Berthoud rallies for win

Centaurus fails in bid to knock champ off throne

By Nick Garner, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 7, 2008 at 11:28 p.m.

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For the first half, Centaurus was primed to send defending state champion Berthoud home early.

In the second half, Berthoud showed why it won the Class 3A title last season.

Bryce Munoz rushed for 135 yards and a score to help Berthoud to a 40-26 win in the first round of the football playoffs at Warrior Stadium.

The Spartans (9-2) scored on their first play from scrimmage, a 76-yard halfback pass from Kent Flynn to an open John Duncan, but watched as Centaurus (8-3) scored 16 unanswered points. The Warriors led 23-19 at halftime.

The second half was a different story for the Berthoud as it started the third quarter with a 13-play, five-minute drive that Greg Glasser capped off with a 5-yard run.

Following a Centaurus punt, Munoz got the call on five consecutive plays, setting up Glasser for an 8-yard score.

Munoz said the only adjustment his team made after halftime was it realized that a loss meant the season was over.

"We just all came together and started playing as one," Munoz said. "We played with some heart. It's the first round of the playoffs, so there's nothing guaranteed and we came out and played our guts out."

Along with his 135 yards rushing, Munoz caught six passes for 74 yards.

"Jordan (Major) was making good reads, the offensive line was making big holes," Munoz said. "The receivers were making good catches and good blocks, everyone was on (Friday)."

Centaurus' Derik Wetzel, who led the Warriors with 115 yards rushing, said his team played at the same level as Berthoud in the first half, but couldn't maintain its intensity.

"It was a good half; they hit us but we fired right back at them," Wetzel said. "We were in it, fighting just as hard or even more than they were. We were taking it to them in the first half."

Berthoud12 7 14 7 - 40

Centaurus16 7 0 3 - 26

First quarter

B - John Duncan 76 pass from Kent Flynn (kick blocked); C - Derik Wetzel 80 run (Tazin Dhamdul); C - safety, fumble out of end zone; C - Drew Dondelinger 1 run (Dhamdul kick); B - Bryce Munoz 2 run (kick blocked).

Second quarter

B - Jordan Major 2 run (Danny McGinn kick); C - Sean McEwin 51 pass from Dondelinger (Dhamdul kick).

Third quarter

B - Greg Glasser 5 run (McGinn kick); B - Greg Glasser 8 run (McGinn kick).

Fourth quarter

B - Jeff Shields 34 pass from Major (McGinn kick); C - Dhamdul 37 field goal.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing - B, Munoz 25-135, Major 17-64, Glasser 8-26, John Duncan 1-(minus 4), Flynn 1-2. C, Wetzel 14-115, Lorenzo Mata 2-8, Jake Smith 2-3, Evan Erickson 1-2, Dondelinger 9-16, McEwin 1-0.

Passing - B, Major 8-15-0 125, Flynn 1-1-0 76; C, Dondelinger 13-22-0 181.

Receiving - B, Duncan 2-86, Munoz 6-74, Jeff Shields 1-41. C, McEwen 7-103, Dominic Muniz 5-60, Neal Matosky 1-18.

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