Published On: November 20th, 2022Categories: Colorado News

PARKER – Sitting in the locker room at halftime, the Erie Tigers were certainly down. But even amidst the turnovers and effective Ponderosa passing attack, they refused to believe they were out.

They made some adjustments, they altered their game plan a bit and they battled Saturday at EchoPark Stadium. They battled their way to a 43-25 win over Ponderosa and they battled their way into the Class 4A football semifinals where they’ll face a dominant Broomfield team for the right to play in the state championship game at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium on Dec. 3.

“It’s so fun being an 11 seed and upsetting six seeds and three seeds,” quarterback Blake Barnett said. “We were doubted all year long and lost to (Ponderosa) in Week 1 and then crushed their dreams in the quarterfinals.”

Barnett threw for a touchdown and ran for another, but it was actually his play on the defensive side of the ball that kickstarted a dominant second half for the Tigers (9-4). He picked off Ponderosa quarterback Zach Stryker on Stryker’s third passing attempt of the second half. Erie came away with a touchdown off that turnover and the floodgates seemed to open at that very moment.

“Some opportunities presented themselves and we made those plays,” coach Jeffrey Giger said. “We finally got some momentum, and I thought the kids did a great job of sticking with the plan.”

It would’ve been easy to give up considering how the first half unfolded. A promising drive to start the game ended when Barnett was picked off in the red zone. The Mustangs (9-3) got a field goal out of that drive and then got their first touchdown of the game on a Stryker pass to Max Mervin.

Then in the second quarter, Stryker was 6-of-7 for 122 yards and three touchdowns. He was playing at a pace that almost would’ve allowed the Mustangs to gently trot into the semifinals.

So something had to change for Erie.

David R. Jennings

Erie running back Gavin Lusk tries to evade Ponderosa tacklers during the first quarter of the Class 4A football state quarterfinals Saturday at EchoPark Stadium. (Dan Mohrmann/Colorado Preps)

“We ran a lot more of our man-free stuff,” Giger said. “I was surprised they didn’t run it more. It seemed like they really stuck with the pass. So we manned them up and went two-high and made some plays there.”

They were some big-time plays. The Tigers picked off Stryker four times in the second half. Barnett had one, Preston Terranova had two and freshman Braylon Toliver had one.

“We trusted in ourselves,” Terranova said. “Offense feeds off defense and defense feeds off offense. We were able to make plays and feed off each other.”

The offense that seemed so stagnant in the first half caught fire as the Tigers rushed for four touchdowns and Barnett added a passing score to Caden Lettis.

With one revenge game in the books, the Tigers now turn their attention to Broomfield, who advanced thanks to a 46-0 win over Heritage. The 12-0 Eagles will host that game at Elizabeth Kennedy Stadium.

“It’s going to be fun,” Barnett said.

Playoff football is always fun.

Erie quarterback Blake Barnett scrambles during the first quarter of the Tigers' Class 4A state quarterfinal game against Ponderosa on Saturday in Parker. (Dan Mohrmann/Colorado Preps)

Cliff Grassmick / Daily Camera

Erie quarterback Blake Barnett scrambles during the first quarter of the Tigers’ Class 4A state quarterfinal game against Ponderosa on Saturday in Parker. (Dan Mohrmann/Colorado Preps)

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Dan Mohrmann
2022-11-20 04:03:24
Boulder Daily Camera
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