Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The Steamboat Springs High School football team couldn’t overcome a big second half by Holy Family on Saturday in Broom­field, eventually falling, 37-6.

Steamboat (now 0-2) trailed Holy Family (now 1-0) 12-0 at halftime, before the Tigers scored two touchdowns to open the third quarter to take a commanding 27-0 lead.

“We actually competed,” Steamboat coach Lonn Clementson said. “That was one of the things we wanted to do. It just became overwhelming.”

Steamboat certainly was in the game. The Sailors got the ball to start the second half and were down only the two scores.

But the first drive of the half started with a false start penalty. From there, Holy Family’s Sam Quinn picked off a pass and returned it 14 yards for a 20-0 lead. Minutes later, the Tigers’ Zach Langfield scored from 2 yards out to make it 27-0.

“The first three to six minutes coming out of the locker room are critical,” Clementson said.

Steamboat finally scored for the first time this season late in the third quarter. Senior running back Charles Wood made a 68-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 27-6.

Holy Family would add a fourth-quarter touchdown and field goal for the final score.

“I’m proud of the kids because of the fact they did improve from last week,” Clementson said. “It could have gone the other way, then what do you do? I’m proud of their work ethic. I expect to get better for the next game.”

Steamboat gets this week off before returning at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 when the team hosts Montrose.

The week after that, the Sailors open Western Slope League play.

“We’re getting that mileage,” Clem­­entson said. “We’re going to use this as a preseason. Of course we’re going to try and beat Montrose, but when league starts, we want to be that much better.”