Columbine’s running back tandem of Cameron and Bernard McDondle left a deep scar on Bear Creek’s defense Thursday.
The McDondle brothers combined for 37 carries for 310 yards and four touchdowns in the Rebels’ 38-20 victory at Jeffco Stadium. The win set up a head-to-head match up with Columbine (8-0, 4-0 in Class 5A Big 6 League) at Mullen (7-1, 4-0) for the conference title at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28.
Bear Creek (5-3, 2-2) will have to settle for third place in one of the toughest conferences in the state. However, the postseason is always a place for redemption.
“The whole season is just preparing for the playoffs,” Bear Creek senior defensive lineman Hammer Morton said. “The playoffs are the only thing that matters. I think we’ll come out and give teams some trouble.”
The inability to stop Columbine’s ground and pound rushing attack gave Bear Creek plenty of issues. The Rebels scored touchdowns on four of their five first-half possessions, taking a 28-12 lead at halftime.
A backbreaker was Bernard McDondle’s 60-yard touchdown run as time expired in the first half.
“We got beat tonight. It’s that plain and simple,” Bear Creek coach Tom Thenell said. “We didn’t do anything defensively to slow them down. We’ve got to play way more mistake free to keep scoring with them. We were making some bad decisions and mistakes out there.”
Bear Creek quarterback Sean Flanagan finished 16-of-27 passing for 163 yards and a touchdown. He also had 18 carries for 111 yards and another score. The problem offensively was interceptions on Bear Creek’s final drive of the first half and another pick thrown on the Bears’ opening possession of the second half.
Columbine cashed both turnovers into touchdowns.
“We’ve got to practice the way we want to play. We can’t just flip a switch and expect to play at (Columbine’s) level,” Flanagan said.
Despite three losses, the Bears are sitting in the 12th spot in the 5A wild card standings.
“We aren’t pushing panic buttons,” Thenell said. “I’m disappointed because we didn’t show up and bring the best game we’ve got.”