Mountain Predators win back-to-back Carnation Bowl Championships

Mountain Area Midget Football by Gary King Blake Boulter, Nolan Lindberg, and Stephen King represent Gilpin County on the 8 th grade Mountain Predators football team. The team is managed by Lisa Boulter of Gilpin County and has been coached by Jay Egger of Evergreen since the boys started playing football in the 2 nd grade. Home fields and all practices have been located in Evergreen Colorado for the past seven years. This year’s 8 th grade Predators entered the playoffs as the 3 rd ranked team in the Jefferson Midget Football Association (JMFA) and, on Saturday, November 12, played the 1 st ranked Lakewood Tigers for the Carnation Bowl championship. The Lakewood Tigers received the opening kickoff from the Mountain Predators returning the ball to their own 47-yard line. On the following third down the Tigers attempted a pass that was intercepted by Predator’s Shane McAnish (99) giving the Predators possession of the ball on the Tiger’s 38-yard line. After one 1 st and 10, on the third down, the QB, Stephen King (18), prepared to pass but finding no receivers open opted to run the ball taking it into the left corner of the end zone for the 1 st touchdown of the game. The following field goal attempt did not clear the uprights making the score 6 to 0 in favor of the Predators. On the following kickoff the Tigers took possession on their own 34-yard line where the ball went out of bounds. After the Tigers made one 1 st and 10 the Predators held them for three downs forcing a punt on the 4 th down. The Predator’s punt return was stopped on their own 22-yard line. Failing to make 10 yards in three downs, the Predators were forced to punt. The Tiger’s punt receiver returned the ball to the Predator’s 44-yard line. The Tigers followed with two 1 st and 10s to end the quarter on the Predator’s 7-yard line. On the first play of the 2 nd quarter the Tigers ran the final seven yards to the right corner of the end zone for a TD. Following up with a field goal the Tigers pulled ahead with a score of 8 to 6. At the following kick off, the Predators return was stopped at its own 23-yard line. On the following 2 nd down, the Predator QB, Stephen King (18), ran the ball up the center of the field to the Tiger 10 yard line for a 65-yard gain and a 1 st down. On the Predator’s 2 nd down King (18) completed a pass to McAnish (99) in the Tiger end zone for another Predator TD. Hartness (10) followed up with a field goal making the score Predators 14 to Tigers 8. Following the kick off, the Tigers returned the ball to their own 44-yard line. After completing one 1 st and 10, on the their 3 rd down, the Tigers ran up the middle where the ball was stripped by McAnish (99) and recovered by Blake Boulter (19) giving the Predators possession on their own 41-yard line. After completing three 1 st and 10s on a 2 nd down and with the ball on the Tiger’s 8-yard line, Shane McAnish carried the ball into the end zone on a left sweep. Hartness (10) followed with another field goal putting the Predators ahead 22 to 8. At the kick off the Tigers return carrier was stopped at his own 27-yard line. Following a 1 st and 10 to the Predators 44-yard line, the Tigers threw a 14 yard pass to the Predator 42-yard line where the Predator safety, King (18), hit the receiver causing him to drop the ball for an incomplete pass. On the play King (18) sustained a shoulder injury that kept him from playing the rest of the game. The Tigers followed with two 1 st and 10s, but were unable to score before the game reached half time. At the 2 nd half kickoff the Predator receiver was stopped at his own 31-yard line. The Predators began the second half with their backup QB, Blake Boulter (19). After failing to make a 1 st and 10 the Predators were forced to punt on their 4 th down giving the Tigers possession on the Predator 45-yard line where the ball went out of bounds. After the completion of one Tiger 1 st and 10, on the 2 nd down the stadium lights went out and stayed out causing the game to be delayed until the next morning. The remaining 16 minutes of the Carnation Bowl were played on the following morning, Sunday, November 13, at Trailblazer Stadium in Lakewood. The game reconvened at 9:00 a.m. with the Tigers possessing the ball on the Predator’s 28-yard line on a 2 nd down. On the 1 st play of the day the Tigers ran the ball into the Predator end zone for a TD but had an attempted field goal blocked by Predator Garrison Park (29). This made the score Predators 22 to the Tigers 14. The Predators returned the following kick off to their own 38-yard line. Five plays later the Predators were stopped short on an attempted 4 th down run turning the ball over to the Tigers on the Tiger 38-yard line. Seven plays and two 1 st and 10s later the 3 rd quarter ended with the Tigers on a 2 nd down at the Predator’s 31-yard line. On the 1 st play of the 4 th quarter the Tigers completed a pass into the Predator end zone for what would have been a TD if it had not been called back on a holding penalty. On the following 4 th down the Tigers attempted to run the ball for a 1 st and 10, but were stopped short giving the Predators possession on their own 33-yard line. Following one 1 st and 10, on the 3 rd down the Tigers intercepted a pass and fell on the ball on their own 30-yard line. After a 6-play 57-yard drive the Tigers failed to make a 1 st and 10 on their 4 th down and the Predators took possession of the ball on their own 13-yard line. On their 4 th down with 1 yard to go for a 1 st down the Predators attempted a QB sneak, but were stopped short giving the ball to the Tigers on the Predator’s 23-yard line. On their following 3 rd down, with just over a minute left on the play clock, the Tigers threw a 22-yard pass that was intercepted on the Predator’s 8-yard line by Predator Danny Schneider (31). The Predator QB, Blake Boulter (19), took a knee twice to end the game with a final score of Predators 22 to the Tiger’s 14. Last year our 7 th grade team set a record as the 1 st Mountain team to go undefeated and win the Carnation Bowl. This year’s 8 th grade Mountain Predators set a new record as the first MAMFA team ever to win back-to-back championships. When asked for his thoughts, Coach Egger simply said “character builds championships.” Although this year ends our Gilpin boys’ eligibility to play for MAMFA, they are eagerly looking forward to playing for the Gilpin High School football team next year. Congratulations Mountain Predators, 2016 Carnation Bowl champions!

Mountain Predators win back-to-back Carnation Bowl Championships

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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