PUEBLO – Winning a state championship takes a combination of big plays, clutch moments and in some cases, a generous whistle.

The fistfight of a Class 2A state championship game between The Classical Academy and Wellington would have produced a worthy champion regardless of the outcome. The ball just bounced – or rather the whistle just blew – toward the direction of the Titans in their 42-36 win over Wellington.

Make no bones about it, TCA quarterback Andrew Brown played a remarkable game where he threw for 270 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score. With under a minute to go, he delivered the game-winning touchdown pass that created an historic moment for him, his teammates and his school He provided the kind of fourth quarter leadership that the kids in the hallways of TCA will talk about for years. He’s well-deserving as the National Football Foundation’s Most Outstanding Player.

But it was almost all for naught.

Trailing by one with under a minute to go and inside the Wellington 15, Jackson Schipfer received a big hit from Eagles sophomore Teagen Greiman. The ball was dislodged as Schipfer fell to the ground and the Eagles pounced on top of it.

But the refs blew the whistle to signal Schipfer was down, even if replays on the scoreboard at Dutch Clark Stadium and various news camera angles showed otherwise.

Two plays later, Brown found Elijah Wright for a touchdown pass that gave TCA its first state championship in school history.

“I don’t know if you remember this, but we fumbled on the 10 going in for a score last time we were in a state championship game,” coach Justin Rich said. “We lost by a point. And that’s all I was thinking about.”

That loss was to Rifle in the Season C football championships during the four-season COVID year. It was the only state title game that TCA had played in to this point.

So when the game kicked off at the Dutch, the Titans made it their mission to get off to a fast start.

Browns’ 12-yard touchdown pass to Zach Mediavilla put the Titans on the board and the two connected again for the second touchdown of the game.

It almost felt like a continuation of Mediavilla’s performance in the semifinals last week when he ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown as TCA beat Basalt. But this time, Brown was happy to feed the senior receiver.

“It’s so hard to describe because [Brown] threw it on the money every time,” Mediavilla said. “All the talk only matters so much if you can’t execute, but he was on the money.”

The Titans ability to strike fast and gain yards in big chunks kept the Eagles on their heels momentarily but Tanner Gray eventually found his comfort zone, firing long touchdown passes to Cash Altschwager and Brayton Meglen to keep the Eagles in the game.

(Lance Wendt/wendt5280.com) More photos

But the higher priority had to be slowing down Brown. He was 14-for-21 for 168 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone.

Giving him a short field to start the second half didn’t seem like the best idea until Tyler Shaffer ran underneath a short out route, picking Brown off and taking it for a touchdown. The Eagles went for a 2-point conversion to take the lead, but the attempt was no good.

Two drives later, the offense just shoved its way down the field as four Brown rushes and three completed passes put the Titans up 28-20.

“Our lineman, they are muscle,” Brown said. “They can’t be stopped. This is the best o-line we’ve ever had.”

But Wellington refused to back down. Altschwager scored on a 1-yard run and the 2-point conversion tied the game. Brown threw his third touchdown pass of the night, finding Henry Hoyman for a 5-yard score.

Gray led the offense down to TCA territory and converted on a 1-yard run, with another 2-point conversion giving the Eagles (10-3) the lead.

All they needed was one last stop, which they seemingly got. But it wasn’t meant to be. Regardless of who walked out of Pueblo with a state title trophy, it was going to represent an historic moment for their school.

No one can say the Titans didn’t earn it with their play this season, and especially in the last two weeks in the playoffs.

“It was just such a special year,” Mediavilla said. “Everyone loved each other so much and spent so much time together. It was awesome to bring this home to our community.”

By an inch or a mile. By hook or by crook. A win is a win, and this win is one TCA will cherish for a long time.

(Lance Wendt/wendt5280.com) More photos