LAKEWOOD - The first game of the football season for Wheat Ridge and Montrose turned into an overtime thriller Friday night at Jeffco Stadium.

The two Class 4A teams battled to a 24-24 tie in regulation before Montrose quarterback Kirk English bulled his way into the end zone for his fourth touchdown to give the Indians a 30-24 win.

Wheat Ridge kicker Matt Schultz, who sent the game to overtime with a 27-yard field goal with 1 second left, missed a 26-yarder on the Farmers' only possession in overtime.

But it probably wouldn't have mattered. The Indians took command at the line of scrimmage in overtime, using two Jeremy Jones runs to power the ball to the Wheat Ridge 1-yard line. Then English pushed the ball over on the final play to send the defending state champion to a loss.

English, who broke up a Wheat Ridge pass into the end zone on the Farmers' overtime possession, said he knew the Indians would win as soon as he saw Schultz's kick go wide left.

"We got it," English said from the sideline as the kick drifted wide. "As soon as I saw that, I had no doubt in my mind that we would win this game."

Montrose, which reached the 4A state quarterfinals last season, fell behind 13-0 in the second quarter. But the Indians rallied on the strength of their power running game. English scored TDs from 7 and 5 yards to help put Montrose ahead 14-13 with 7:10 left in the third quarter.

But Wheat Ridge regrouped, and the Farmers retook the lead when quarterback Ryan Routzon connected with Mac Land for an 8-yard touchdown late in the third. Kyle Mews ran in the two-point conversion to put Wheat Ridge ahead 21-14.

With Jones rushing for 146 yards on 29 carries, Montrose took another lead in the final quarter as a result of Shane Hedrick's 36-yard field goal and English's third touchdown run.

After the Farmers sent the game to overtime, Wheat Ridge started the OT session with a first down at the Indians' 10- yard line. Parker Orms carried for 1 yard, then Routzon fired two incomplete passes before Schultz missed the field-goal attempt on fourth down.

"We did a lot of good things, but they came out ahead," Wheat Ridge coach Reid Kahl said. "My sophomore kicker made a big one to get us to overtime in his first varsity game, so without him, we don't even get to overtime."

English completed 7-of-13 passes for 86 yards.

"We came into this game knowing we'd have a chance to win it, and we proved it (Friday night)," he said. "I'm so proud of my team."

Montrose......0	7	7	10	6	-	30
Wheat Ridge......7	6	8	3	0	-	24

First quarter

WR - Mac Land 16 pass from Parker Orms (Matt Schultz kick).

Second quarter

WR - Ryan Routzon 2 run (kick failed). M - Kirk English 7 run (Shane Hedrick kick).

Third quarter

M - English 5 run (Hedrick kick). WR - Land 8 pass from Routzon (Kyle Mews run).

Fourth quarter

M - Hedrick 36 field goal. M - English 3 run (Hedrick kick). WR - Schultz 27 field goal.

Overtime

M - English 1 run.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing - M, Jeremy Jones 29-146, Mac Alexander 8-90, English 14-36, Matthew McNeer 3-23; WR, Parker Orms 24-129, Routzon 13-85, Land 2-19, Donald Bauer 4-18, Mews 2-1.

Passing - M, English 7-13-0-86; WR, Routzon 8- 13-0-89, Orms 1-1-0-16.

Receiving - M, Jones 3-53, Ryan Webb 3-26, Hedrick 1-6; WR, Land 5-64, Bauer 2-25, Orms 2-16.

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