Dakota Ridge football ends emotional week with win over Green Mountain

LAKEWOOD — There was a moment of silence at Jeffco Stadium before kickoff for Lindsey Duran — wife of Dakota Ridge’s defensive coordinator Tierre Duran — who passed away early this week after a 9-month battle.

“This was definitely a win for him tonight,” Dakota Ridge sophomore defensive lineman Dominick Webb said after the Eagles 37-20 victory Friday night. “There is nothing else to say. This was all for Coach D.”

Duran’s defense stepped up big forcing four Green Mountain turnovers and turning those into 17 points. Dakota Ridge — No. 7 in this week’s Class 4A Colorado Preps Football Rankings — erased a 14-6 deficit after the first quarter.

“I’m going to give all the respect and credit to our defensive coordinator, Coach D,” Dakota Ridge junior running back Landon Kalsbeck said of the second-quarter surge by the Eagles. “Everyone knows he has been going through a lot. He made some incredible adjustments after those first two (Green Mountain) drives.”

Dakota Ridge used a 17-0 run in the second quarter to take a 23-14 halftime lead. The Eagles (1-1 record) eventually scored 31 unanswered points to grab a 37-14 lead late in the third quarter back Kalsbeck’s third touchdown run of the night.

“I wanted Tierre to have a day to help him start to heal,” Dakota Ridge coach Jeremiah Behrendsen said after his first win as head coach of the Eagles. “I think it did because his guys (defense) played out. They made him proud and played really, really hard for him. Our boys love him so much.”

The final seven minutes of the second quarter was the turning point. 

Kalsbeck scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 6:51 left before halftime to cut the Rams’ lead to 14-13. Webb had the defensive play of the first half. The defensive lineman snagged a pass by Green Mountain quarterback Simon Lunsford and returned it 30 yards for the pick-6.

“I thought I dropped it at first. I’m not even going to lie,” Webb said of his interception and returning it for the defensive score. “I tried to knock it down and it just ended up in my hands. When I started running the nerves got to me trying to reach that end zone. It was a dream come true.”

Webb close out the game with a final sack of Lunsford who took several hard shots on the night.

“The guy who ended up freed up was a sophomore,” Behrendsen said of Webb. “He is tall, but thin. Maybe Green Mountain thought if they were going to leave someone one-on-one it was that guy (Webb). I’m proud of Dom for showing out and really answering the call.”

A Lunsford fumble in the final minutes of the second quarter was recovered by Dakota Ridge junior Marcus Weston. The Eagles cashed in the turnover with a 30-yard field goal to take the 9-point lead at halftime.

The third quarter was more of the same with Kalsbeck scoring on touchdown runs of 3 and 2 yards to extend the lead to 37-14.

“Our o-line is all returning guys. That should be a strength and we should be able to run the ball,” Behrendsen said. “With that and Landon is a really tough guy to tackle in space with just one person, it’s a no-brainer to give him as many carries and touches as we can.”

Following the opening season loss to rival Chatfield and now the emotional week, Dakota Ridge will celebrate homecoming next week. The Eagles face No. 4 Mesa Ridge (2-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, at Jeffco Stadium.

“Homecoming is the coolest and sometimes the scariest week for everybody,” Behrendsen said. “But our guys are pretty locked in on our goals and what it will take to get there.”

Green Mountain (1-1) — No. 3 in the 3A rankings — heads to the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada on Thursday, Sept. 12, to face Pomona. The Panthers (1-1) dropped down from 5A to 3A for the current 2-year cycle. Pomona was on the road against Pueblo West on Friday night and suffered a tough 21-17 loss against 4A’s No. 4 ranked Cyclones.

The Rams’ scoring against Dakota Ridge came with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Lunsford to senior Demetreus Padilla in the first quarter, along with a 6-yard touchdown run from senior Max Babel. 

Green Mountain had the final score with a 22-yard interception returned for a touchdown by senior Dominic Hidrogo. 

The loss did end a 21-game regular season winning streak for Green Mountain dating back to the 2022 season.