Rifle Bears Dismantle Glenwood Springs Demons 28-0 in Shutout Victory

Glenwood Springs —The gravel of the parking lot at Stubler Memorial Field crunches under tires, a sound that has become as familiar to locals as the smell of cut grass in July. In the bleachers, the silence is heavy, broken only by the distant hum of traffic on Highway 6, a reminder that while the game is local, the stakes feel universal. This is the atmosphere that greeted the Rifle Bears when they arrived in Glenwood Springs for a Thursday night showdown against the home Demons.

The Post Independent reported that the visitors didn’t just win; they dismantled. The final score, 28-0, wasn’t just a victory — it was a statement. Rifle coach Ty Leyba noted that the opening kickoff return “absolutely sparked our sideline.” That energy, fueled by a deafening student section, set the tone for a relentless performance. Defensively, the Bears kept the pressure on, squashing any glimmers of offensive momentum the Demons tried to build. Offensively, the run game dominated the first quarter, establishing a pattern that would continue throughout the half.

The second quarter saw the lead extend to 14-0, driven by creative play-calling from Leyba. A quick lateral from junior Cache Garcia to junior Ethan Kaiser allowed the Bears to barrel down the sideline for additional yardage, capping off a half that ended with a missed field goal on fourth down. But the real test came in the second half. Senior Blake Shaffer, described by Leyba as “playing like a duke,” was nearly unstoppable. He consistently broke tackles and picked up key yards, his offensive power proving key to the blowout. Even with two more touchdowns bringing the score to 28-0, the Bears’ defense didn’t let up. They locked down the shutout, a feat Leyba reminded the team meant “ice cream sundae Monday.”

In the third quarter, the Demons made some passing connections, with senior Parker West making a big catch down the sideline that sparked some energy back into the morose cheering section. However, that drive also came to a premature end with a fourth down punt. The pattern held: Demon errors were consistently capitalized on by the Bears, who extended their lead and maintained their relentless pace.

As the away team bleachers rumbled with cheers, the final whistle blew. The 28-0 scoreline stood, a clear marker of a team that came out strong and did not let up. For the folks in the valley, it was a night where the noise from the rival sideline drowned out the usual local chatter, leaving a quiet field behind. The ice cream sundae wait begins Monday.