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Orms' childhood friend enjoys the sequel
Published February 2, 2009 at 7:59 p.m.
Perhaps the most enduring image Jordan Schmitz will retain of Parker Orms is his longtime buddy coming up big in big games.
Schmitz has seen it twice - the second time occurring last season when Orms' last-minute touchdown run propelled Wheat Ridge High School to the Class 4A state championship, the first when Orms and Schmitz were 10-year- old teammates on the Wheat Ridge Wolverines.
Similar scenario, same sandy-haired kid calling for the ball, same storybook result.
"We were down five points, down to our final play and had the ball about 30 yards out," Schmitz remembered. "Our coach said, 'Who wants the ball?' and Parker said, 'Me.'
"He headed for the goal line, dove for the pylon and scored. It was the happiest I'd been in my life - to that point."
Flash forward to Unbridled Happiness, The Sequel.
In the 2008 Class 4A championship game, Orms added the finishing touch to a phenomenal afternoon by running for 56 of his 280 yards (38 carries) and the last of his five touchdowns on fourth-and-2 with 19 seconds to play.
Wheat Ridge defeated Greeley West 35-31, capping an undefeated (14-0) season in which Orms rushed for 2,813 yards and scored 32 touchdowns.
"When the game's on the line, he wants (the ball)," Schmitz said. "That's what he's all about. I've been seeing him play like that my whole life . . . ever since little league, he's stepped up in big games."
Comrades in pads since the fourth grade, Schmitz and Orms will take separate paths this fall. Orms is headed to Boulder, Schmitz to New Zealand. Orms will play football, Schmitz rugby.
"I'm 5-6 and 150 pounds," said Schmitz, a not-so-robust weak-side linebacker on Wheat Ridge's championship team. "I don't think my body is ready for football (at the next level), but I can play rugby."
So, after working an in-state rugby coaching contact with ties to the sport in New Zealand, Schmitz is headed abroad for a year before returning home and, hopefully, to enroll at the University of Colorado.
"We've stayed close friends since the fourth grade; not a week has gone by without us hanging out," Schmitz said. "We're parting ways now, but I'll try to watch all of CU's games and keep in touch."
CU commitments
| Player | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (school) |
| David Bakhtiari | OL | 6-4 | 266 | San Mateo, Calif. (Juniper Serro) |
| Nate Bonsu | DT | 6-2 | 265 | Allen, Texas (Allen) |
| Jarrod Darden | WR | 6-4 | 211 | Keller, Texas (Central) |
| Clark Evans | QB | 6-5 | 225 | Los Alamitos, Calif. (Los Alamitos) |
| Zach Grossnickle | P-PK | 6-3 | 175 | Denver (East) |
| Gus Handler | OL | 6-4 | 265 | Barrington, Ill. (Barrington) |
| Jack Harris | OL | 6-6 | 270 | Parker (Chaparral) |
| Nick Kasa | DE | 6-7 | 245 | Broomfield (Legacy) |
| Diante Jackson | WR | 6-0 | 188 | Walnut Creek, Calif. (Los Lomas) |
| Liloa Nobriga | LB | 6-2 | 235 | Las Vegas (Palo Verde) |
| Edward Nuckols | DL | 6-2 | 290 | San Marcos, Calif. (Mission Hills) |
| Deji Olatoye | DB | 6-2 | 180 | Dublin, Ohio (Scioto) |
| Parker Orms | DB | 6-0 | 185 | Wheat Ridge (Wheat Ridge) |
| Shaun Simon | OL | 6-2 | 305 | Tulsa, Okla. (Union) |
| Andre Simmons | WR | 6-3 | 201 | Blackville, S.C. (Independence, Kan. CC) |
| Da Vaughn Thornton | TE | 6-5 | 217 | Denver (East) |
| Derrick Webb | LB | 6-0 | 214 | Memphis, Tenn. (Whitehaven) |
| J. Forrest West | DE | 6-2 | 230 | Salisbury, Conn. (Salisbury School) |
Rivals.com Colorado Top 25
| Player, high school | Pos | Ht. | Wt. | College |
| 1. Nick Kasa, Legacy | DE | 6-7 | 245 | Colorado |
| 2. Jack Harris, Chaparral | OL | 6-6 | 270 | Colorado |
| 3. Matthew Tucker, Grandview | ATH | 6-3 | 187 | Arizona State |
| 4. Alex Logan, Mullen | DB | 6-2 | 195 | California |
| 5. Terry Alletto, Ponderosa | OL | 6-4 | 280 | Brigham Young |
| 6. Jeremiah Sirles, Bear Creek | OL | 6-6 | 280 | Nebraska |
| 7. Kendall Gregory-McGhee, Cherokee Trail | ATH | 6-4 | 214 | Minnesota |
| 8. Ryan Hewitt, Mullen | TE | 6-4 | 220 | Stanford |
| 9. Clarence Bumpas, Sierra | LB | 6-1 | 204 | Kansas State |
| 10. Parker Orms, Wheat Ridge | DB | 6-0 | 185 | Colorado |
| 11. Taylor Paxton, Cherry Creek | OL | 6-5 | 265 | Northwestern |
| 12. Todd Knight, Grandview | LB | 6-2 | 200 | Wyoming |
| 13. Charles Ragland, Mullen | OL | 6-8 | 285 | California |
| 14. Da Vaughn Thornton, East | TE | 6-5 | 217 | Colorado |
| 15. Jevon Reynolds, South | WR | 6-0 | 175 | Uncommitted |
| 16. Chris Nwoke, ThunderRidge | RB | 5-11 | 205 | Colorado State |
| 17. Mike Purcell, Highlands Ranch | DE | 6-4 | 260 | Wyoming |
| 18. Zach Grossnickle, East | K | 6-3 | 190 | Colorado |
| 19. Turmour Battle, South | DB | 5-9 | 165 | Uncommitted |
| 20. Bryce Schwindt, Columbine | OL | 6-3 | 280 | Northern Colorado |
| 21. Donovan Bowens, Pomona | RB | 6-1 | 200 | South Dakota |
| 22. Tyree Davis, Grandview | DB | 5-11 | 170 | Uncommitted |
| 23. Tommy Flanagan, Bear Creek | RB | 5-9 | 190 | Uncommitted |
| 24. RC Willenbrock, Cherry Creek | K | 5-11 | 170 | Dartmouth |
| 25. Nik Pavlich, Chaparral | ATH | 6-1 | 190 | Uncommitted |