AURORA | Grandview taught Prairie View a lesson about winning in the Class 5A state football playoffs Friday night, as the Wolves whipped the ThunderHawks — who were making their postseason debut — 47-6.
Junior running back Chukwuma Obinnah rushed for 209 yards and two touchdowns and Ben Marshall and Tyler Smith also scored on the ground and Isaiah Lang caught a touchdown pass as Grandview cruised to its ninth consecutive victory in the opening round of the 5A playoffs.
The Wolves were the only Aurora team to win on the road in the first round — joining Overland, which played in Aurora for its road win — as No. 21 Gateway lost to No. 12 Doherty 59-35, No. 26 Hinkley fell to No. 7 Columbine 57-27 and No. 31 Eaglecrest went down 66-23 to No. 2 Valor Christian.
Grandview advanced to the second round, where coach John Schultz’s team will play at home against No. 4 Regis Jesuit — which hammered No. 29 Fort Collins 49-7 — in an all-Aurora contest.
The Wolves’ defense held Prairie View — which finished the regular season as 5A’s highest scoring team with 409 points in nine games — to just six points, which came on a Ben Meraz touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
Grandview also scored twice on defense, as Cameron Knight returned a fumble for the Wolves’ first touchdown and Kiefer Glau later took back an interception for six points.
Neither of the ThunderHawks’ 1,000-yard rushers went over 100 yards for the game, but RJ Ramirez got close with 91 and also caught Meraz’s touchdown pass. Cole Barone had just 46 yards.
(20) GRANDVIEW 47, (13) PRAIRIE VIEW 6
Score by quarters:
Grandview 20 14 6 7 — 47
Prairie View 0 0 0 6 — 6
RUSHING
Grandview: Chukwuma Obinnah 15-209 yards, 2 TDs; Ben Marshall 6-75, TD; Austin Quarles 5-33; Tyler Smith 4-19, TD; Cody Summers 2-11; Brandon Brooks 1-2
Prairie View: RJ Ramirez, 14-91, Cole Barone 15-46 yards; Ben Meraz 7-8
PASSING
Grandview: Smith, 3-7, 59 yards, 1 TD
Prairie View: Meraz 3-10, 52 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
RECEIVING
Grandview: Isaiah Lang, 2-53, 1 TD; Frank Solomon, 1-6
Prairie View: Ramirez, 2-24, 1 TD; Zach Peterson 1-17; Chris Kendle, 1-11
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel.
