TORRINGTON – Torrington seniors Breyden Bivens and Nathan Stitt have both broken school records on their path to the state championship game.
Bivens and Stitt have been a tandem for several years, with Bivens filling the signal caller roll and Stitt running the routes. They have been playing together since middle school and all through high school.
“I always know where he is going to be,” Bivens said. “When we get here, it’s just second nature to know where he is and have all the timing down.”
“We’ve always hung out together and been best friends from a long time. We always work together in camps. We came out in the morning all summer and just threw routes,” added Stitt, who missed much of last year with a broken collarbone but has returned to the gridiron for the whole season in 2017. “It’s really nice to be close like that. We really understand each other and we really get how each other plays.”
The duo’s work throughout the years has paid off for their senior season together. Bivens, who averages 161.2 passing yards per contest, broke the Torrington record for total passing yards in a season. He has racked up 1,612 in 2017, breaking Caden Coffelt’s old record of 1,214.
Just under half of Biven’s yards have gone to Stitt on the outside. The receiver averages 68.3 yards per game receiving for a season total of 683, breaking Andy Peterson’s record of 596.
Against Douglas, the connection between Bivens and Stitt was really working. Stitt broke the school single-game record (167), racking up 189 receiving records on eight receptions. Bivens totaled 246 passing yards against the Bearcats, edging out the old single-game record (241).
“It’s indicative of the hard work that they have put in and the chemistry they have developed together over the years,” coach Mark Lenhardt said. “This isn’t something that has just started. These two have been playing together for a long time and they have a special connection.”
Even though Stitt is Bivens’ top target this year, the quarterback has continually found the open man all season. Nine different Blazers have caught a pass this season, with five of those players having at least one touchdown.
“Our coach sets us up in the right position to throw to different guys and we have been able to spread the ball around this year,” Bivens said. “It’s kind of nice to have other guys who can catch a ball besides (Stitt) because he usually gets doubled.”
Although Bivens and Stitt have cemented themselves in the Torrington history books as individuals, that was not their intentions going into the season.
“It’s just an accolade to go with everything that is going well,” Stitt said. “It’s on the backburner, almost. I’m not too worried about it, but it’s nice to have it there.”
Lenhardt echoed that statement, saying that he did not coach Bivens, Stitt or anyone else on the team specifically for records.
“It’s one of those situations where as a coach you don’t really try to focus on records too much, but it’s really special anytime somebody breaks a record here at the school,” Lenhardt said. “They need to be recognized for it, but above all, the team record is the most important thing and I think those guys would be the first to tell you that.”
Bivens and Stitt hope to put their connection to the test for one final game this Friday. The Blazers are set to take on Cody in the state championship game in Laramie at 3 p.m.
“That was the ultimate goal. That really all we have focused on all season was getting to (the championship game) Friday,” Bivens said. “Now we are going to go out and win it.”
