October 12th 2024.
As the summer days began to dwindle away, the Columbine football team geared up to defend their title as Class 5A champions. Senior offensive and defensive lineman, DJ Ironshell, summed up the team's philosophy with a simple statement, "We just run the ball and let our pads do the talking." And that's exactly what they did.
In their latest game against Arvada West, the Rebels' pads did more than just talk - they dominated. But it wasn't just brute force that led to their 35-14 victory at Jeffco Stadium. It was their ability to make big plays in crucial moments that truly set them apart.
The game started with A-West driving down the field with precision and skill, thanks to their talented junior quarterback, Logan Duhachek. But when they reached the 17-yard line, the Rebels' defense stepped up. Senior linebacker Rory Marez sacked Duhachek for a 9-yard loss, followed by sophomore Keith Fischer sacking him for 11 yards on the next play. A-West was forced to attempt a 52-yard field goal, which ultimately fell short and wide.
Coach Andy Lowry praised his team's ability to make big plays when it mattered most. "Our defense gave up a lot of yards, but we got the big plays when we needed them. They had a lot of long drives, but came up empty a lot," he said.
Meanwhile, the Rebels' rushing attack was in full force from the beginning. On their first play, junior Mark Snyder broke through a tackle at the line of scrimmage and ran 80 yards for a touchdown. "It wasn't supposed to go that way, but I just cut back and was in the clear," Snyder said. "I'm not sure they even knew I had the ball."
The rest of the game continued in a similar fashion - A-West putting up impressive yardage through the air, but the relentless Rebels always finding a way to shut them down. Duhachek finished the night with 338 passing yards and two touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions.
The Rebels quickly retaliated after A-West tied the game, with Snyder powering through for a 3-yard touchdown. But two key moments just before halftime sealed the deal for Columbine. Senior running back James Basinger pulled off an incredible 20-yard touchdown run, staying on his feet and pushing through would-be tacklers. And on the ensuing kickoff, A-West's Caleb Gomez was stopped just short of the end zone as time expired, adding insult to injury with a holding penalty on the return.
Snyder continued to dominate in the second half, breaking through the middle for a 56-yard touchdown run and solidifying the Rebels' victory. "James and Mark had some monster runs tonight. They're pretty special," Lowry praised his star players.
Despite dealing with injuries and limited practice time, the Rebels showed their depth and resilience in this game. "We have some pretty low numbers this year and a lot of our guys are playing both ways, so we're pretty beat up right now," Lowry admitted. "But a lot of guys stepped up and got some reps tonight. Right now, we're just trying to get healthy."
Their next challenge will be against Ralston Valley, a team they haven't beaten in the past couple of years. But Lowry is confident in his team's abilities, especially after their win against Ralston last year. "That kind of turned it around and everybody noticed how tough our kids were," he said. "We have a big week coming up, and we're ready for the challenge."
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