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A Perfect Finish

October 21, 2007

TJ Football ends the regular season at 9-0.

 

by Marc Houghton

 

ftcollinsvar047.jpg    The Spartan football boys capped off the regular season with a 27-14 victory over the Fruita Monument Wildcats at All City Stadium on Saturday.  With this win, TJ moves to 9-0 on the season and will have a bye week before they start their playoff run.

    The game started out slow for both teams, but the TJ offense broke through on two long passes from quarterback Michael Mankoff to receiver Billy Sprague, one being a 33 yard touchdown pass for the first score of the game.  The 5A leading rusher Devon Fitzgerald had another big game with 97 yards on 17 carries. 65 of those yards came on a long run early in the second quarter to put TJ up 13-0.  Fullback Ryan Allen put the Spartans up by 20 on a three yard run set up by an interception from safety Cooper Hearne, his fifth on the year.  TJ went in at halftime leading 20-7 after the Wildcats scored on a one-yard run late in the second quarter.

    The lone score for the Spartans in the second half came on a 12-yard pass to junior Vince Crespin, his first touchdown of the season.  Mankoff finished with one of his best passing performances of the year, with 112 yards on eight completions and two touchdowns.  Fruita Monument narrowed the lead to 13 with a 31 yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter.  But TJ held the Wildcats scoreless for the rest of the game, leaving the final score at 27-14. 

    After third-ranked Mountain Vista suffered a loss to Douglas County on Friday night, TJ looks to move into third place in the state rankings behind Columbine and Mullen.  The team should get a very good seed going into the playoffs, being one of only three undefeated teams in the state.

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Written by Marc Houghton · Filed Under Football, Headlines, Sports