PUEBLO – It had been long enough since Haxtun last won a football state championship that the majority of the program's current coaches were players on the Bulldogs’ most recent title team.
With all the connections between the championship teams of old and the current squad, it’s no wonder there was such a big party on the field at CSU-Pueblo Thunderbowl on Friday night after the Bulldogs won 40-0 over Mancos in the 8-man championship game and joined the previous generations in Haxtun championship glory.
“My starting quarterback’s dad played on the three-peat team, the list of connections between then and now just keeps going,” Haxtun head coach JD Stone said. “It’s so amazing to have all those connections with this team to the past state championships and for this team to get one of their own, it’s amazing.”
The Haxtun program now has eight total state titles to its credit, but the last one the Bulldogs won came back in 2004. The Bulldogs also won three in a row from 1989-91. Friday marked their return to the title game for the first time since 2005.
The Bulldogs (13-0) didn’t waste it, coming out of the gates strong to shut out a Mancos (10-1) team that was making its first-ever state title game appearance and averaged 39.4 points a game prior to the championship.
“Our defensive coaches came up with a great game plan, they really did,” Stone said. “We just knew we could kind of pick them apart in a few areas, but they were physical and they were a great team. My boys just showed up today.”
Haxtun senior Isaac Anderson, who was named Most Outstanding Player, kicked off the scoring with a short touchdown run just two minutes into the first quarter. The Bulldogs led by only Anderson’s initial score at the end of the first quarter, but teammate Michael Gerk’s 3-yard score less than a minute into the second quarter opened the floodgates.
Haxtun’s David Avery intercepted a Mancos pass a minute and a half later and on the first play of the ensuring drive, Owen Knode hit Kyle Fryrear with a long touchdown pass. Anderson scored again on short yardage in the second quarter and a long interception return by Gerk set up Ozzy Cross to punch in a score that gave Haxtun a 34-0 halftime lead.
Mancos recovered an onside kick to open the second half but the Haxtun defense held up against the short field. With just under six minutes left in the third quarter, Knode connected with Fryrear in the end zone for the second time to push the score to 40-0 and start the running clock.
“I never was able to imagine it but if I could, this is what it would look like,” said Anderson, surrounded by teammates, coaches, friends and family on the Thunderbowl field following the victory. “It feels amazing. It’s just overwhelming, you know. The whole community. It took everyone. It’s a family. Haxtun’s gonna be pretty lit tonight.”
Anderson finished with 104 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 22 carries. Knode completed four of nine pass attempts for 86 yards and two touchdowns, both of which went to Fryrear, who ended up with 54 receiving yards.
