HIGHLANDS RANCH | Top-seeded ThunderRidge made it to the semifinals of the Class 5A state football playoffs by holding off No. 9 Grandview Friday night at Shea Stadium.
Jake Hand’s 1-yard touchdown run with 3 minutes, 11 seconds, remaining proved to be the difference as the Grizzlies rallied from a three-point deficit in the final quarter to post their second victory of the season over the Wolves, a 21-17 decision that pushed ThunderRidge into 5A’s final four.
The Grizzlies will face fourth-seeded Valor Christian, which rolled past No. 5 Arapahoe 49-18 in another quarterfinal.
Reece Weber hit Aaron Montgomery with a 2-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to put Grandview ahead, but couldn’t get his team into the end zone in the closing minutes and had his Hail Mary intercepted on the final play of the game as the Wolves finished the season 8-4 overall.
Tanner Gentry had an interception return for a touchdown and Tanner Hubbard connected on a 37-yard field goal attempt for the other points for Grandview, which couldn’t hold the 10-0 lead it built through one quarter.
Hand rushed for two touchdowns and Steve Ray racked up 139 yards on the ground and the other touchdown for ThunderRidge, which improved to 11-1.
Weber finished 14-for-27 for 140 yards and a touchdown for the Wolves, while his last pass of each half was intercepted in the end zone. He took a big shot on the final play of the game as he unloaded the ball downfield and had to be taken off the field on a cart after the teams had shaken hands.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at [email protected] or 303-750-7555
(1) THUNDERRIDGE 21, (9) GRANDVIEW 17
Score by quarters:
Grandview 10 0 7 0 — 17
ThunderRidge 0 14 0 7 — 21
SCORING
First quarter
Grandview — Tanner Hubbard 37-yard field goal, 6:05; Grandview — Tanner Gentry 28 yard interception return (Hubbard kick), 2:18
Second quarter
ThunderRidge — Steve Ray 4 yard run (Mark Hopper kick), 9:51; ThunderRidge — Jake Hand 1 yard run (Hopper kick), 39.0
Third quarter
Grandview — Aaron Montgomery 2 yard pass from Reece Weber (Hubbard kick), 4:53
Fourth quarter
ThunderRidge — Hand 3 yard run (Hopper kick), 3:11
RUSHING
Grandview: Isaiah Jackson 14-61, Cassius Davis 12-58, Tanner Gentry 1-3, Reece Weber 5-(minus 18)
ThunderRidge: Steve Ray 32-139, Brody Westmoreland 10-55, Jake Hand 9-32, Matt Malin 4-21
PASSING
Grandview: Weber 14-27, 140 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions
ThunderRidge: Westmoreland 4-11, 84 yards, 1 interception; Malin 1-2, 16 yards
RECEIVING
Grandview: Daijhawn Williams 3-38, Gentry 4-35, Christian Backes 2-20, Jackson 1-16, Austin Butterfield 2-15, Dmitri Shewl 1-13, Aaron Montgomery 1-2
ThunderRidge: Bucky Mallory 3-74, Mark Hopper 2-26
