Pomona flag football attempts to pin down 4A Jeffco League title

LAKEWOOD — Pomona senior Timberly Martinez possibly made the greatest flag football touchdown catch by a wrestler Wednesday night at Trailblazer Stadium.

“It was defintely grip strength from wrestling,” Martinez said on how she was able to keep control of the ball as she came to the ground on the spectacular touchdown grab in the first quarter against Golden. 

On a 4th-down-and-20, Pomona senior quarterback Jay Cordova launched a ball into the front corner of the end zone. Martinez was able to tip it up in the air to herself and make a diving grab on the goal-line.

Martinez’s touchdown grab was the opening score as Pomona cruised to a 36-0 victory over Golden to stay undefeated in Class 4A Jeffco League play. 

“Playing flag football is my little oasis away from wrestling,” Martinez said. “No. 1 is wrestling, but I get to do flag with other girls that wrestle. It’s refreshing. It’s amazing.”

The three-time state champion will attempt to make history this winter in hopefully becoming only the third female wrestler from Colorado to be a four-time state champion.

“I had her in math class and you could see her grit there,” Pomona teacher and flag football coach Guy Ryan said of Martinez. “I watched her wrestle and told her she had to come play flag football.”

Martinez actually capped off the shutout victory with a 10-yard touchdown grab on the final snap of the game. It was Cordova’s fourth touchdown pass of the game, who also had touchdown passes to senior Laurel Elliott and Luanna Cordova. Pomona’s quarterback also had a touchdown run.

“It’s time to let loose and let everything happen,” Martinez said of the Panthers that feature nine seniors. 

Pomona (8-1, 5-0 in league) ended Golden’s 4-game winning streak. The Panthers lone loss this season came to the hands of last year’s 4A state runner-up — The Classical Academy.

“I say this in wrestling as well, it is better to lose early than later,” Martinez said. “Losses are what helps you grow the most.”

Martinez has only lost three wrestling matches over her three straight individual state titles. She went undefeated as a freshman and helped Pomona’s girls wrestling to a state team title her sophomore year.

Pomona’s flag football team is on pace to win a little hardware itself this season.

“One of our goals is to hopefully win a league title. Hopefully we will keep that going,” Ryan said. “I’ve known some of these girls since they were in the sixth grade when I was at Moore Middle School. I’ve taught the majority of them.”

Pomona has five league games remaining. The conference title might very well come down to the final game of the regular season for the Panthers. Pomona squares off against Evergreen (4-2, 3-0) on Monday, Oct. 6 at Trailblazer Stadium. 

The Cougars are the only other 4A Jeffco team that hasn’t suffered a conference loss yet.

Wednesday’s game did begin a busy stretch for the Panthers. Pomona will play four games over six days, but Ryan said his team is prepared to wrestle the tough schedule over the next week.

“We are working on some practice elements in games,” Ryan said of the current game-heavy stretch. “We want to show people different looks.”