LAKEWOOD, Colo (KOAA) — The Classical Academy sits at the top of 4A Flag Football for a second consecutive year. The Titans secured their second championship in three appearances with a 34-18 win over Vista Ridge, completing their undefeated season.
Reagan Harter did most of the heavy lifting for TCA by scoring four touchdowns. Vista Ridge’s Kayla Dempsey found the end zone three times for all of the Wolves’ points.
The Titans opened the scoring in the first quarter with some trickery. CHSAA’s career leader in passing yards, Kelsey Peterson recorded what goes down as a touchdown pass to herself. Peterson threw a quick pass to Ryann Ferguson who then pitched it right back to Peterson with space on the outside allowing her to cross the goal line. Peterson then found Kennedy Harter on the following extra-point attempt to put the Titans ahead 7-0.
Vista Ridge responded with chunk play after chunk play. Jocelynn Kalkman picked apart the TCA defense with precision passes down field to Arayah Johnson and Aubrey Leong. The last of those passes landed in the hands of Kayla Dempsey for a touchdown. After the failed extra-point attempt, it was a one point game.
The first half of this title game had no lack of excitement. TCA led 13-6 to end the first quarter after Peterson found her favorite target Reagan Harter who bobbled the catch in traffic but stayed with it and used a burst of speed to get to the end zone.
It was only a few minutes into the second quarter when Vista Ridge responded. Kalkman went right back to Dempsey and got the same result as before, a touchdown. Dempsey’s second score of the game brought her team back within a point at 13-12.
However that did not last long. TCA needed just one play to get back into the end zone. Reagan Harter caught a short pass across the middle and showed off her speed on the way to TCA extending its lead 19-12.
This is the point of the game where both defenses showed up. The Titans defense held Vista Ridge’s offense to short yardage and gave the ball back to their offense with a chance to go up two scores.
Kelsey Peterson had that exact thought in mind when she took a deep shot near the end zone, but instead of her receiver she found Arayah Johnson. The Wolves’ sophomore came away with the first turnover of the game. She returned the pick well into Titan territory but a couple of flags brought the ball backwards and the VR offense was unable to capitalize on the turnover.
That allowed Peterson and Reagan Harter to connect for their third touchdown of the first half. TCA felt confident heading into the locker room with a 25-12 lead at the half.
The Wolves were hoping to cut into that deficit with their opening drive of the second half, but TCA’s Brooklyn Blair snatched that hope out the air with her second interception of the game.
Both offenses seemed to struggle in the second half with neither team pushing the ball down field until the fourth quarter. Vista Ridge had a breath of life as they found themselves within scoring distance in the final quarter of the season but a bobbled pass landed in the wrong hands.
Peterson tracked the ball down for her second interception of the year which couldn’t have come at a better time for the Titans. Peterson’s offense took over with a two score lead and a lot of time left on the clock.
That ensuing drive would be the one to put the game away. Peterson went back to her most reliable receiver, Reagan Harter. Harter would score her fourth touchdown of the day and give the Titans a comfortable 32-12 lead.
Vista Ridge added a late touchdown by Dempsey and attempted the flag football version of an onside kick. After that failed, it began to set in for the Titans that they had secured another state championship.
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