On Friday night, the Frederick Warriors obliterated the outmatched Pueblo County Hornets by a score of 42-7. It’s Frederick’s first playoff victory in two years and extends their record to 9-1. The contest ended Pueblo County’s bid in the playoffs, ending their season with a mediocre 7-4 record.
The story of the evening was Fredericks punishing ground game, which was indomitable all night. Parker Ayres, Frederick’s steadfast senior, once again carried the rushing attack. He led the Warriors onslaught with 133 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged a notable 10.2 yards per carry, breaking out for long runs multiple times during the beatdown.
Ayres wasn’t the only running back who shined on Friday. Cruz Zamudio, a junior, also eclipsed 100 yards on the ground. The formidable running back chipped in a touchdown as well. River Lakey, despite having fewer carries than his fellow running backs, contributed 69 yards to the rushing bombardment.
While the Warriors running rampage was unstoppable, their air attack was not the same story. Senior quarterback Bryce Conover only attempted a total of five throws–just completing a mere two passes. He finished with 32 yards. The reality is that Frederick is an entirely run-based operation. They attempted running the ball (41) more times than they had passing yards. However, one of the highlights of the night did occur on a passing touchdown. Driving late in the second quarter, Conover dropped an 18-yard dime into Alex Sturn’s outstretched hands.
Not to be overlooked, the Warriors’ defense was stifling all night long, shutting out the Hornets deep into the game, before allowing a late touchdown in garbage time. Kooper Anderson, a junior ballhawk on defense, snatched an interception in the beatdown. Fredericks’ defense has been impenetrable all year, most of the time preventing more than two scores to the opposing team.
With the win, Frederick advances further in the 2021 3A CHSAA Playoff bracket. They will face the #3 seed, Fort Morgan, on Saturday, November 20th at 1:00 pm. The Mustangs boast a 9-1 record and are ranked #2 in the Colorado 3A Division. Their lone loss to Roosevelt–the number one team in Colorado–came by a score of 14-7.
Looking at both teams’ stat comparisons, Frederick averages more total yards, points, tackles, and sacks per game. However, those stats are all inflated by playing a far weaker schedule. Despite being only a few weeks removed from beating their highly-ranked rivals, Mead High School, the Warriors’ upcoming matchup will be their toughest challenge to date.
