Pine Creek football reigns victorious in battle of the best in the Pikes Peak region
Palmer Ridge football had not lost a game since Nov. 11, 2016.
That was, until the Bears traveled to the Eagles nest to play the top-ranked 4A team in the state.
After a perfect 2017 season that ended with the program’s first 3A state championship, Palmer Ridge fell to cross-town rivals Pine Creek 27-12, squashing any chance at a second straight perfect season.
Pine Creek, known for its stellar defense, pressured CU commit and top-ranked Colorado quarterback Ty Evans and all but eliminated the Bears’ run game.
Although Palmer Ridge applied some pressure early on, the Eagles’ new starting quarterback Gavin Herberg settled into his new role, throwing a pair of 30-yard touchdown passes.
“It felt pretty good to be out there,” Herberg said. “We came out and played as a team and played a great team. We just had to work in halftime to get our trust up. I trust my linemen but sometimes you just have to get out of the pocket and make a play.”
Herberg, a junior, got some help from fellow class of 2020 athlete Max Lofy, who caught Herberg’s first touchdown pass, pulled down a pick-six, batted down two passes and recovered a fumble.
“He just makes plays,” Pine Creek coach Todd Miller said. “He’s opportunistic and he’s a great teammate. He understands his role. We put him at quarterback, he returns kicks, he plays wide receiver, he plays corner – and we know people aren’t going to throw his way. He’s a lock-down kid and if you knew him as a person, he’s a better person than he is a football team – and that’s important.”
Herberg’s biggest triumph came late on a spectacular play on 4th-and-10 to seal the win with less than five minutes left to play. After being forced out of the pocket by the Palmer Ridge defense, Gerberg swung right and threw the ball up to junior Cameron Collins, who battled a defender to make his way into the end zone.
“Honestly I was just looking for a first down, but I saw Cameron break it free and I couldn’t have been happier,” Herberg said.
Although Evans was pressured for much of the first half, Palmer Ridge came out of the locker room looking like a different offense. Evans was connecting with his receivers much easier and moving well despite continued Pine Creek pressure.
Palmer Ridge’s first touchdown came midway through the third quarter after the Bears had some difficulty in the red zone. Junior Raef Ruel pushed forward three yards to get the Bears on the board. Later Evans threw a pass to JC Sparks in the end zone, who pulled down a highly contested catch for Palmer Ridge’s last score of the game.
Pine Creek quaterback Gavin Herberg looks for an open player as the team took on the Palmer Ridge Bears at District 20 Stadium on Aug. 24 in Colorado Springs.
Palmer Ridge wide receiver Kaden Dudley, center, is tackled by Pine Creek Max Lofy, right, and Elias Rolfe, left, during the game at District 20 Stadium on Friday, August 24, 2018 in Colorado Springs. (Photo by Dougal Brownlie, The Gazette)
Pine Creek quaterback Gavin Herberg looks for an open player as the team took on the Palmer Ridge Bears at District 20 Stadium on Aug. 24 in Colorado Springs.
Palmer Ridge wide receiver Kaden Dudley, center, is tackled by Pine Creek Max Lofy, right, and Elias Rolfe, left, during the game at District 20 Stadium on Friday, August 24, 2018 in Colorado Springs. (Photo by Dougal Brownlie, The Gazette)