ERIE — Erie football moved into the Class 3A title game for the first time since 2008 with a 31-14 win over Longmont.
“It’s surreal,” Erie’s Noah Roper said. “It’s been my dream ever since I was a little kid. It hasn’t fully hit me yet. I can’t believe it right now.”
In Cooper’s second year as head coach, Erie is in the championship thanks to swarming defense and a pounding run game.
“If you’re a championship team, it matters what you do,” Cooper said. “Not as much what the other team does. I thought we really stayed within what we do well.
Longmont jumped out front with a quick drive. A one-handed, diving catch by Jaydon Elkins and a short run by Oakley Dehning had the Trojans up 6-0.
Then, Erie ripped off 31 unanswered points.
“That was so big,” Roper said. “Our defense is so much better than we’ve been playing this season. We have some stars on our defense.”
A 99-yard drive after a goal line stand was capped by Jacob Mansdorfer’s second touchdown of the day, sending Erie into the half with a 17-6 lead.
(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com)
“It was a change in the game,” Cooper said. “Our offense coming out and getting a score before halftime, and then getting the ball. All of a sudden, Longmont looks up like, ‘What happened to this game?’”
“When we got down there, I told them, ‘We got this,’” Roper added. “There’s no reason why we shouldn’t get this. They buckled down, made a big play, and did exactly what I asked them to do.”
Noah Roper saw his efforts get rewarded with a touchdown on the first drive of the third quarter to widen the lead.
“Our offensive line really deserves a lot of credit,” Cooper said. “They were able to grind drives off, then Noah broke a couple. We were able to keep the ball away from their talented offense.”
On the ensuing drive, Roper intercepted Dehning’s pass at the goal line to put the ball back into the hands of the Tiger offense.
“We went in the locker room and talked,” Roper said. “We’ve been running the whole entire game right down their throats and they can’t stop us, so why stop now?”
And Erie took full advantage.
The Tigers ate up clock on the way to a Roper one-yard touchdown run to ice the game at 31-6.
“It’s so nice to know I have everyone around me and everyone supporting me,” Roper said. “Everyone is giving their contribution to the win.”
Erie’s last title appearance was in 2008 — a 22-21 overtime loss to Olathe in the 2A championship game. The Tigers won the 1A state championship in 1997.
“I’m excited beyond belief,” Cooper said. “One more step. We’re trying to keep everything in context.”
Erie will face undefeated Palmer Ridge in the championship. The Bears beat Palisade 28-14 in their semifinal matchup.
“They have a lot of talent,” Cooper said. “It’s going to be a great opportunity.”
AURORA — Eaglecrest is headed to the Class 5A football championship game.
The Raptors beat Columbine 32-31 in double overtime in a wild semifinal on Saturday afternoon.
“Our coaches believed in us and put all the trust in us,” Eaglecrest senior quarterback Jalen Mergerson said after converting a 2-point play in the second overtime period to senior Theryne Sandoval-Jimenez to end the game. “Our offense was rolling in that overtime period. (Coaches) put it on us to go make a play.”
The win advances Eaglecrest into just its second state football title game appearance. The Raptors captured the 1993 5A championship with a 37-29 victory over Hinkley.
Eaglecrest senior Theryne Sandoval-Jimenez makes a touchdown grab Saturday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“Jalen threw it and I just knew I’d get it,” Sandoval-Jimenez said of the 2-point, game-winning play. “I saw the refs hands go up. That’s game.”
Eaglecrest (13-0 record) will enter the 5A title game as the lone undefeated team remaining in 5A. The Raptors will play the winner of Pomona — which beat Grandview in Saturday’s other semifinal — in the championship at 2:30 p.m. next Saturday at Mile High Stadium.
The two teams traded scores in the first overtime, and then Columbine’s Logan DeArment gave Columbine its first lead of the game at 31-24 to start the second OT. But Eaglecrest took just one play to respond, with Mergerson hitting Sandoval-Jimenez on a fade to the right side of the end zone.
“He (Sandoval-Jimenez) is a player,” Mergerson said. “We came up together as sophomores. I told him on that play (2-point conversion) to go up and get it.”
Columbine, which trailed for most of the afternoon, tied the game on DeArment’s 27-yard field goal with 36 seconds left in regulation.
Eaglecrest jumped on Columbine early with a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
“It was just the family we’ve developed. We didn’t want to lose it,” DeArment said of the Rebels (11-2) scoring 17-unanswered points to eventually force overtime. “I good things come to an end. I love these guys more than anything in the world.”
Senior running back Kenny Wanting got the Raptors going, capping off an 80-yard drive on the opening possession of the game with a 17-yard touchdown run. The Raptors failed to convert on a fourth-down from Columbine’s 1-yard line early in the second quarter.
Eaglecrest running back Kenny Wantings (27) is chased after by Columbine’s Richard Hoffschneider (22). (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
However, Eaglecrest’s defense stepped up tackling Columbine running back Tanner Hollens in the end zone for a safety with 10:24 left in the second quarter to push the Raptors’ lead to 9-0.
Eaglecrest took advantage of great field position after the safety. Mergerson connected with Sandoval-Jimenez for a 26-yard touchdown minutes later. Wanting ran in a 2-point conversion to make the score 17-0.
Columbine managed its best drive of the first half just before halftime. DeArment scored the lone touchdown in the first half for Columbine with a 24-yard touchdown run to cut Eaglecrest’s lead to 17-7 at halftime.
The Rebels looked to make it a 1-score game early in the second half, but a fumble near the Raptors’ goal line gave Eaglecrest back the ball.
“We knew we had to play for four quarters,” Mergerson said. “Columbine wasn’t going to give up. They weren’t going to quite. We had to fight for four quarters, and a little extra.”
Columbine battled back with two big pass plays from DeArment on another touchdown scoring drive by the Rebels. DeArment hit senior Ted Mullin on a third-and-long play. The Rebels’ quarterback hit sophomore Justin Lohrenz for a 17-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 17-14 with 9:29 left in the fourth quarter.
Columbine’s Ted Mullin isn’t able to come down to a catch Saturday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“I though we were about to be done,” Wanting said after DeArment made a 28-yard field goal in the final minute to force overtime. “I know our whole team has heart.”
The Raptors’ best test this season came in a non-league game against another 5A semifinalist in Grandview on Sept. 15. Eaglecrest pulled out a 21-14 victory. Ralston Valley led for the majority of the Mt. Wilson League showdown Oct. 26. A last-second field goal allowed Eaglecrest to escape with a 17-15 victory.
The 15 points Eaglecrest gave up to Ralston Valley was the largest amount the Raptors stellar defense has given up in a single game all season. Eaglecrest came into Saturday’s semifinal surrendering just 10.4 points per game.
“We hung on long enough defensively,” Eaglecrest coach Mike Schmitt said. “We wore down at the end. Our quarterback, who is a great quarterback, finished it in the end.”
Eaglecrest’s Mikele Nash (2) attempts to make a diving catch with Columbine’s Tyler Rosenfield defending. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
MONUMENT – The “13-0, one to go!” chants got louder as the home stands at Don Breese Stadium caught on.
For the first time in program history, Palmer Ridge is heading to a football state championship game after the Bears continued their undefeated roll with a 28-14 win over Palisade in the Class 3A semifinals on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s a huge statement to all the people who have helped us get to this point,” coach Tom Pulford said. “We have a ton of parent support, a great student section, great administrators. With all of those aspects supporting what we do, it gives us the opportunity to perform at the highest level and we’re excited for it.”
Powering the Bears in their semifinal victory was a dominant and balanced performance on all three phases. Palmer Ridge racked up over 400 total yards on offense, allowed just two scoring drives on defense and returned a kickoff for a touchdown on special teams.
Leading the way offensively for Palmer Ridge was sophomore running back Raef Ruel, who was a headache for the Bulldogs’ defense, finishing the game with 155 yards on 21 carries and three of his team’s four touchdowns.
“I’m speechless,” Ruel said after the game. “I just know that everyone has been working for this moment. All the coaches, all the players – we want this more than anything. We’re going to state. That’s amazing.”
In addition to its impressive run game, No. 2 Palmer Ridge (13-0) also had a strong attack through the air via junior quarterback Ty Evans, who presented a problem for No. 6 Palisade (10-4).
Evans connected on 11 of his 15 attempts and finished with 115 passing yards, 68 of which were reeled in by Anthony ‘Deuce’ Roberson II. The Bears experienced a scare late in the second quarter when Evans took a hit that kept him out of the game for the rest of the half. He then bounced back after halftime to return, and Pulford expects him to be fine for next week’s championship game against No. 5 Erie.
Saturday’s game remained close all the way into the fourth quarter before the Bears made it a two-score game with less than six minutes to play.
Palisade stayed in contention with a pair of rushing touchdowns from senior Terrance Williams, who finished with a team-high 108 yards. The Bulldogs tied the game late in the third quarter, but it was short-lived as Roberson II returned the ensuing kickoff 86 yards to the end zone just 13 seconds later.
From there, Palmer Ridge remained in control. Another Ruel touchdown and an interception by senior safety Cory McLellan then brought the win home.
“Hats off to them. That’s a well-coached team and they battled and grinded for all four quarters,” Pulford said. “That was a great opportunity for our kids to respond to some adversity. I was very proud of the way our kids responded.”
The Bears will clash with an 11-2 Erie team that is appearing in its first title game since 2008 next Saturday.
COLORADO SPRINGS — As Pine Creek football won the Class 4A state championship last season, J.C. Coulter wasn’t behind center, knowing his chance to lead the Eagles would come soon enough.
A year later, Coulter, a senior, is the signal caller leading Pine Creek into its fourth state championship game in five seasons after the Eagles defeated Pueblo West in convincing fashion, 28-0, at the 4A semifinals at District 20 Stadium Saturday.
“I’m super excited,” Coulter said. “It’s a really humbling experience for me. These guys around me did all the hard work, I just played a little role in it.”
Coulter played more than just a little role Saturday. He went an efficient
13-for-18 for 122 yards with two touchdowns, free of nearly any mistake as the Eagles’ offense was firing on all cylinders against the Cyclones.
“He’s paid his dues,” Pine Creek coach Todd Miller said. “He played wide receiver for us last year, and he told me he wanted to play quarterback, and he’s had as good a senior year as anybody we’ve ever had.”
A 12-play, 58-yard drive to close out the first half, with Coulter hitting Max Lofy on a 5-yard touchdown toss with seven seconds left in the half, might have been the back breaker as Pine Creek took a 14-0 lead into halftime.
With sophomore tailback David Moore III absolutely going off, rushing for 212 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries, and a defense that stopped Pueblo West from scoring inside the Pine Creek 10-yard line on two occasions, the Eagles turned in as perfect a semifinal performance as a team could ask for.
“It isn’t hard calling plays we can just hand it off to No. 2,” Miller said. “Our line has really come together, especially late in the year, and we have a good group of wide receivers. And the defense holding them back twice inside the 10, that’s impressive.”
Saturday’s game was starkly different to the game played six weeks ago, when Pine Creek held on to beat Pueblo West 21-14.
Both teams committed four turnovers each in that mistake-filled game. But Saturday, as Pine Creek didn’t commit a turnover and only had one penalty, they turned in a near perfect performance.
“Everything was clicking offensively,” Moore said. “Coach Miller gave us a great game plan, and without that, we wouldn’t even be here.”
As Pine Creek readies to return to the state championship game, Pueblo West had to swallow its second loss of the season to the Eagles, a bitter pill to swallow for a senior heavy team that led the Cyclones to its first semifinal berth since 2012.
“This game will not define our season,” Pueblo West coach Monte Pinkerton said. “A lot of people wouldn’t have even given us a chance to get here, even last week (in its quarterfinal win) against Chatfield. That just shows the heart of these guys.”
As Pueblo West fell short of creating what would have been an all-Pueblo 4A state championship game against Pueblo South, it is Pine Creek looking to knock off the Colts in the state title game next week.
“It’s one game at a time, and you’re playing until you can’t play no more,” Miller said. “We played hard today, and when you play hard, you got a chance.”
For the first time, CHSAA is recognizing a student section from a member school which is going a great job at promoting positive sportsmanship and school spirit at their events.
The fall season champion will receive the following 3-foot by 5-foot banner to hang in their gym:
Now, it’s up to you to help us pick the winner! Voting is being held on Twitter, and right here (scroll down). It will conclude on Nov. 28 at 8 a.m. Before you vote, though, be sure to check out the submissions from our finalists.
A little less than an hour from the start of the CHSAA State Championships for Gymnastics. Good luck Loveland! @RHpreps #BackMyTeampic.twitter.com/JkxMdfQeOU
COLORADO SPRINGS — Pueblo South coach Ryan Goddard likes to make sure his team earns everything that they get. The privilege of practicing on Thanksgiving is on that list.
So after the Colts handled Vista Ridge 35-14 in the Class 4A quarterfinals on Saturday, he wanted to make sure that his boys knew that all the hard work they had put in last offseason and this year had paid off.
“Welcome to the state semifinals,” he said to his players. That statement was received with hoots and hollers that are well-fit for a conglomerate of teenagers.
Pueblo South is still alive and, as a result, will practice Thanksgiving day.
“It’s just about earning things and we talked to our kids all summer about earning things,” Goddard said. “We live in this world of entitlement and it’s a frustrating world to live in at times. (It’s about) just dialing in on things and understanding that this is a privilege.”
The Colts (11-1 overall) earned the right to play in the quarterfinals thanks to a win over Montrose last week. They traveled to Vista Ridge in a frigid, but cloud-free day looking to build on the success that they experienced in the regular season.
Vista Ridge (7-5) is not a team without athletes and might be the best team in terms of personnel to match up with the 4A Foothills League champions.
But the Wolves, like 10 other teams this year, found out the hard way that the Colts’ playmakers might just be championship worthy.
South jumped on the board thanks to a punt return for a touchdown from senior receiver Thomas Pannunzio.
“It was something that we like to use to have some firm momentum throughout the game,” Pannunzio said. “It was something we needed to get our team motivated to come out and get a win.”
It worked.
Somehow everything fell in sync for the Colts from there on out. Zach Cozzolino found standout receiver Marcell Barbee for three touchdown passes before halftime.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Barbee finished his day with six catches for 120 yards and three scores. It was a performance that everyone will remember in a week when the Colts are just one of four 4A teams remaining.
“We were one of eight teams coming into this game,” Barbee said. “Just being one of those teams is an honor. We worked our tails off to come out here and execute the way that we do. We chase excellence every day in practice.”
The punt return for a touchdown was the first of many things that went wrong for the Wolves. Twice they got the ball inside of the Pueblo South five-yard line and failed to come away with points. Three lost fumbles certainly played a key part not only in their falling behind, but inability to claw their way back.
“You can’t do that,” Vista Ridge coach Jeremi Calip said. “Look at the score in the second half. (We win) 14-7. It’s one of those things when you play good ball clubs, you cannot have mistakes like that.”
The lone touchdown for the Colts came on their first offensive play of the half when Steve Brock broke free for a 66-yard scamper.
Junior quarterback Rowan Neal finally got Vista Ridge into the end zone on a zone read keeper. The Wolves added another touchdown run before time ticked away, but the game was well in South’s hands by that point.
The Colts will return to Dutch Clark Stadium on Saturday and play No. 15 Broomfield who came away with yet another upset win. This time, undefeated Loveland was the victim. Like they have all year, the Colts will get right to work on Monday as they look to keep their title hopes alive.
“Honestly, I haven’t seen a single snap from Broomfield,” Goddard said. “That’s a good program. They were in the state title game last year. They’re hungry.”
