LITTLETON — Although the scoreboard ultimately didn’t show it, the Grand Junction High School football team was a handful of plays away from a close game with one of the top teams in the Class 4A playoffs.

Strong running from Mo Thenell paced fifth-seeded Heritage, along with miscues and penalties from the No. 12 Tigers, to send the Eagles into the quarterfinals with a 42-13 victory on Friday night at Littleton Public Schools Stadium.

One penalty in particular — a holding call that wiped out a 1-yard touchdown for Matthias Martinez-Santana that would’ve made it 21-7 in the first half, stuck out to Grand Junction coach Landon McKee. What could have been a two-score game became a turnover on downs and, eventually, a 28-0 lead for Heritage.

“Especially that questionable call in the first h

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