4A: Loveland savors adversity

No. 15 seed has traveled long, difficult road to face Wheat Ridge in title game

Brad Byler, Special to the News

Published November 30, 2006 at midnight

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Loveland was invited to the Class 4A state football playoffs, but the Indians weren't expected to stay around very long.

As the 15th and next-to-last seed, the Indians had to start their playoff journey with a long trip to Pueblo to face No. 2 Pueblo South, a team that went 10-0 during the regular season.

But Loveland emerged with a stunning 26-19 upset, dealing Pueblo South its first loss at home in six years.

Adversity, it seems, has made the Indians (10-3) stronger.

"After we beat Pueblo South, it really opened our eyes," said Loveland linebacker Blaine Eppel, one of eight seniors who start on defense. "We said to ourselves, 'If we can beat the No. 2 team in the state, why can't we beat anyone?' "

Loveland came from behind to beat Montrose 28-24 in the quarterfinals, then survived overtime to edge previously unbeaten Greeley West 28-21 in the semifinals last weekend.

Now, Loveland is back in the state championship game, where it will face sixth-ranked Wheat Ridge (12-1) at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Invesco Field at Mile High.

The Indians already have won two state titles in this decade, and they have been led by some very high-profile players. When the Indians won the state title in 2000, they featured a lightning- quick wide receiver named Jeremy Bloom, who later played for the University of Colorado.

In 2003, they crushed the competition on the way to the state title behind a dominating lineman named Jeff Byers, who was selected the national player of the year and plays for the University of Southern California.

While the 2006 Indians possess all-around talent, the player who has emerged in the postseason has been junior Jesse Lewis.

Lewis, a 5-foot-6, 160-pound running back and kick returner, has propelled Loveland to the championship game by returning a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown against Pueblo South, breaking free for an 86-yard touchdown run against Montrose, and catching a 60-yard touchdown pass against Greeley West.

In the Indians' three playoff games, Lewis has rushed 41 times for 358 yards, an average of 8.7 yards a carry. He also has three receptions for 107 yards and has scored seven touchdowns overall.

Pretty good numbers for Lewis' first year of varsity football.

"I just try to go out there and show the coaches that they have a reason to be confident in me," said Lewis, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.

Loveland coach John Poovey is no stranger to the state championship game. He has won four state titles, and it is safe to say he has seen it all in his 29 years coaching the Indians. His players have relied on his experience to guide them through a challenging season.

"He's like a history book, kind of," Eppel said. "He reminds us of positive things all the time. And he reminds us that sometimes bad things happen and that you have to deal with that, too.

"We're a program based on tradition. He started a great tradition a long time ago, and things have just kept rolling."

Wheat Ridge has a storied tradition as well, with five state titles. But the Farmers had strayed from their tradition recently. The past three years, the Farmers finished 3-7, 1-9 and 5-5, respectively.

The seniors who suffered through some humiliating losses in the tough Mountain Plains League, though, picked up some valuable perspective. Wheat Ridge is a senior-led team that realizes the most important moment is right now.

"After three years of just getting our butts beat and our noses rubbed in it, we knew this was our last chance," said Connor Wright, one of the Farmers' emotional leaders who plays defensive end and running back. "This year, we are seniors and we were sick of it. We knew we couldn't hold anything back, couldn't not give 100 percent when we are playing."

Former coach Guy Thurston is credited with establishing a strong weight program at Wheat Ridge, and first-year coach Reid Kahl changed the Farmers' mind-set.

Moving from a spread offense to a smash- mouth running attack in one season, and installing a physical, attacking defense, the Farmers beat heavyweights ThunderRidge, Dakota Ridge and Ralston Valley for the first time this season.

Wheat Ridge hasn't allowed a team to score more than 10 points since the third week of the season, and the Farmers have allowed only 22 points in the playoffs.

"Four years of work has paid off," said Justin Long, a wide receiver and defensive back who rang up gaudy personal statistics as a junior but whose numbers have taken a hit in the Farmers' new offense.

"It was a hard adjustment for me, but as a team, it was better for us. It's been an amazing season, but we have one more game."

Said Kahl: "Our kids have been so focused. They've talked about Invesco Field since Day 1. It's going to take a good football team to beat us."

Loveland (10-3) vs. No. 6 Wheat Ridge (12-1)

PLAYOFF ROAD

• First round: Loveland 26, Pueblo South 19; Wheat Ridge 33, Wasson 6.

• Quarterfinals: Loveland 28, Montrose 24; Wheat Ridge 40, Fountain-Fort Carson 9.

• Semifinals: Loveland 28, Greeley West 21 (OT); Wheat Ridge 28, Ralston Valley 7.

TROPHY CASE

• Loveland: Loveland has won four state titles under coach John Poovey, six overall. They won Class A titles in 1939 and 1942, 3A titles in 1982 and 1985, and 4A titles in 2000 and 2003. Overall, Loveland has gone 34-16 in state playoff games in its illustrious history and will be playing in its 12th championship contest.

• Wheat Ridge: Not to be outdone, the Farmers have won five titles. They won consecutive AAA titles in 1966-67 and another in 1973. They won 4A championships in 1994 and 1996. In its history, Wheat Ridge has won 73 percent of its playoff games (24-9) and has not lost in a championship game.

NUMBERS GAME

• Loveland: Its three losses were by a total of nine points. The Indians lost to Cheyenne East (29-28), Niwot (15-14) and Greeley West (13-6). Cheyenne East lost 16-14 in the Wyoming 5A state championship game two weeks ago.

• Wheat Ridge: The Farmers gave up only 87 points this season, an average of 6.7 points a contest. They shut out three opponents and have allowed only 22 points in the playoffs.

GAME PLAN

1 While Loveland has many weapons, Wheat Ridge has to find a way to corral Jesse Lewis. In each playoff game, Lewis has scored on a play 60 yards or longer, giving Loveland an instant lift in games in which they either trailed or were tied.

2 Loveland contained Greeley West's brother tandem of Blake and Rex Morgan last week. Now they face the Farmers' Dylan and Parker Orms. Dylan, the quarterback, has rushed for 306 yards, passed for 191 yards and scored eight touchdowns in the playoffs. In his career, Dylan has totaled 2,270 rushing yards (29 touchdowns) and 4,840 passing (41 touchdowns).

3 Wheat Ridge and Loveland each played like it had something to prove this season, and each excelled in revenge games last week against league opponents in the semifinals. If either team has become satisfied with reaching the title game, it could prove costly.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL LEADERS

LOVELAND

RUSHING (Att.-Yds-TDs): Daniel Friesmuth 203-1,244-16, Jesse Lewis 123-1,162-12, Collin Klein 74-444-5, Garrett Knight 82-348-6, Lucas Tungesvick 20-128-2.

PASSING (Cmp.-Att.-Int-Yds-TDs): Klein 62-108-5-1,020-12, Knight 1-4-1-15-0.

RECEIVING (Rec.-Yds-TDs): Lewis 14-307-4, Jonathan Dennis 12-220-1, Jonathan Lebeau 11-151-3, Knight 13-110-0, Steven Warren 9-199-2, Friesmuth 4-21-1, Tungesvick 2-27-1.

INTERCEPTIONS: Oliver Tromp 3, Jeffrey Ruiter 3.

Other defensive stats were not submitted

WHEAT RIDGE

RUSHING (Att.-Yds-TDs): Dylan Orms 164-1,184-18, Beau Stevens 157-820-7, Connor Wright 68-395-5, Parker Orms 35-290-5.

PASSING (Cmp.-Att.-Int-Yds-TDs): D. Orms 92-158-2-1,290-13.

RECEIVING (Rec.-Yds-TDs): Justin Long 29-535-6, Matt Wright 24-330-5.

TACKLES: Zak Oletski 148, M. Wright 144, C. Wright 128, P. Orms 126.

SACKS: C. Wright 14.

INTERCEPTIONS: Long 6, P. Orms 4.

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