Ralston Valley dominates Columbine in Class 5A quarterfinals as Mustangs “keep punching” toward first title game

ARVADA If the Mustangs keep punching like this they ll haymaker their way to Canvas Stadium Ralston Valley lived up to its season-long motto on Friday at the North Area Athletic Complex dispatching Jeffco rival Columbine with ease - in the second round of the Class A football playoffs The triumph advanced the Mustangs to next week s quarterfinals as RV - maintains its tunnel vision on the first state championship contest in project history We had playoff intensity tonight Ralston Valley head coach Jared Yannacito mentioned We made a commitment that we were going to come out firing Even when things are going good we re going to keep punching Senior Zeke Andrews fresh off his verbal commitment to Colorado State on Monday threw a beautiful long TD pass and rushed for another as the Mustangs ran away with the event Andrews was playing for the first time since getting injured in the Mustangs - win over Columbine on Oct when the QB lacerated his kidney causing him to miss the final two games of the regular season I thought Zeke played fearless Yannacito announced Ran hard made great throws managed the challenge well He did great Andrews stated it was hard just to watch from the sideline while he was hurt but that the injury was a blessing in disguise for the Mustangs playoff run I feel healthy Andrews stated I haven t been touched in four weeks I feel the best I ve felt all season Andrews was offered by CSU on Nov and committed to the Rams a week later That s where I want to be at school so I felt there was no reason to drag it out longer than it needed to go Andrews noted I don t know what the CSU coaching change will hold but we ll see how it goes when that happens Meanwhile Ralston Valley which has lost in the semifinals two of the last three years believes this is the fall to break down the door The Mustangs played Friday like they have all season looking like an unstoppable force and perhaps the classification s best chance at dethroning juggernaut Cherry Creek should the two meet on Dec in Fort Collins No band has played the Mustangs closer than two touchdowns this season and that trend continued on Friday After a fumble recovery set up Levi Rillos -yard TD run on Ralston Valley s first play from scrimmage the Rebels responded with a methodical scoring drive capped by a -yard TD run by Mark Snyder to make it - But then Andrews threw a -yard dime down the seam for a total to Ethan Shirazi and then Andrews scored on a QB sneak from yard out to make it - The turning point came at the end of the first half when Columbine drove down the field but then was stuffed on four straight plays inside the -yard line as time wound down That was huge Yannacito stated I don t know how a great number of times Columbine from first-and-goal inside the five gets stopped That s the definition of keep punching Ralston Valley never looked back from there using third-quarter TD runs by Nico Benallo and Rillos to pull away The Rebels finished - Columbine s first non-winning season since going - in Longtime head coach Andy Lowry who has helmed Columbine since and won six state titles acknowledged the season has been full of growing pains for a group with just seven seniors Columbine started - including a - mercy-rule defeat to Legend But the Rebels rebounded down the stretch winning their final two regular-season games to make the playoffs The Rebels then beat Fruita Monument - in the first round That - start was pretty painful for the coaches and the kids Lowry revealed It was uncharted territory for us But the kids kept trusting us coaches believing and working and playing physical We improved every week Lowry who has retired from full-time teaching and lost his wife Janet to cancer a year ago on Saturday indicated he will continue to coach the Rebels in I still enjoy the kids and these are my buddies that I coach with Lowry reported It s one of those things where you realize what your purpose is in life I m proud of our kids and coaches and how much work and effort we put in and we stuck together after a tough start At that point in the season when you re not doing well it s pretty easy to give up on things and nobody did I don t know what else I would do besides coaching I m not built to retire I would be just driving myself crazy Ralston Valley takes on Mullen in next week s quarterfinals after the Mustangs beat Pine Creek - on Friday in Colorado Springs