H.S. FOOTBALL: TCA's playoff hopes quickly turn sour

ARVADA • For a fleeting moment, the first playoff game in The Classical Academy's history looked promising.

Just as quickly, it fell apart.

A turnover on TCA's first offensive play of the game following a 56-yard kickoff return set the Titans back early and established the tone for Faith Christian's 56-16 victory.
Faith Christian running back Craig Schultz ran for 115 yards and three touchdowns.

The senior inflicted all of his damage in the first half and also returned a punt for a touchdown.

Things looked promising after Matt Gackle took the opening kickoff across midfield for TCA (8-3), seeded 15th. But the momentum was lost when Brice Queener fumbled a pitch attempt to running back Ben Register.

No. 2 Faith Christian (11-0) capitalized with an eight-play, 68-yard drive ending with Schultz's first touchdown of the night, a 1-yard run up the middle.

On the next Faith Christian possession, Noah Applegate scored a 4-yard touchdown run to give the Eagles a 14-0 lead.

Schultz scored on a 45-yard dash on the next possession and after a three-and-out by the Eagles' defense, returned the punt 35 yards for another score.

The Eagles scored on all eight of their first-half possessions.

The Eagles held TCA to 62 yards, 35 of which were gained on the ground.

"They're a great team," Queener said. "It's tough for our seniors to lose like this, but Faith is good."

The Titans got on the board in the third quarter when Queener scored on a 10-yard run.

Register added another score in the fourth quarter on a 6-yard run.

"You're going to have days like this and you have to play teams like this," Titans coach Nate Sassaman said. "Faith Christian is a great program and we hope we can be like this someday."

TCA won five of its last six to make the playoffs.