Pomona football pieces together playoff win over Arvada West

ARVADA, CO – By Dennis Pleuss for CHSAANow.com/Jeffco. Pomona was able to fit the puzzle pieces together Saturday afternoon to advance to the quarterfinals of the Class 5A football state playoffs.

The No. 2-seeded Panthers took a 34-7 victory over No. 10 Arvada West at the North Area Athletic Complex. Pomona faces No. 2 Columbine next Friday or Saturday at Jeffco Stadium with a ticket to the semifinals on the line.

Pomona (7-4 record) has suffered injury-after-injury to key players all season. The latest blow came this week in practice when junior linebacker Kyle Moretti suffered a broken ankle. He underwent season-ending surgery Thursday.

Arvada West senior Tony Cass (2) is stacked up by Pomona sophomore JuJu Howard during the first half Saturday at NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

“It was just another hit,” Pomona senior captain Jack Thiele said. “Obviously, Kyle is one of our better players. It hurt, but we knew we just had to rally around him.”

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Images: Arvada West senior Isaiah Ocana (20) tries to pull away from Pomona defenders during the Class 5A state football second-round playoff game Saturday at NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics).2) Arvada West senior Tony Cass (2) is stacked up by Pomona sophomore JuJu Howard during the first half Saturday at NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics). 3) Pomona senior David Ross (23) celebrates his touchdown catch with sophomore Jack Pospisil on Saturday afternoon at NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics). 4) Pomona senior Dominic Bettini (5) scored four touchdown on the ground Saturday for the Panthers. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)