With a dominating offensive line at his disposal, Wheat Ridge senior Dylan Orms slashed, dashed and powered the Farmers to the Class 4A state football championship game Saturday, Nov. 25.
Orms carried the ball 23 times for 146 yards and three touchdowns in the Farmers’ 28-7 semifinal victory over Jeffco rival Ralston Valley. It was sweet revenge for a Wheat Ridge team that had its undefeated season spoiled by Ralston Valley with an 8-7 Mustangs victory during Week 9 of the regular season.
“We knew they would come out with some intensity because of the last time,” Ralston Valley junior quarterback Cameron Wright said. “We fought hard. We just didn’t come out on top this time.”
Orms, who has seven touchdown runs in Wheat Ridge’s last two playoff games, was quick to credit an offensive line that allowed the Farmers to rack up 260 yards on the ground against a Ralston Valley defense that shut out Monarch’s vaunted rushing attack the previous week in the quarterfinals.
“Everybody ran the ball great today,” Orms said. “When you run behind an offensive line, as well as they played today, anybody can get yards.”
Orms opened the game carrying the ball six times on the Farmers’ first drive for 67 yards. His 33-yard scamper up the middle to the end zone on a fourth-and-six play capped off the drive.
“What I was most proud of today is we beat Ralston at their own game,” Wheat Ridge coach Reid Kahl said. “We played smash-mouth. We have a lot of great athletes, but when we have to do it we go right at people.”
Orms was just 4 for 7 passing for 23 yards. Senior Justin Long was Wheat Ridge’s leading receiver with three catches for 19 yards. The Farmers were content with grinding out the victory behind its offensive line with the likes of seniors Mike Field, Cameron Brown, Dave Thies, Jake Richmeier and junior R.J. Trione.
Seniors Connor Wright (60 yards), Beau Stevens (27 yards) and sophomore Parker Orms (28 yards) each had six carries. Connor Wright had a key 27-yard run late in midway through the fourth quarter that set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Stevens that gave the Farmers a 21-7 lead to pretty much put the game out of reach for the Mustangs.
“I love when coach trusts me enough to pound a few seconds off the clock and gain a few yards,” Connor Wright said. “Our offensive line just digs deep and blows everything up.”
Ralston Valley had its opportunity, trailing by just a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Senior Nate Ormsby blocked a 46-yard field goal attempt by Wheat Ridge senior Matt Wright. The Mustangs took over on the Farmers’ 47-yard line with 9 minutes, 49 seconds left in the fourth quarter down 14-7.
“All we wanted was a chance,” Ralston Valley coach Matt Loyd said.
A 10-yard holding penalty put the Mustangs into a hole on the potential game-tying drive. On third and fourth downs senior Payton McLachlan and junior Sam Bierbrauer were stopped for no gain. The ball went over to Wheat Ridge on downs.
“We thought we had the momentum with the field goal block, but their defense just stepped up big,” Cameron Wright said. “Wheat Ridge made the plays.”
Stevens, who didn’t have a carry in the first half, scored with 3:34 left to put the Farmers back up by two touchdowns.
“We had to keep our offense on the field and their offense off,” Stevens said of the Farmers’ game plan. “Dylan and the offensive line were doing a hell of a job.”
Wheat Ridge senior Everett Altman recovered a Mustang fumble on the Farmers’ 20-yard line with 2:41 left. Dylan Orms scored his third touchdown with just over a minute left to make the final score 28-7.
Cameron Wright, who produced the majority of the Mustangs’ offense with 14 carries for 94 yards, guided the Mustangs down to Wheat Ridge’s 9-yard line before time ran out on Ralston Valley.
“I thought our guys left everything out here,” Loyd said. “It wasn’t for a lack of effort. They have nothing to be ashamed about.”
The Mustangs’ lone touchdown came in the third quarter when Ralston Valley took advantage of a fumble by Dylan Orms deep in Wheat Ridge territory. Senior Jacob Perry recovered the fumble and junior Cory Roberts scored on a 5-yard touchdown run three plays later.
However, in the end it was Wheat Ridge ending Ralston Valley’s seven-game winning streak and advancing to the 4A state title game at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at Invesco Field at Mile High against Loveland (10-3).
“Ralston Valley is a great team,” Matt Wright said. “It was a good hard-hitting game. That’s the way it’s supposed to be in a state semifinal game.”