There was no better way for the Olathe High Pirates to claim their first state football title in school history (since CHSAA began the classification system in the 1930s).
Senior tailback David Rhodes scored from 1 yard out in overtime and freshman kicker Sergio Salazar nailed a clutch extra point to help the Pirates rally to a 22-21 victory over Erie in the Class 2A state championship game at Legacy Stadium in Aurora.
 In this file photo, David Rhodes runs for a gain during third quarter action against the Erie Tigers during the Class 2A state final in Aurora. The Pirates went on to win the championship in one of the biggest stories of the year. (William Woody / Daily Press File Photo) Advertisement |
“We told (Salazar) before the kick that there was no pressure on him. It is just another extra point in another game,” said junior quarterback Garhett Jurgens. “He did a great job in that situation. I can’t even explain what I’m feeling. It has been my lifelong dream. Now that it has come true, it feels like I am dreaming.”
Coach Corn and his 14-0 squad was more than deserving to win the state title.
For a team that didn’t play very many close games, Olathe sure proved it was a second half team and one that could come through in the crunch. Not only did the Pirates overcome an 8-3 halftime deficit, they took the game over in the fourth quarter, behind the powerful running by Rhodes.
“We weren’t going to lose this game,” said Rhodes, who had 233 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the contest.
Rhodes finished the season with 2,448 yards and 32 touchdowns.
No. 2 End of the rivalry:
For the first time since the Theodore Roosevelt administration, Montrose and Delta didn’t play a football game this fall.
Citing concerns over enrollment disparity and new playoff-seeding criteria, the two schools officially reached a mutual agreement to end their 121-game football rivalry on Thursday, May 1. As of last season, the rivalry had dated back to 1904.
“The tradition of that rivalry is awesome, and you hate to lose that, but based on cited differences between the two schools it was decided that it just wasn’t worth continuing,” Montrose athletic director Lyle Wright said. “It’s been something we’ve discussed for two years now, and we finally decided that it was best for both schools.”
Both schools said the growing difference in enrollment between the two was the biggest reason for ending the series.
Since 1993, Montrose’s student enrollment has increased by 590 students, while Delta’s has grown by just 71. This year, MHS’s student body was nearly double the size of Delta’s.
The tradition of the game had become ingrained in both communities during the past century, and even 104 years later, that hadn’t been lost on the players.
“It was a game that we all got up for because we knew how excited people around here got for it every year,” said Jeremy Jones, a senior running back for MHS last season who played in the past three contests. “It’s too bad to see it go. At least we can say we got the last one.”
Montrose led the overall series 61-56-4, and won the last game played in 2007, 29-13.
No. 3 The road ends for Montrose in state playoffs with 22-8 loss:
Eighteen Montrose High seniors donned the Indians pads and uniform for the last time as Greeley West, who went on to play for the state title, knocked MHS out of contention with a 22-8 loss Saturday, Nov. 8.
“They are an outstanding group of seniors,” MHS coach Todd Casebier said. “We’ll really miss their leadership, and they have been a great example of what we wanted our seniors to be.”
The loss snapped a 10-game winning streak. Montrose (10-2) opened the season with a loss to Glenwood Springs, who won the Class 3A state title, and reeled off nine straight regular season victories to win the Southwestern League title and finish with a 9-1 record.
Montrose topped that with a 10th straight win in the opening round of the playoffs as they laid the boom down on Niwot, winning 21-14 to advance to the quarterfinal round of the playoffs where they lost to Greeley West.
— Honorable Mention —
Lady Indians upset top team at state:
The Montrose High volleyball team came in to the Class 4A state volleyball tournament with a chip on its shoulder after being seeded low (No. 8), but they couldn’t have gotten off to a better start. The Lady Indians upset Cheyenne Mountain in five games, 16-25, 25-19, 25-22, 19-25 and 15-13 Friday, Nov. 7.
“It was huge beating Cheyenne,” said MHS head coach Shane Forrest. “The girls came out and played hard. We were disappointed with our seed, it was a slap in the face and the girls wanted to prove they were better than that.”
Montrose couldn’t top that, however, and fell to Mullen and Windsor in its next two matches to end what was a tremendous season for the Lady Indians.
• Be respectful of others, the writer and the subjects in the story.
• Be relevant. Keep your comments on point.
• See the guidelines for TalkAbout. Perhaps your comment is best for that community forum, available from the home page, instead of commenting on a particular story.
Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. Montrose Press is not liable for messages from third parties.
DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in montrosepress.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the Montrose Press. Montrose Press does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized Montrose Press spokespersons.
Thank you for your comments!