‘Uncommon’ and undefeated. Rocky Mountain football caps perfect season with state title

The formula for the Rocky Mountain High football team remains a simple one. But no one can solve it.

The Grizzlies relied on their ball-hawking defense and Nick Romano one last time Saturday to top Highland 24-22 in the 5A state championship. Rocky Mountain (12-0) forced five turnovers while Romano ran a season-high 310 yards and two touchdowns as the Grizzlies won their second title in four years on the blue turf at Albertsons Stadium.

Rocky Mountain coach Chris Culig preached to his team all year it would take an uncommon effort to bring another state championship banner back to its campus. He said the Grizzlies bought in wholeheartedly, adopting “uncommon” as their motto.

“It’s uncommon to go undefeated and be a state champion, and we managed to do that,” Culig said. “I’m proud of that and the kids buying in and working hard. It’s not easy to do.

“Not going to workouts, not trying hard and not working on getting better has kind of become commonplace. Uncommon is guys getting up at 6 a.m. and lifting and being there and sacrificing for the team and not for themselves.”

The Grizzlies are the first 5A team to finish the season undefeated since Highland four years ago. But Rocky Mountain had to survive several late rallies to finish its first perfect season.

Highland (10-2) recovered an onside kick and cut the deficit to two points when Andrew VanSickle caught a tipped ball for a 2-yard TD with 2 minutes, 27 seconds left. But Joe Strickland got pressure on Landon Demuzio’s potential game-tying, two-point pass to force an incompletion. Romano and Rocky Mountain then ran out the clock on the ensuing drive.

The incomplete two-point pass capped another dominating performance from Rocky Mountain’s defense. Culig said Rocky Mountain relied on its blitzing reputation to force Highland quarterback Kobe Tracy into quick decisions early, even when it didn’t bring pressure. And five different players came up with a turnover, boosting the Grizzlies’ state-leading total to 39 takeaways on the season.

“That’s our goal coming into the game,” Rocky Mountain junior linebacker Ryan Douglas said. “There’s nothing else you’ll hear in the locker room or at practice. It’s all about the ball.”

Douglas erased a game-tying score of his own when he dropped into coverage at the goal line, surprising Tracy for an interception early in the fourth quarter. On the next play, Romano broke a 95-yard touchdown run to extend Rocky Mountain’s lead to 15.

The long run sent Romano to the trash can, which he heaved into for the second straight week after a long touchdown.

“I don’t know what’s going on with that,” Romano joked. “It just kind of happens. I guess I’ve got to work on my conditioning a little bit.”

Romano’s run marked Rocky Mountain’s only points of the second half. So the Grizzlies turned to their defense time and time again to hang on, forcing three turnovers in the fourth quarter alone. Jaxon Pabst popped the ball loose and Anthony Jacobsen recovered the fumble at the 50. Then Garrett Beck made a diving interception at his own 3-yard line with 5:34 left.

“We take so much pride in our defense. We love to have it on us,” Rocky Mountain senior defensive back Kaimana Nawahine said. “Even if the offense isn’t doing good, it’s on us.”

Romano put the game away, running for 37, 7, 2 and 12 yards on the game’s final drive to kill the clock and allow the Grizzlies to storm the field. The 310-yard performance allows the state’s leading rusher to finish the season with 2,211 yards and 32 TDs.

“I dream of playing with players like him,” Douglas said. “Nick is just so crucial for us.

“We’re not undefeated without Nick. Nick put the team on his back. Nick will never be forgotten at Rocky.”

First quarter

RM — Brayden Hamilton 22 pass from Colby Jackson (Steven Stoddard kick), 8:30

RM — Stoddard 36 field goal, 0:07

Second quarter

HIG — Landon Demuzio 2 run (kick blocked), 6:35

RM — Nick Romano 1 run (Stoddard kick), 0:22

Third quarter

HIG — Armstrong 26 field goal, 4:35

Fourth quarter

RM — Romano 95 run (Stoddard kick), 10:44

HIG — Kobe Tracy 13 run (Armstrong kick), 2:55

HIG — Andrew VanSickle 2 pass from Tracy (pass failed), 2:27

RUSHING — Highland: Landon Demuzio 20-61, Kobe Tracy 4-15, Jesus Garcia 2-1, Kaleb Demuzio 1-3. Rocky Mountain: Jordan Erickson 2-3, Colby Jackson 5-18, Nick Romano 30-309, Anthony Jacobson 1-(-5).

PASSING — Highland: L. Demuzio 1-1-0 15; Tracy 24-42-3 284. Rocky Mountain: Jackson 6-18-1 58.

RECEIVING — Highland: Andrew VanSickle 10-80, Austin Richards 1-23, Alex Orr 1-44, Cooper Duffin 2-30, L. Demuzio 5-81, Garcia 2-6, Drake Hill 4-35. Rocky Mountain: Kaden Birch 2-10, Conner Croft 1-18, Brayden Hamilton 2-30, Jacobson 1-0.

This story was originally published November 17, 2018 at 1:33 PM.