Following a disastrous 2017 in which Roaring Fork — which surrendered 60 or more points four times and never fewer than 41— went 0-9 overall and 0-5 in the 2A Western Slope, the school elected to mothball varsity football.
With faint interest preventing the program in Carbondale from flat-lining altogether, an 11th-hour players’ vote kept the Rams on life support as a JV-grade squad at the 8-man level, with well-traveled Dave Close — previously of RFHS fame and later stops at 2A Bayfield and 1A Buena Vista, amongst others— brought in from 8-man force Norwood to oversee the survival.
And not even COVID-19’s awful timing would put Fork under once and for all.
With all schools in the Roaring Fork Valley and Garfield County choosing to wait until Spring 2021 to churn out something of a pandemic-delayed 2020 season, RFHS returned to 11-man life and will be Ignacio’s first gridiron foe this fall, with kickoff time once set for 2 p.m., then later 1 p.m., and now ultimately 11 a.m. Saturday.
Now representing the 1A Western Slope, skipper Eric Bollock’s bunch expectedly struggled this spring as over-matched members of the COVID-cobbled ‘2A West.’ Completing a conference-only slate standing 0-6, the Rams were shut out three times including a season-ending 44-0 home loss to Parachute Grand Valley. Able to total only 20 points offensively, a morale-boosting six did come in a 48-6 home loss to Manitou Springs —which would go on to stun Westminster Flatirons Academy in double-OT, 31-30, to snatch the Spring 2021 State Championship.
With about 20 players currently on the roster, Ignacio will look to a battle-tested senior core group to lead the way at IHS Field. Owning possibly the 1A Southern Peaks Conference’s best arm, left-handed senior quarterback Gabe Tucson will call shots under center — whether that be senior Alric Hudson or senior Jeremy Roderick, both of whom have seen time at that position and others along the offensive line during their careers, or any other snapper.
Rugged senior Tyler Barnes, capable of either blocking in the trenches or carrying the ball out of the backfield, also returns along with senior deep threat Shawn Campbell. His own value as a receiver elevated with former targets Colten Jackson, Lawrence Toledo and Dylan Labarthe now all graduated and gone, Campbell will also likely serve as IHS’s primary kicker and punter, and also quadruple on the defensive side of the ball.
Serviceable as a QB/RB/WR, John Riepel heads up the Bobcat juniors along with lineman Jace Carmenoros, and Anthony Toledo, utilized sparingly last fall as Ignacio finished 3-2 overall and 3-2 SPC, could emerge at either running back or receiver. Additionally, sophomores Kyle Rima and Wade Dunbar should see more action on the interior as the ’Cats hope to properly shield Tucson in the passing pocket and open lanes for a rushing attack needing a replacement for graduated workhorse Joe Garcia.
Sophomore Max Bollock returns for RFHS —showing 25 individuals on its roster — as the Rams’ leading QB candidate, and will have help in the backfield coming from senior RB Blake Thomas and junior RB Oscar Barraza, who plowed in from a yard for the aforementioned score against Manitou.
Senior T.J. Metheny and junior brother Ryan Metheny both return as experienced linemen, and junior Zane Garcia caught half of the young Bollock’s 14 reported completions, but Fork will need to have replaced graduated Ruben Samuelson, who not only went over 100 yards rushing with one of RFHS’ three total TDs (Thomas booked the other), but was also credited with 61 total tackles defensively.
Ignacio next travels to Newcomb, N.M., to face a Skyhawk flock which went 0-4 overall during their March-only campaign and faced just one NMAA District 1-3A rival (Crownpoint).
