If last year was any indication, this year’s 6-man football championship game is going to be a fun watch.
After heading to Stratton/Liberty last year, Fleming looks to defend its state championship against the same Knighted Eagles team it downed 28-27 on a sunny, but windy day last November.
The Wildcats (7-0 overall) have played out the season looking like the defending champions and continued that momentum into the 6-man playoffs which began two weeks ago.
To get the state title game, Fleming had to survive the passing attack from one of 6-man’s most prolific offenses. Granada’s Dominic Coleman hasn’t been afraid to put the ball in the air at any point this season and has been effective in doing so. When it came to keeping up with an offense that had scored fewer than 49 points just once all season, Coleman was happy to take on the challenge.
He completed 18-of-25 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns. But he also threw two interceptions and found out very quickly that the defending champs meant business.
Fleming and Stratton/Liberty also met in the 2019 6-man title game. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Fleming’s offense was every bit as effective as it had been all season. Charles Hobbs showed off his big-play ability carrying the ball just four times for 148 yards and scoring three touchdowns. When a standout back is only tackled once all day, it tends to be a recipe for success.
The same could be said for Brady Kuntz. The senior caught three passes for 72 yards yards and scored twice.
With a fumble recovery and blocked field goal from Joel Muller, the Wildcats certainly have the personnel needed to grab another gold trophy this weekend.
But Stratton/Liberty (6-0) has to have revenge on its mind. The Knighted Eagles have to have the one-point loss in last year’s title game still fresh in its memory. The fact that it happened at home couldn’t have helped in the matter.
The rushing tandem of Alex Cruz and Riggin Williams is looking to provide every bit the threat that Hobbs will for the Wildcats. Cruz broke for 101 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s semifinal win over Cheyenne Wells. Williams rushed for just 66 yards but also scored twice for Stratton/Liberty.
Sophomore Logan Breyer made his presence felt defensively as he recorded three sacks. Cruz picked off one pass while Will Witzel had two interceptions to help the Knighted Eagles win the turnover battle.
This is Stratton/Liberty’s fourth straight appearance in the state title game and the team will be looking for its second title in that span. The Knighted Eagles beat Kit Carson 57-18 in 2018.
The 6-man championship game is the first of the seven state football championship games to be contested this week. The game is set for a 2 p.m. kick on Thursday.
For the last several years, the 8-man football championship game has felt more like a game show than anything else. The point of the contest? Seeing if anyone can stop Sedgwick County’s run of dominance in the championship game.
Come on down, Sanford. You’re the next contestant.
Since the 2015 season, the Cougars (8-0) have been nothing short of dominant and have rattled off five straight state championship in a row. In fact, in this entire six-year run, they’ve lost just two total games. Perkins County (Neb.) got them in 2016 and Merino got a 27-24 win during the 2018 regular season.
Other than that, Sedgwick County has rattled off win after win and that includes zero playoff losses in its last six tournament runs.
This year has shown to be no different.
Sedgwick County coach Chris Michel is trying to lead his team to a sixth straight state championship. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
The Cougars won their first three games by a combined score of 156-26. They finished the regular season strongly and then proceeded to win their first two playoff games by a 91-18 margin. And if history is any indicator, they have the experience needed in a state championship game to continue their historic run.
If the Cougars win this week, they’ll become just the second team in state history to claim six straight titles. Limon won six in a row from 1963-68. Valor Christian won five in a row from 2009-13.
If the 2020 postseason has done anything for Sanford, it has made the team battle-tested. The program was outscored its regular season opponents 244-46 before having to battle in the first two rounds of the 8-man tournament.
Sanford (7-0) beat Mancos 36-28 before edging Merino 16-14. Should Thursday’s state championship game remain close, Sanford is a team that has twice battled in close contests only to come away with the win, showing a high level of on-field maturity needed in that atmosphere.
The only catch is that the is the first football championship game that Sanford has ever played in. While their on-field composure has been clutch so far in the playoffs, the nerves that come with playing in a championship game is an entirely different beast and one the Cougars have been dealt with for six straight years now.
The 8-man championship game will the second state football title game to be played on Thursday and will follow Fleming vs. Stratton/Liberty in the 6-man game. Kick is scheduled for 6 p.m.
ENGLEWOOD — Loveland’s historically rich football program is heading to its 15th state championship game.
The No. 4-seeded Indians upset top-seed Dakota Ridge 20-14 at Randy Penn Stadium on the campus of Englewood High School on Saturday afternoon in the Class 4A state semifinal.
Loveland senior Zack Rakowsky (5) won’t go down easy during the Indians’ 20-14 victory over Dakota Ridge on Saturday at Englewood High School. More photos from the game. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“We’ve been in dogfights before. It’s nothing new to us,” Loveland senior Zack Rakowsky said moments after the final horn sounded. “Dakota Ridge is a really tough opponent. We knew if we played our kind of football we’d walk out of here with a win.”
Loveland (8-0 record) scored touchdowns on its first three offensive possessions against Dakota Ridge (7-1) to jump out to a 20-7 lead midway through the second quarter. Junior Tyson Williams finished off the opening drive of the game with a 12-yard touchdown run to cap off an 80-yard, 10-play drive.
Following a quick scoring drive by Dakota Ridge that was capped off by a 3-yard touchdown catch by senior Cavica Wilkerson from quarterback Ben Gultig, the Indians answered again with another 80-yard scoring drive.
Loveland sophomore quarterback Garrett Harstad scored from 2 yards out to give the Indians a 13-7 lead.
“Loveland did a good job of running the ball,” Dakota Ridge coach Ron Woitalewicz said. “We couldn’t get a stop in the first half.”
The Eagles had scored on 13 consecutive drives dating back to their state quarterfinal victory a week ago when they went 12-for-12, but Loveland ended that streak forcing Dakota Ridge to punt with just under 8 minutes left in the second quarter.
The next play would be the biggest offensive play of the game for Loveland. Rakowsky took an inside handoff and raced into the end zone for a 73-yard run to extend Loveland’s lead to 20-7.
“The momentum after that you could feel it on our sideline,” Rakowsky said of the longest play from scrimmage of the game. “It was just great blocking. I wasn’t even touched. I thank my offensive line for that.”
Dakota Ridge senior Spencer Hardy (37) chases down Loveland senior Zack Rakowsky during the fourth quarter Saturday. The Eagles shutout Loveland in the second half, but Dakota Ridge still came up short suffering a 20-14 loss in the Class 4A state semifinal. More photos from the game. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Rakowsky carried the offensive load for the Indians with over 20 carries for nearly 200 yards on the ground.
Both defenses found their footing in the second half. In fact, the only score after halftime came on an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown by Dakota Ridge junior Dante Capolungo with 6:40 left in the fourth quarter to cut Loveland’s lead to 20-14.
“I thought it was going out of bounds, but then it took that one hop and from there I knew I was off,” Capolungo said. “I was able to get the touchdown to flip the game and the momentum. We had a chance.”
Dakota Ridge did have a golden opportunity after the Eagles’ defense forced a 3-and-out by Loveland. The Eagles took over on their 41-yard line with 4:21 remaining. However, after getting an initial first-down Dakota Ridge’s drive stalled.
Loveland junior Ian Loomis sacked Gultig on a 4th-down play to give the ball back to the Indians. Loveland managed one more first-down run by Rakowsky and ran out the clock to end the game.
“It is just so thrilling,” Loomis said of his monster sack that ended the Eagles’ final offensive drive. “On fourth downs that is my best time. Fourth downs just get my going and I just go through the line.”
Loveland junior Ian Loomis (22) wraps up Dakota Ridge senior Charlie Offerdahl during the Class 4A state semifinal Saturday at Englewood High School. A pair of sacks by Loomis helped Loveland to a 20-14 victory. More photos from the game. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Loomis had a key sack in the third quarter that ended another Dakota Ridge drive.
“I really thought it would be our defense that was going to win this game,” Loomis said. “I think we put them in uncomfortable positions.”
Loveland is now back in a familiar position, play for another state title. The Indians have a 7-7 record in state championship games. Loveland’s last title came just two years ago in 2018 where the Indians defeated Skyline.
Palmer Ridge — a powerhouse in 3A before moving up to 4A this season — will be Loveland’s opponent in the 4A title game next week. The Bears (6-0) defeated Fountain-Fort Carson 28-12 in the other 4A semifinal Saturday afternoon.
“I think we are ready for it,” Loomis said of the upcoming 4A title game against Palmer Ridge. “We were so motivated coming into this game facing the No. 1 team. I think we’ll come in and beat Palmer Ridge.”
The Eagles were trying to head to their first state title game since 2004. Dakota Ridge lost to ThunderRidge 35-29 in the 4A state championship game 16 years ago.
“I’m so proud of these kids because they gave up a lot,” Woitalewicz said. “They sacrificed social time. They all went remote (learning) so they didn’t get quarantined. They didn’t hang out with friends. They really sacrificed so they could have this season. We knew they season would be special.”
Woitalewicz’s 2019 squad came within seconds of advancing to the title game last season. Broomfield defeated Dakota Ridge 17-15 with a last-second field goal at Jeffco Stadium. The crushing defeat has definitely motivated this year’s senior-laden team.
“These seniors were great leaders. They set a high standard for us to come back next year,” Capolungo said of Dakota Ridge’s back-to-back state semifinal appearances. “They showed all us young guys how to be a complete team.”
Dakota Ridge senior Mason Galbreath (10) attempts to make a leaping grab, but Loveland senior Joe Killian (9) is able to break out the pass during the Class 4A state semifinal Saturday at Englewood High School. More photos from the game. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
JOHNSTOWN — Signing a deed on the line of scrimmage is one way to advance to a state championship game. And that’s exactly the route that Class 3A No. 1 Roosevelt took.
The Rough Riders scored seven rushing touchdowns to beat No. 4 Pueblo South 49-19 to in the 3A semifinals to earn a berth in next week’s state championship game which will be played at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl at CSU-Pueblo.
They had every intention of getting to the game by keeping the ball on the ground and playing a brand of old school, smash-mouth football.
“That was our game plan from the very beginning,” coach Lane Wasinger said. “We wanted to run the ball and put it behind our o-line. We knew they had it in them, the size, the strength. Everything. The running back committee did what they needed to do to convert.”
The Roughriders (7-0 overall) scored their first rushing touchdown on their first drive of the game. Keegan Sterkel broke one from 26 yards out, giving the top-seeded team on the bracket a much better start than what they saw last week against Fort Morgan.
In just one offensive play, however, the Colts (5-1) quickly showed that their running game is equally as impressive. George Longoria broke for a 59-yard touchdown run, but the extra point try was no good, leaving Roosevelt still ahead 7-6.
South then stepped up defensively as Jace Bellah picked off Brig Hartson putting the Colts back on offense. The drive ended with Bellah scoring from one-yard out to make a 13-7 edge for the Colts.
The Colts couldn’t hold the lead though as the offensive line continued to create space for the Roosevelt runners to advance the ball. Cooper Walton and Hartson each added a rushing touchdown to give the Rough Riders a 21-13 lead at halftime.
“We just have to thank the big boys today,” Sterkel said. “They opened up a lot of holes up and there was some pretty good running today.”
That was especially the case in the second half and the defensive line decided to get in on the fun. Bellah scored with 7:41 left in the third quarter to put the Colts within two but from that point on, the Rough Riders had a signed deed on the line of scrimmage.
Each time Roosevelt needed three yards, they got six. Each time the Colts needed two yards, they got one. Walton and Sterkel each scored two rushing touchdowns in the second half and South was held scoreless after Bellah’s score in the third.
“Our offense is a stud offense,” Hartson said. “We have a couple of great receivers, a couple of great running backs, an absolute unit of an offensive line and our defense has four outstanding linebackers. When we put those four on one running back, there’s no way he’s going to get very far.”
The win was something the team has believed in since they started virtual meetings back in March. The belief was only intensified when they beat Mead 21-20 in overtime earlier this season.
When Wasinger leads his team on the field next week, it will be a state football championship experience unlike any other. But there is no group of kids, he’d rather share the unique experience with.
“I knew this group was special,” he said. “These seniors makeup my first four-year group and they mean a lot to me. What a way to maximize our season. I’m proud of them for that.”
Palmer Ridge will play in its fourth straight state football championship game after beating beating Fountain-Fort Carson 28-12 in the Class 4A semifinals.
