Byline: Brad Byler, Special to the Rocky
Counting youth football, Tim Delbozque has been playing the sport 11 years, but he never had a game like he did Friday night.
With Delbozque and his Wheat Ridge Farmers trailing Class 4A No. 1 Heritage 23-18 at Jeffco Stadium, the senior defensive lineman intercepted a Heritage pass with 3:04 remaining.
Parker Orms then scored the winning touchdown with 45 seconds remaining, and the Farmers held on to upset Heritage 24-23 and take sole possession of first place in the West Metro League.
It was the first interception for Delbozque, and it came at the perfect time. Heritage quarterback Mitch Griebel was pressured by Austin Livingston, and Delbozque knocked down the screen pass and cradled it to his chest at the Eagles 31-yard line.
'It was phenomenal,' Delbozque said. 'The past few games I've seen teammates make plays on defense and I thought, 'You know what? It's my turn.' I saw the ball and I knew it was my chance.'
The No. 6 Farmers were in danger of getting rolled by the Eagles early. Heritage (8-1 overall, 7-1 in league) held a 16-0 lead at halftime, and Orms, the top rusher in 4A, could not break free.
All that changed in the second half, though. Against a Heritage defense that had allowed only six points this season, Orms rushed for 178 yards and four touchdowns in the second half and the momentum for the Farmers (9-0, 8-0) couldn't be stopped.
'They have a great running attack,' Heritage coach Mike Griebel said. 'That's what they live by, and Orms is a great football player. We did a good job bottling him up in the first half, but once we lost that momentum, it was hard to get it back.'
Despite the Farmers' second-half onslaught, Heritage almost survived with its perfect record intact.
Wheat Ridge had scored on its first three possessions of the second half, but with time winding down, Heritage forced the Farmers to punt with five minutes remaining. Griebel moved the Eagles 20 yards and killed two minutes before Delbozque's interception.
'I was ecstatic,' said Orms, who finished with 256 yards on 36 carries. 'I knew right when he got that interception that we were going to win this game. All we had to do was go down and score.'
The Farmers' two-point pass attempt failed, and Heritage had a final chance to move the ball. On the final play of the game, though, Griebel was sacked by Eric Achatz at the Eagles' 26-yard line to complete the surprising comeback.
'When we got that 23rd point, I thought we'd be fine, but I thought we'd be able to drive at the end until we threw that interception on the screen,' Mike Griebel said. 'That hurt us.'
Heritage7 9 0 7 - 23
Wheat Ridge0 0 12 12 - 24
First quarter
H - Shane Opitz 20 pass from Mitch Griebel (Eric Vadelius kick).
Second quarter
H - Jordan Delbaugh 3 run (kick failed); H - Vadelius 33 field goal.
Third quarter
WR - Parker Orms 20 run (run failed); WR - Orms 30 run (kick failed).
Fourth quarter
H - Delbaugh 20 run (Vadelius kick); WR - Orms 3 run (run failed); WR - Orms 6 run (pass failed).
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - H, Delbaugh 21-151, Griebel 19-40, Blair Zimmerman 7-13, Mark Ortivez 1-(minus 9); WR, Orms 36-256, Austin Livingston 3-14, Charlie Land 2-12, Kyle Mews 1-2.
Passing - H, Griebel 5-19-2 75; WR, Land 3-6-1 10, Orms 0-1-0 0.
Receiving - H, Opitz 3-51, Delbaugh 1-16, Seth Kisselman 1-8; WR, Livingston 1-7, Eric Shannon 1-4, Eric Achatz 1-(minus 1).
INFOBOX
Get in the game
* Do you want to see more pictures and feel the emotion from the week's top events? Check out the new Rocky Preps Remix at RockyPreps.com. Fans also can vote each Monday at RockyPreps.com on which game the Rocky Preps Remix will feature.
* The new/photo video feature offers a unique look at the games the state high school athletes play. Highlighted currently is Heritage- Wheat Ridge football. Also watch Fox 31 video at RockyPreps.com.
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Photo
Wheat Ridge running back Parker Orms stretches for more yardage against Heritage. He scored four times. WES POPE / THE ROCKY
