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Luke Graham

Luke Graham's column appears Mondays in the Steamboat Today. Contact him at 970-871-4229 or e-mail lgraham@SteamboatToday.com.

Hayden — This is what you'd consider a red-letter game.

Except, with this one, you'd highlight it, circle it, underline it, enlarge it and put it in bold letters.

After beating up Sargent 14-0 on Saturday, Hayden's football team has the opportunity to do something no team has done in 49 tries.

Beat state powerhouse Limon.

When the Class 1A playoff brackets came out a week ago, I did my best not to look ahead. I tried to apply all the coach-speak I could. "One game at a time." "We can't look ahead." "Anybody can beat anybody."

It was no use.

I knew if Hayden could get by Sargent, they'd play Limon.

I was downright giddy about it.

With a win Saturday in the first round of the playoffs, Limon broke the Colorado record for most consecutive wins by a high school football team.

Limon has won 49 straight and will be looking for No. 50 Saturday in Hayden.

For the players from Hayden, It is an opportunity of a lifetime.

When I was in high school at Lake County, we stopped Buena Vista's 49-game winning streak in basketball on our home court.

To this day, it's the most memorable sports moment I have. It probably always will be.

Now, the Tigers, who were supposed to finish at the bottom of the Western Slope League, have that same opportunity.

"I've been waiting four years for it," senior Brandon Ford said about the chance to play Limon. "Four years I've been waiting to play them."

It will be a tall order for the Tigers to pull off a win. High school football in Limon is like skiing in Steamboat.

I had two college friends that played there in high school six years ago, and to this day they still know who starts, who is injured, where Limon's ranked, who they play each week and, of course, where the streak stands.

"It's just phenomonal. You never have that opportunity," said Hayden assistant coach Bob Harris, who has coached in the area for more than 25 years. "All of us, we'll never have that opportunity again, and that's how we got to look at it."

So can Hayden really slay the giant?

Hey, I didn't think Hayden would make it as far as it has. I thought a .500 season would be a success.

Hayden's season has shocked me. Each week the Tigers get better. Each week they find a way to win.

And if they can find a way to win Saturday, they'll shock the whole state.

- To reach Luke Graham, call 871-4229 or e-mail lgraham@steamboatpilot.com