CONIFER — Glenwood Springs got on the scoreboard for the first time in the 2015 season, and led late in the third quarter before Conifer wore down the Demon defense to win the first game under their brand new home lights, 27-12 Friday.
The Demons, who dropped to 0-2 in the young season, took a 12-7 lead just after halftime when sophomore linebacker Jack Ries scooped up a Lobo fumble and dashed 40 yards for a touchdown. The attempted two-point conversion run was stopped, however, and that proved costly when Conifer quarterback Matt Aceto snuck in from the one to cap a 90 yard drive as the quarter ended, for a 13-12 Lobo lead. Glenwood had trouble converting short-yardage opportunities most of the evening including a two-yard loss on 4th-and-one at the Conifer 8-yard line prior to that scoring drive.
Conifer put together a 72-yard drive early in the fourth period to go ahead 19-12 when Jack Prentner broke free from the 32 yard line with 8:01 remaining. The Demons had held Conifer to just 50 yards rushing in the first half, but with many players going both ways and the failure of the offense to control the ball, the Lobos rolled up 175 yards on the ground in the final two quarters.
An errant option pitch recovered by Conifer at the Demon 24 in the fourth quarter set up the score that sealed the outcome. Kasim Rana scored a 9-yard TD with 4:21 left in the game.
After being shut out in their season opener 17-0 by Erie last week, Glenwood took a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter when Tim Batchelder went in from the one to conclude a 6-play, 65-yard drive. Demon QB Jake Townsley started the drive with a 17-yard completion to Nick Lippman and set up the score with a 32-yard pass to Easton Gaddis and an 8-yard run. Aceto answered by completing four straight passes in driving Conifer 86 yards for a 7-6 lead with 48 seconds left in the half.
Townsley led the Demons with 61 yards rushing in 13 attempts and was 10-of-18 for 94 yards passing. Aceto scored two touchdowns and completed 7-of-11 passes for 96 yards.
Next Friday Glenwood hosts defending 2A state champion Brush, which defeated the Demons 54-21 last season.
Glenwood 0 6 6 0 – 12
Conifer 0 7 6 14 – 27
Rushing: G- Jake Townsley 13/61, Tim Batchelder 9/29, Easton Gaddis 2/9, Matt Osier 4/4, Felix Cano Silva 1/-2; C- Caine Crawford 1/63, Kasim Rana 18/61, Jack Prentner 9/50, Matt Aceto 10/29, Bret Walters-Esh 4/19, Chase Phelps 1/2. Receiving: G- Gaddis 3/51, Luke Patch 2/7, Luke Gair 2/12, Nick Lippman 1/17, Sonny Reynolds 1/7, Osier 1/0; C- Crawford 3/42, Mason Meyer 2/24, Rana 1/15, John Paulus 1/10.