and we got in.

"It was an aggressive game and they came to play," said Aguilar, who rushed for 125 yards on seven carries and caught seven passes for 140 and two touchdowns. "We had to have heart and we pulled it through."

Now it is on to next Saturday’s state championship game against Columbine to be played at Invesco Field at Mile High. The Rebels defeated Fort Collins, 20-0, Friday at Jefferson County Stadium.

"Devin is such a great player and such a great kid to coach and he made a number of big plays today," Logan said. "But a lot of our kids did."

The game, already dubbed a classic by several observers, was watched by the largest crowd to ever to see a football game at Douglas County High School. And, with 2-minutes, 16-seconds remaining, Mullen fans might have thought it was over.

Morelli, who rushed 32 times for 162 yards, had just scored the second of his two fourth-quarter touchdowns giving the Mustangs a 35-27 lead. But Douglas County, which saw its season end 11-2, was not about to give in.

Douglas County receiver, Mike Whitney brought the ensuing kickoff back to the Huskies 27-yard line. From there, quarterback Keiffer Garton went to work. He carried the ball 23-yards, then passed 25 to Andy Nappo to spark the quick drive.

Facing fourth-down and 10-yards from the Mullen 30, Garton hit Whitney with a drive-saving 12-yard pass. Then following three-incomplete passes intended for Kaither Holiway, he found Holiway open for a 14-yard strike that carried down to the Mullen 4-yard line.

Ryan Misare, who rushed for 68 yards for Douglas County, lost two yards, and then Garton was sacked by Mullen’s Matt Gemperline and Nick Nguyen for a 10-yard loss. But following a Garton incompletion, Mullen was called for a pass interference penalty in the end zone, which put the ball at the Mustang’s 8-yard line.

On the next play, with 06.7 seconds remaining, Garton found Nappo open for the touchdown that would send the game into overtime.

Douglas County had the ball first, but following two Garton incomplete passes and a run for no yardage by Jose Astorga, Andy Giepel kicked a 27-yard field goal for a 38-35 Huskies lead.

However, Douglas County’s season would end with Aguilar’s run on Mullen’s overtime possession.

Douglas County appeared to have the edge in the first half as the Huskies of coach Jeff Ketron jump out to a 13-0 lead on a 31-yard pass from Garton to Curtis Prock and a 1-yard run by Misare. But with 1:02 left in the second quarter, Mullen exploded for a pair of touchdowns.

The first was a 76-yard reception by Aguilar from Brewster with :48 seconds left. The second came with :06 left, a 2-yard pass to Aguilar from Brewster set up by a Mullen fumble recovery. Caleb Pavey’s kick sent Mullen into the locker room with a 14-13 half time lead.

Logan knew from the start this one would not be easy. No one has been able to stay with the Mustangs, ranked No. 21 in the nation by Student Sports magazine. But Douglas County nearly pulled it out.

"We told the kids all week this would not be anything like they have experienced," Logan said. "This team is for real, good on defense and certainly good on offense. We were tested early, down 13-0, but we got two quick scores and the second half was just a slug fest.

"Douglas County is so good on defense that we went deep into the bag," Logan said. "Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t and today it did. Douglas County is a great football team. We knew this was not going to be a 40-6 game, but a hit you in the face, who could make the plays down the stretch and do you really believe you have enough in you that you could win a close game. They had the heart of the champion the way they brought it down to the end."

Defensively, Mullen’s Kyle Theret was a key. He stripped the ball twice from Douglas County runners, the second time, taking the ball right out of the arms of Misare. That particular play led to Morelli second touchdown in the fourth quarter.

"I was coming the back side and kind of ripped the ball out," Theret said. "Three big turnovers helped us, they were huge stops."

Garton finished the game with 254-yards passing and three touchdowns, with Whitney the leader with four receptions for 132 yards.

"We should have had it," Garton said. "We played with everything we had and we played for each other. It’s so hard to lose this one."

Ketron was disappointed, but none the less extremely proud of the way his team played.

"I thought we had a chance to get up 20, I really did," Ketron said. "But it didn’t happen. No body gave us a shot, no one in the state gave us a shot to beat Mighty Mullen and our kids came out and played their rear ends off. We gave it everything we had and came up three points short."

MULLEN 41, DOUGLAS COUNTY 38

Mullen 0 14 7 14 6 - 41

Douglas County 7 6 8 14 3 - 38

First quarter: DC, Curtis Prock 31 pass from Keifer Garton (Andy Giepel kick). Second quarter: DC, Ryan Misare 1 run (kick failed). M, Devin Aguilar 76 pass from Clint Brewster (Caleb Pavey kick). M, Aguilar 2 pass from Brewster (Pavey kick). Third quarter: M, Aguilar 29 run (Pavey kick). DC, Misare 2 run (Garton run). Fourth quarter: Phillip Morelli 25 run (Pavey kick). DC, Mike Whitney 80 pass from Garton (kick failed). M, Morelli 4 run (Pavey kick). DC, Nappo 8 pass from Garton (Prock, pass from Garton). Overtime: DC, Giepel 27 FG. M, Aguilar 6 run (no point attempted).

Rushing: M, Morelli 32-169, Aguilar 7-125, Brewster 5-13, Goldy 1-0. DC, Misare 22-68, Jose Astorga 10-76, Garton 5-45.

Passing: M, Brewster 11-18-173-2-0. DC, Garton 13-26-254-3-1.

Receiving: M, Aguilar 7-140, Bret Skene 2-15, Steve Watson 1-10, Jarret Belloni 1-8. DC, Whitney 4-132, Nappo 4-44, Holiway 2-31, Cameron White 2-25, Prock 1-31.

Interceptions: M, Colby Riggins.

Fumble recoveries: M, Kyle Theret, Casey Braun.

Stockers@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5275.

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