In a remarkable display of skill and determination, Fairview football overwhelmed Arapahoe with a 78-28 victory in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs at Recht Field on Friday night. Despite being the eighth seed, Fairview showcased their prowess against the ninth-seeded Warriors.
The game began with a tightly contested first quarter, where Arapahoe held a slim 21-15 lead. However, the tide quickly turned as Fairview”s junior quarterback Ki Ellison and senior wide receiver Sabi Ruttgers took control, combining for a staggering eleven touchdowns. Ellison threw for 311 yards and rushed for another 115, while Ruttgers recorded 244 yards in total offense.
“I always knew I was good, but this honestly proved it to myself and the state too,” Ruttgers said. “Everyone was told it would be a real close game, and we came out here and mercy-ruled them. It”s insane. I mean, we might have the best receiving core in the state.”
Ruttgers was not alone in his contributions; senior standout Toray Davis added three touchdowns to the mix, while both Asher Allen and Ryan Rutherford scored once, amplifying the pain for Arapahoe.
Defensively, Fairview had their moments, despite the high-scoring nature of the game. In the first half, which ended 36-21 in favor of Fairview, defensive stops were rare but impactful. Arapahoe managed to recover a Fairview fumble, which set up their initial lead, and also halted a Knights” drive on a critical fourth down.
In a pivotal moment, Fairview blocked a punt that led to a straightforward 16-yard touchdown pass to Davis. Ellison then intercepted Arapahoe“s quarterback, extending the Knights” lead to 15 points at halftime. “I knew my moment was coming. I was excited,” Ellison remarked about his interception. “I knew the quarterback liked to stare it down, and I just jumped the route. It shows I”m an athlete. I”m a dawg. I can go both ways.”
Davis capped off the first half with a crucial interception at Fairview”s 9-yard line just before the break. From that moment on, it was all Fairview.
With a commanding performance behind them, the Knights are set to face the number one seed, Cherry Creek, at Stutler Bowl next week. This victory demonstrated that despite their less challenging regular-season schedule, Fairview”s offense and defense pose a significant threat.
“We have great respect for Arapahoe,” head coach Tom McCartney stated. “They come out of the Cherry Creek league, and anyone competing there is battle-tested. They were the number two team in that league and ranked ninth in the state. There”s such a hunger for victory, and you really want to play the best teams. When the number eight team plays the number nine team, it”s a top-10 matchup, and that”s where our hunger comes from. Let”s show everyone what we can do when we play great teams.”
