Expectations raised considerably in the season opener for the GHS football team.
A year after an injury-riddled loss to Eagle Valley, the Cowboys heard the whispers throughout town, in the hallways and even as the season opener got underway at home on Aug. 30.
The first half, the Cowboys quelled any doubts, revved up the crowd and conjured dreams of their potential. Eagle Valley (2-0) picked up a 28-7 road win against GHS, but for a half, the Cowboys played the Devils to a 7-7 tie.
“Going into the game everyone said we’d be lucky if we could just come away healthy,” said first-year GHS coach Chase Starman. “We got a lot of people excited. I think we showed a glimpse of what we can be.”
The Cowboys’ potential bubbled up late in the second quarter when Ethan Pierce’s tackle on fourth down returned possession to the Cowboys just before halftime. They trailed 7-0 when Pierce went from middle linebacker to quarterback.
On the first play of what would be a four-play scoring drive, he lofted a jump ball that Nolan Frymoyer turned into a 45-yard completion. The senior receiver knew the ball was headed his way when he broke the huddle. He made one move off the line and got into his fly route.
“There was a little bit of a stunt, I was supposed to fake the stock block before the go route,” Frymoyer said. “The corner was positioned far back, so I just sent it right away. I knew it was a foot race and I wanted to try and get separation. I’ve had plenty of jump balls that I questioned if they were winnable in the air. But this one we both had the ball and I came down with it.”
While he had four receptions for 67 yards and only one pass thrown his way when he lined up at cornerback on defense, the atmosphere when Pierce punched in a touchdown from the 1-yard line to tie the game was electric.
“The crowd was loud and it was great,” Frymoyer said. “There was a lot of emotion on the sidelines. We were super hyped up. Everyone in the locker room was hooting and hollering. It was difficult to stay locked in knowing we still had a half to play.”
Even though he too heard the pre-game buzz about the physicality of Eagle Valley and echoes of the injuries that piled up last year remained, Frymoyer’s film study led him to believe the Cowboys could hang with the bigger 3A school.
“It was almost unbelievable that everyone had written us off,” Frymoyer said. “Then when we realized we could play with these guys it was fun. The first time I felt we could play with them was watching film. I spent a lot of time on it. I felt like they were just like us and they could be beatable. I was confident I could compete and win my reps.”
GHS hosts Delta at 7 p.m. on Sept. 5 where it will look to turn the wins in individual reps to a positive result.
(James Nokes writes for Colorado Preps)
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