TORRINGTON – The Torrington High School football team wrapped up the 2020 regular season with a 33-6 victory over the Wheatland Bulldogs Friday evening at Wiseman Field.
After trading possessions to open the game, it was the Blazer defense who gave Torrington an early 7-0 lead when junior defensive back scooped up a fumbled lateral pass for the game’s first points.
“It was pretty balanced with special teams, running the ball, defense, and Beau Bivens commanding our offense the way he is,” THS coach Russell Stienmetz said.
Then it was the special team’s time to shine.
Junior kicker Chase Miller booted field goals of 23 and 33 yards to extend the Torrington lead to 13-0 midway through the second quarter.
Then it was Miller getting into the act, hauling in a 6-yard pass from Bivens to go up 19-0 just before halftime.
“He is such a game changer,” Stienmetz said of Miller. “He is such a weapon. The touchbacks and put two field goals through, he is such a dynamic player. He also had a fumble recovery.”
Early in the third quarter, Wheatland took advantage of a Blazer turnover, resulting in a 15-yard touchdown pass for the Bulldog’s lone score of the game.
Later in the quarter, Torrington took advantage of a Wheatland turnover when Bivens hit junior running back Trace Floyd in stride on a flea-flicker for 72 yards.
“That was coach (Robb) Nicolay,” Stienmetz said of the trick play. “We always have one or two in each week, and Nicolay dialed it up this week.”
The Blazers got one score early in the fourth quarter when Bivens found Keith for a 40-yard touchdown completion.
Now the Blazers face a bye week heading into the playoffs after Burns had to cancel its final two games of the season because having the team in COVID-19 quarantine.
On the bright side, with the win, Torrington will have at least one more home game this season, hosting the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs as either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed.
The Blazers will be watching the outcome of the Big Horn and Upton-Sundance game on Friday closely. With a Big Horn win, the Torrington will likely be the No. 2 seed, but with a Patriot win, the Blazers could be No. 1 seed.
“I wish I knew how things were going to play out,” Stienmetz said. “WHSAA does know the situation. They don’t want to penalize us because we did nothing wrong. We are just going to have to wait and see how things shake out and see what Ron (Laird) and Trevor (Vance) say.”
