Just take the Montrose Indians’ current state, for example.
On one hand, the Indians are rolling:
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After winning their Southwestern League opener Friday night, a fourth straight league crown is now in range.
They average 39 points and 311 yards rushing per game “ all with the SWL’s top quarterback on the rampart.
On the other hand - well, it makes you wonder who they are:
Despite their aggressive, fly-to-the-ball style, the Indians have surrendered 71 points their past two games.
Montrose has proven soft to the big play, yielding four scores from 70 yards or longer over the same span.
The untimely turnover, penalty or blown assignment has been the Achilles heel for these Indians, at times.
“We’ve not exactly been the cleanest team all the time, in terms of our execution,” said Jordan Passehl, who should know these things as one of eight two-way starters for the Indians. “But we work very hard in practice, where all of this gets worked out.
“And our team chemistry is great. There are a bunch of us that hang around even away from football - and it’s been that way since we were little kids.”
Casebier, 40-14 (.741) midway through his fifth season, likens his program to a father, a son and a nice car.
“We tell the seniors this team is their team for awhile, just like a father letting his son use his prized car for a year,” he said. “What condition they return that car in says a lot about who they are and what this program really means to them.”
Admittedly, these seniors have spun a donut or two in the parking lot. Maybe taken it off-road several times, as well.
Nothing’s broken, and the paint still wants to shine through. But it could use at least a deep wax job before handing it down to little brother.
“The key for us is taking it from here and then peaking in the playoffs,” said Passehl, inching closer to his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season. “We all know where we want to get.”
The Final Four. That being at least one round past the quarterfinals “ the end road for Casebier’s Indians three of the past four seasons.
If anything might steer Montrose straight in that direction, it could be the game-winning drive it shoved down the throat of Central at a suddenly stunned Stocker Stadium Friday night.
The Indians’ 16-play, 78-yard collective smashmouth did more than just ruin Central’s festive homecoming night. It turned it into a Running of the Hogs celebration for the visitors.
From double-tight ends Bryce Gaber (left) and Chance Davidson (right), to tackles Josh Mora (6-foot-2, 300 pounds) and Troy Ryder (6-1, 295), platooning guards Taylor Reed (5-9, 190), Corey Stewart (5-10, 195) and Kyle Miller (5-11, 255) and center Andrew Kolowich (5-9, 200), the Warriors’ defense had no choice but to retreat into their own end zone.
Quarterback Nathan Robertson’s veer keeper around left end punctuated the violent drive, and he had friends in the Warriors’ new “House” backfield. Robertson, Braxton Franz (fullback), Glayden Berry (“H” back) and Passehl (tailback) staked seemingly everything inside Stocker, leaving even Central’s homecoming court in smeared mascara.
“We needed a statement drive to close that one out,” Casebier said. “And we got just that.
“We’ll see where we go from here. Because we’ve got no other choice but focusing week-to-week with how everyone’s gunning for us.”
Admittedly, Casebier said this Central (1-1, 3-4) squad may be its best since the Warriors won the SWL crown in 2004.
But Central coach Vern McGee found no solace in almost beating Montrose.
“Until someone knocks them off, it’s still Montrose and everyone else,” said McGee, whose Warriors had Montrose down 10 points until Robertson found Roland McLaren over the middle for a 34-yard scoring strike to close the third quarter and get the Indians’ party started. “Montrose has a very physical, quick, offensive line.
“And you don’t see athletes like Passehl and Robertson on the same team very often.”
Both are being courted by Rocky Mountain-area Division I programs, Passehl for 2010 and Robertson for 2011. And both are nowhere near satisfied with what they’ve experienced as an Indian.
“This team is special, I know it,” said Robertson, who appears to be bouncing back strong from his concussion suffered during the Rock Canyon loss to close non-league play. “And we hope to show what this team can truly accomplish when that time comes.”
Fruita Monument (0-3, 2-5) rolls into town Friday for the Indians’ next test.
Of course, looming is the SWL team everyone wants a look at: Durango (2-0, 7-0). Like Montrose, the Demons are now a fixture in the state’s 4A Top-10 rankings.
Mark your calendar for Friday night, Nov. 6. You may want to start scouting for that new parking spot, too.
“The league is as competitive as I’ve seen it from top to bottom,” Casebier said. “And the top grouping of teams in 4A is loaded, too.
“We might be right there in that mix. Of course, we thought that before Rock Canyon came to town, too.”
The car is full of gas. The keys are still openly extended.
And there’s a lot of driving to do.
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