On an emotional Friday night during homecoming weekend, the Frederick Warriors asserted their authority against the undefeated Eagle Valley Devils, proving they are among the best teams in the Colorado 3A division.
Facing the toughest challenge of their season so far, the Warriors played near-flawless football for a majority of the game. The outcome was never in question after a dominant first half in which Frederick jumped out to a 28-0 lead. Before the end of the third quarter, the Warriors’ lead grew to 42 points, activating a running clock for the rest of the game. During the waning minutes of the contest, when Frederick’s back-ups and third-string players were in, the Devils chipped in two touchdowns to make the score look less menacing.
Leading Frederick to their fourth straight victory, senior quarterback Bryce Conover completed 6 of 7 passes for 123 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown pass to Cruz Zamudio. The Warriors, who had fallen to the Devils the previous season, are much improved this year, according to Conover. “I feel like we were very immature football players. We weren’t very big, we weren’t very good–but I feel like in the summer we gained a lot of muscle, gained a lot of experience and I feel like we are a better football team.”
Coach Travis Peeples also attributes the Warriors’ success to their relentless work in the off-season. “We play F12 which means we workout for 12 months of the year, we don’t take a day off.” Frederick football also had a chip on their shoulder heading into this game, according to Peeples. “They beat us last year so this year we beat them pretty good, good revenge, and the kids were pumped.”
The X-factor to the Warriors’ incredible victory was the rushing attack. Overseeing the onslaught on the ground was senior standout Parker Ayers, who rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Junior River Lakey also poured in over 100 yards rushing, while Cruz Zamudio chipped in 70 and a score. Altogether, the run game was near-unstoppable all night.
The defense was also clicking on all cylinders, as they suffocated the Devils ground attack and forced several turnovers. The highlight of the night, however, was when senior linemen Chris Baum snatched a fumble and ran 30 yards for a defensive scoop and score.
Frederick’s next test will be at Skyview this oncoming Friday. The Wolverines are 0-4 and have only scored 20 points this season. Needless to say, the Warriors should take care of business. As Conover said, Frederick “is playing our best football yet.”
