The year 2019 feels like a long time ago. However, to some of those suited up in blue and white Saturday afternoon, a visit from Fowler brought back vivid memories. It was in the state quarterfinals two seasons ago when the Grizzlies ruined Mancos’ dream of their first-ever state semifinal appearance with a 34-28 win in Mancos.
The Jays made sure that script didn’t repeat itself.
No. 2 Mancos (8-0, 3-0 Mountain League) blitzed the No. 15-seeded Grizzlies from the opening possession, and scored on eight of their 11 offensive sequences to pick up an emphatic 59-12 victory over Fowler in their eight-man playoff opener.
After stuffing the Grizzlies on the game’s opening drive, Mancos took over, and drove down to the Fowler 41-yard line. Facing a fourth-and-11, the Jays turned to the air for the first time all game, with junior QB Ayden Mathews connecting with sophomore Chris Medina for 13 yards and a first down.
Two plays later, senior Chase Moore took a direct snap, and followed a convoy of blockers around the left end to punch in the game’s first points.
After forcing Fowler into a turnover on downs, Mancos got the football back in Grizzly territory, and began a familiar churning offense to push the ball inside the red zone. This time, Mathews called his own number from the 1-yard line, bullying across the goal line to give Mancos a two-touchdown lead.
Still not conceding a first down, Mancos’ defense, led by a monster game from senior defensive end Mason Goodwin, forced another turnover on downs, as Fowler sophomore quarterback Gage Gottbehuet found himself under duress all afternoon.
Just a couple plays after the change of possession, Moore broke to the second level again, this time from 31 yards away, and the Jays went up 24-0 early in the second quarter.
Sophomore Kail Wayman intercepted Gottbehuet on the ensuing Fowler possession, but Mancos gave it back with a fumble of their own.
Unfazed, however, by the change of events, the Mancos defense continued to pummel the Grizzlies, with senior Michael Velasquez and freshman Kaiden Likes joining sophomore Cole Dainty-Guilfoyle to dominate the battle in the trenches and limit a potent Fowler ground game. The resultant turnover-on-downs – the third forced by Mancos in the contest – gave the Jays premium field position again.
It wouldn’t be long before Moore would find the end zone again, on a drive highlighted by connections between Mathews and Medina to set Mancos up in the red zone. Moore’s score made it a 31-0 margin.
Assistant coach Alan Mathews, at the helm in the absence of head coach Josh Gardner, commended his team’s ability to utilize different weapons to move the football down the field.
“Chris (Medina) had a great game,” said assistant coach Alan Mathews. “He’s had a great season all season on defense, so he really stepped up and did a lot of good things on offense, too.”
Moore would add one more score before the break, this time from eight yards out in the final minute before halftime, to balloon the lead to 38-0.
Starting the second half, Fowler (6-4, 5-2 Arkansas Valley) showed some fight, taking a Mancos fumble and scoring their first TD of the contest on a Gottbehuet 1-yard plunge early in the third quarter.
However, Mancos responded with an emphatic two-minute drive, punishing Fowler down the field before Moore broke free from 23 yards out, breaking several tackles in the process.
The wild scoring-fest continued, as Fowler launched a 90-yard score from Gottbehuet to senior Bradley Roe, but Mancos answered on their first play from scrimmage – 51 yards from Moore – to finally push the game to running clock at 52-12.
Wayman would add the final points of the day, running in from 17 yards out with most of the reserves seeing action for the Jays.
As the Jays begin to face less familiar opposition, Mathews emphasized how much Mancos leans on their own preparation to handle the new rigors of the postseason.
“That’s how we approach each week,” said Mathews of his team’s steady approach for their postseason opener. “We do things that we’re familiar with, regardless of our opponent.”
As for another big day on the ground, Mathews was quick to credit his offensive line, led by seniors Andres Moreno and Luika Cova, along with junior Lane Greenlee, for opening holes for Moore and company to exploit.
“They’re a selfless group has been in the system since they were young,” said Mathews, “and Coach Gardner has really developed them to have an understanding of what they’re doing.”
Mancos will move on to the quarterfinals to take on No. 7 seed Dayspring Christian, who picked up an opening round victory, 58-30, over Merino. The Eagles finished second in the Eight Man Plains League behind top-seeded Haxtun, and boast one of the best dual threat quarterbacks in any classification, behind senior Garrett Krehbiel’s 1,000 yards rushing and 750 yards passing.
Saturday’s playoff opening weekend was an impressive one for the Eight Man Mountain League, as all three playoff representatives picked up wins, with Dove Creek dismantling Crowley County, 50-0, while Sanford knocked out six-time defending state champion Sedgwick County, 36-18.
