ELIZABETH — “This is their year,” Laura Yancey said.
Co-owner of Formaggi’s, a popular local restaurant, Yancey is like so many others in this small town of about 1,500 southeast of Denver. Locals aren’t afraid to admit they are anticipating a football championship for title-starved Elizabeth High School.
Elizabeth evolved from an 1880s frontier town into a beautiful, rolling area that includes generations of ranchers along with bedroom-community citizens commuting to work in Denver or Colorado Springs.
The school, which dates to 1911, has only the past two Class 4A gymnastics titles to show to its sports-hungry following.
“It’s huge that we won gymnastics, and we’re trying to feed off that,” Cardinals leading rusher Matt Biery said.
Top-seeded in the Class 3A state football playoffs, Elizabeth (11-0) won the Metro South League and beat Palmer Ridge 35-7 in the first round last week. The Cardinals host No. 8 seed Frederick (7-4) on Saturday.
It would appear they are also getting outside help — No. 4 Palisade fell to Silver Creek, once-beaten Roosevelt lost to Frederick and third-seeded Mountain View lost to No. 14 Windsor. All were regarded as legitimate challengers.
But Chris Cline, head of the football program for 11 years, knows better than to get carried away.
“Oh,” he said, shaking his head, “it was an amazing first round. I was shocked, just shocked. I never expected that.”
Despite being knocked out of the preliminaries the past three seasons, an experienced inner core of 12 returning seniors heightened Elizabeth’s expectations this year.
“You could see these guys coming from middle school,” said Cline, who has a career record of 86-36. “They all know each other, play well together.”
Said Chase Cline, the coach’s son and a 5-foot-10, 270-pound two-way lineman everyone refers to as “Big Daddy”: “We always knew we were a good team. Even playing peewee, we all pretty much played together on the same field.”
Biery credits Coach Cline for getting the team where it is today.
“(He) got to us early, back in seventh grade,” Biery said. “He emphasized training in the weight room, and all of that work has snowballed in the season we’re having.”
The run-oriented Cardinals have been convincing — they trailed only in their opener, a 28-13 victory over Erie. They outscored their opposition by an aggregate 523-87.
Running back-linebacker Brad Goldsberry yearned for more challenges but isn’t complaining.
“It’s kind of fun playing from behind sometimes,” he said. “That way, when you need to, you want to be able to.”
The younger Cline agreed, saying, “You just take what comes.”
The program is getting solid backing, with the community raising $10,000 for a trip to Pocatello, Idaho, for an indoor game in Week 2. The team’s program is full of local business ads, and the home games have been drawing well.
“We’re a close-knit community, even though we’re surrounded by big cities,” Chase Cline said. “We still have that small-town mentality down here.”
The elder Cline is guarding against overconfidence or looking ahead.
“That’s my fear,” Cline said. “Our kids know Frederick barely got in at 6-4, but Frederick will come in and hit you in the mouth. Its offense can grind it out.”
An adoring following awaits the outcome.
“We’re probably more excited than we’ve ever been,” Yancey said.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
Cardinals rule: 3A Elizabeth
Strengths: Core fueled by 12 seniors; good size relative to the classification.
Weaknesses: Cards play ironman ball — few substitutions.
Top players: Matt Biery (1,114 yards rushing, 16 TDs); Brad Goldsberry (762 yards rushing, 13 TDs); Dalton Taylor (9 TDs passing, 6 rushing)
Big victories: Beat Erie 28-13 to open the season; beat Minico, Idaho, 40-0 in the Rocky Mountain Rumble; beat Evergreen 56-17 to begin the Metro South League; beat Englewood 49-7 to clinch league title; beat Palmer Ridge 35-7 in first round of postseason.
Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post
