Ralston Valley's 56-Yard Game-Winning FG Reverses Curse
ARVADA, Colo. (CBS4) - Broncos fans may have gotten used to seeing field goals of more than 50 yards in recent seasons, but to have it happen in a high school game is rare.
Especially one that wins a playoff game.
Things were looking bleak for the Ralston Valley Mustangs last Friday night in the second round of Colorado's 5A Football Playoffs.
LINK: 2014 CHSAA 5A State Football Playoffs Bracket
They were down by 2 with only a few seconds left against the Eaglecrest Raptors, and they were attempting a 56 yard field goal.
"I thought our odds were slim to none," said Collin Root, who lined up for the kick after an impressive game in which he had 13 tackles, a blocked extra point and a touchdown catch.
It's not the first time Root has been faced with such a situation. Two years ago in the state playoffs he missed a 55 yard kick that would have won the Mustangs' game against Grandview High School.
But Root reversed the curse. With a bit of a bit of a breeze behind his back he nailed the kick as the scoreboard ticked down to zero.
That scoreboard then changed to: Ralston Valley 44, Eaglecrest 43.
The kick made it by about two feet, according to the TV announcer broadcasting the game.
"I knew I got all of it," Root told CBS4. "I thought I actually pulled it left but for some reason, for some reason that night -- that day -- the wind decided to be our friend."
"As a coach we were preparing for 'Are we going to win this game or are we going to lose this game?' and 3 seconds before that kick went in we were going to lose that game," said Ralston Valley head coach Matt Lloyd.
The improbable winning kick prompted a celebration for the ages.
"I (was) really trying to avoid this dogpile. So I was trying the best I could, but like three guys got me and then 10 seconds later I'm at the bottom of the pile screaming my lungs out," Root said.
Folks at Ralston Valley are now calling Root's kick against Eaglecrest "the redemption kick."
"After the kick I was kind of like 'Wow!' We tried not to say it all week about breaking the curse," said Root. "It was surreal."
CHSAANOW.COM: Ralston Valley pulls off miraculous win on 56-yard field goal
"What will you do for an encore? What's next?" CBS4's Eric Christensen asked Root.
"I don't know, I guess you'll have to see Friday night," he said.
The Mustangs meet the Fairview Knights on Friday in the state quarterfinals. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Ralston Valley's Legacy Stadium in Arvada.