Westminster football, now 8-0, aiming for league title — and respect
[dropcap]R[/dropcap]unning the table during the regular season is a feat that many teams strive for yet few actually accomplish.
With one week remaining in the regular season for Class 5A football programs, three undefeated teams — Columbine, Arapahoe and Westminster — are on the precipice of doing just that.
For the Rebels, this isn’t new territory: Columbine has won five state titles since 1999. Three seasons ago, Arapahoe won 10 games and reached the state quarterfinals.
But for Westminster, these are uncharted waters. Before merging with Ranum High back in 2008 to form one program, and eventually one school, Westminster hadn’t reached the playoffs since 1991.
The newly-formed Wolves won only one game over two seasons from 2008-09, but have made the playoffs in each of the previous five seasons since Kerry Denison took over the program.
It may have been somewhat unexpected for the squad to be sitting at 8-0 with the opportunity to win a league championship outright this weekend, but it’s obvious that years of hard work and perseverance are finally paying off.
“When I took over the program six years ago, I knew it was going to be a tough task. What I tried to tell the kids is that they had to learn how to win,” Denison said. “We slowly climbed up and climbed up. They’ve sacrificed and done a lot of things.
“All summer long they were in the weight room working their tails off. The community has been unbelievable and the school has been unbelievable.”
Denison has told his players that this is a special time and that no game is bigger than Friday’s clash with Boulder. A victory would give the Wolves the Flatirons League crown outright.
“We’ve been on the doorstep a couple times in the last five years, and we don’t want this thing to slip away,” Denison said. “They understand what it’s about. The playoffs will come, that’s a given, but this game against Boulder is the most important one.”
So how exactly has Westminster remained perfect on the season thus far? The answer lies on both sides of the ball. The offense has scored a 5A-best 335 points, and the defense has allowed only 11 points a game.
Denison credits coordinators Greg Mattei and Tom Baum with helping to turn things around, saying it’s almost like the team has three head coaches.
“When people say, ‘You’ve done a phenomenal job,’ I say, ‘No, we’ve all done a fantastic job,'” he said. “One person doesn’t change the program. I just steer the ship. It’s a family thing — the kids, the coaches and the administration.”
In the month of October alone Westminster has outscored opponents 151-18 and posted a pair of shutouts.
“I think it’s our speed and our communication,” said senior linebacker Jeff Kaczor, who leads the team with eight sacks. “Everyone knows their responsibilities and everyone does their job. We all just thrive off each other.”
Running the Wing-T offense, Westminster has averaged 320 yards per game on the ground. Senior Dillon Pace, who played for Pomona last fall before joining the Wolves this season, has rushed for 1,150 yards and 11 touchdowns. Senior Brandon Dickerson has 15 touchdowns in six games, and Denison hopes he’ll be back against Boulder after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury.
Whereas Dickerson is the powerhouse in the backfield, Pace brings an element of speed and excitement. Pace said the offense took some getting used to, but now it’s a perfect fit for his style.
“I feel more comfortable with it,” said Pace, who also leads the team with five interceptions. “When you get the ball more, you’re in more of a groove.”
The one thing Westminster has struggled to gain at times this fall is respect. Despite being undefeated, the team has yet to crack into the weekly rankings.
Denison said while it doesn’t bother him — he prefers flying under the radar — he knows his players take it personally.
“It’s more like fuel to the fire,” Kaczor said. “They’re underestimating us. That is pushing us because we’re waiting to prove them wrong.”
Westminster will get its chance to do just that in the postseason, but for now that will have to wait. Boulder is the current task at hand, and the Wolves have some unfinished business to attend to first — namely, wrapping up a league title.
“We’re just focusing on this last game,” Pace said. “Once the regular season is over, then we’ll focus on what’s ahead. We need to play hard and focus on Boulder.”
