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LAKEWOOD — Down a point, Broomfield needed a game-winning drive to reach the state title game.
And the Eagles got exactly that, thanks to an 80-yard march down the field which included three fourth-down conversions that ultimately led to a game-winning 25-yard field goal from junior Matthew Eich. It secured a 17-15 win for Broomfield over Dakota Ridge in the Class 4A football semifinals.
“It’s just amazing,” Eich said. “For the seniors, it’s been a hell of a ride, and I’m glad we get one more (game).”
The kick was into a 10 mph wind towards the north end zone.
“You’ve got to block that out,” Eich said. “It wasn’t too far of a kick. I had a lot of confidence in myself, because all season I’ve been pretty good inside of 30 yards.”
And he was again on Saturday afternoon, splitting the uprights dead center as the clock hit zeroes.
“We knew he had it in him,” said Broomfield coach Blair Hubbard. “We just had to get the ball in good position, and hope for a good snap, good hold, and put it up through.”
It will be Broomfield’s second championship game appearance under Hubbard. The Eagles (13-0) also went in his first year, 2016. Next week’s game at Mile High will be the program’s seventh time in a title game.
Broomfield senior Caden Peters (6) celebrates his 80-yard touchdown run with teammates Trent Finnegan (21) and Joseph DeCamillis (53) in the second quarter at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletic)
“I’m just happy for these guys,” Hubbard said. “We get another week together. That’s the thing with the playoffs: We always just push because we want another week together. Don’t let these memories end, and keep fighting for another week. And these guys get to have another week together with each other.”
Broomfield led 14-7 at halftime, and both defenses were outstanding in the second half.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Dakota Ridge was able to break through when quarterback Ben Gultig scored from 35 yards out, and then found Jamal Yatribi for a two-point conversion to put his team up 15-14 with 6:34 to play.
Dakota Ridge ended Broomfield’s next possession with an interception, but Broomfield then forced Dakota Ridge to punt. That set the stage for the final drive: Broomfield got the ball at its own 20, with 3:36 to play.
Broomfield slowly drove down the field, but soon faced a 4th-and-1 from near midfield with two minutes remaining. Quarterback Zachary Kapushion picked up the first down with a run up the middle.
But, after three quick incompletions, there was another fourth down in their way, this one 4th-and-10, from the 50. There was 1:11 left. And Kapushion again rose to the occasion, finding Grant Swenson for 13 yards.
Three plays later, it was again 4th-and-10. And once more, Kapushion and Broomfield converted. He hit River Juarez for 12 yards.
(Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
On the next series, when Kapushion scrambled to his right and ran out of bounds for a short gain, a Dakota Ridge defender hit him late out of bounds, which set Broomfield up at the 8-yard-line. Two plays later, Eich nailed the game-winner.
Broomfield’s Caden Peters had a big game with 193 yards and two touchdowns. Peters, a senior, entered the day with 2,374 rushing yards, which led all classifications in the state.
“He’s done a great job,” Hubbard said. “A very humble young man, and he thanks his line after every single game, and thanks the defense. He knows his accolades, his yards, it’s a team effort, and he’s always very humble about it.”
Dakota Ridge (10-3) scored first with a statement drive late in the first quarter, capped by a 9-yard passing touchdown from Gultig to Yatribi.
But Broomfield responded with a long drive of its own, and it was Peters who scored from 5 yards out to tie the game at 7.
After forcing a punt, it took one play for Broomfield to take the lead: Peters went 80 yards, up the middle, to put the Eagles up 14-7.
Dakota Ridge again had a long drive, and got all the way to the 1-yard-line after converting a fourth-down attempt, but they fumbled, and Broomfield’s Simon Worthley recovered. It was the second time they’d done that in the first half: Dakota Ridge drove down to the 3 on their opening drive, but a miscommunication on a snap led to a fumble, which Worthley also recovered.
It was typical of how the Broomfield defense has been playing of late: In their past seven games, they have given up an average of seven points per game.
Now that defense, and the rest of the Eagles squad, will head to Mile High next week.
Broomfield junior quarterback Zachary Kapushion gets some time to pass during the Class 4A state semifinal game Saturday at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Dakota Ridge football coach Ron Woitalewicz works with players during practice this week. Woitalewicz has spent more than two decades at Dakota Ridge and 19 seasons as the Eagles’ head coach. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
LITTLETON — Through a handful of season-ending injuries, along with a shutout loss in Dakota Ridge’s regular-season finale, the Eagles have endured.
“This team has been so resilient,” Dakota Ridge football coach Ron Woitalewicz said this week during a practice before the Eagles’ Class 4A state semifinal game scheduled for noon Saturday, Nov. 30, at Jeffco Stadium against Broomfield. “It has been next man up.”
Dakota Ridge junior quarterback Ben Gultig had helped the Eagles put up 73 points in their two playoff games. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The two biggest losses for Dakota Ridge came early in the season. Returning all-conference offensive lineman Matthew Heitmann, who has verbally committed to Air Force, was lost after knee injury before the Eagles’ season opener.
Then starting junior running back Sean McNamara went down with another season-ending knee injury before conference play began. The latest loss was junior offensive lineman Jason Soderlin.
“They have refused to let the injuries be a reason to not be good and compete,” Woitalewicz said. “I think a lot of that has to do with our senior leadership.”
No. 6-seeded Dakota Ridge (10-2 record) entered the postseason on a sour note. The Eagles’ 14-0 shutout loss to Golden on Nov. 8 kept Dakota Ridge from winning the 4A Jeffco League title, but served as a benefit in the long run.
“That was kind of devastating,” Woitalewicz said of the loss. “But these guys’ goal was to win a state championship. It would have been nice to win a league championship, but I think it was a good wake-up call for our kids. We aren’t good enough to just show up and play.”
Who has really shown up this postseason for Dakota Ridge is junior Charlie Offerdahl. Pressed into playing more running back, Offerdahl has 40 carries for 300 yards and six touchdowns on the ground in playoff wins over Fruita Monument and Heritage.
Dakota Ridge’s leading tackler — junior Steve Reyes — will have his sights set on Broomfield running back Caden Peters on Saturday afternoon at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“We are kind of at the point of the season now where you don’t think about plays. You think about players,” Woitalewicz said. “That kid (Offerdahl) has been a warrior. He is the best player on the field on offense and defense. He does it all.”
Offerdahl rarely comes off the field playing defensive back and also special teams as a returner. However, the junior is quick to deflect his success.
“I like to give all the credit to my offensive line,” Offerdahl said. “They put in the work all week and it paid off in the games.”
The hard work ahead for Dakota Ridge is facing the last remaining undefeated team in 4A — No. 2 Broomfield (12-0). Broomfield cruised to a 27-3 victory over Chatfield in its state quarterfinal game last week.
Senior running back Caden Peters as been the workhorse for Broomfield and coach Blair Hubbard’s squad all season. Peters had 34 carries for 179 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week against Chatfield.
“That has to be the No. 1 key. That kid (Peters) rushed for 2,300 yards and they are big up front,” Woitalewicz said. “I think to stop Caden Peters has to be the No. 1 focus.”
Peters has 274 carries for 2,374 yards and 20 touchdowns so far this season.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Dakota Ridge junior linebacker Steve Reyes said of facing Peters. “I trust our defensive line on getting some penetration to allow the linebackers to run free.”
This is Dakota Ridge’s fourth trip to the state semifinals. The Eagles lost to Jeffco rival Wheat Ridge in 2008 and 2010 in the semifinals. The lone trip to the 4A state championship game for Dakota Ridge came in 2004. The Eagles lost to ThunderRidge 45-29.
“It’s good to be back,” said Woitalewicz, who is in his 24th season at Dakota Ridge and 19th as head coach. “Anytime you can practice on Thanksgiving it’s the greatest thing ever.”
Dakota Ridge senior lineman James Hess, far right, has been apart of the senior class that has brought solid leadership to the Eagles this season. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The following information shows the designated home teams for potential matchups in the Class 3A, 4A and 5A state football championship games. The formula for determining the home team is shown in the football bulletin.
Sites are determined each week at the CHSAA office, one-and-a-half weeks prior to the next round.
[divider]
Explanation
How the home sites are determined.
For 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A: The team with the fewest playoff home games will host. If equal, the higher seed will host.
For 8-man and 6-man: The team with the fewest playoff home games will host. If equal, a coin flip determines the home team.
[divider]
Future home sites
Key: Home games – Fewest home playoff games; Higher seed – The highest seeded team; Coin Toss – A coin toss was used.
The No. 1 teams in the preseason girls basketball rankings include: Cherry Creek, Mullen, St. Mary’s, Limon and Kit Carson.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. During the regular season, they are released each Monday.
Montrose 30, D’Evelyn 27, Erie 24, Sierra 18, Ponderosa 16, Sand Creek 15, George Washington 12, Longmont 4, Skyline 4, Canon City 2, Roosevelt 2, Skyview 2, Thomas Jefferson 1.
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
1
St. Mary’s (10)
0-0
100
2
Pagosa Springs
0-0
85
3
Delta
0-0
66
4
Lutheran
0-0
64
5
Eaton
0-0
49
6
Centauri
0-0
45
7
Alamosa
0-0
36
8
Platte Valley
0-0
27
9
Colorado Springs Christian
0-0
20
10
University
0-0
17
Others receiving votes:
The Academy 15, Resurrection Christian 7, Cedaredge 5, Faith Christian 3, Manitou Springs 3, Moffat County 3, SkyView Academy 3, Lamar 2, Grand Valley 1.
Class 2A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
1
Limon (8)
0-0
114
2
Sanford
0-0
85
3
Wray (1)
0-0
71
4
Yuma (3)
0-0
65
5
Del Norte
0-0
59
6
Meeker
0-0
51
7
Swink
0-0
45
8
Holyoke
0-0
37
9
Heritage Christian
0-0
29
10
Ignacio
0-0
28
Others receiving votes:
Simla 21, Rye 20, Rocky Ford 12, Dawson 6, Highland 5, Soroco 5, Peyton 4, Center 1, Lyons 1, Sedgwick County 1.
Class 1A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
1
Kit Carson (7)
0-0
114
2
Briggsdale (2)
0-0
108
3
Fleming (3)
0-0
95
4
South Baca
0-0
81
5
Genoa-Hugo/Karval
0-0
66
6
Sangre de Cristo (1)
0-0
48
7
Springfield
0-0
36
8
Merino
0-0
27
9
Haxtun
0-0
25
10
De Beque
0-0
22
Others receiving votes:
Cotopaxi 19, Elbert 12, Shining Mountain Waldorf 12, Lone Star 10, La Veta 9, Kim/Branson 7, Hanover 6, Wiley 6, Dove Creek 5, McClave 5, Cheraw 1, Idalia 1.
BROOMFIELD — Caden Peters hadn’t forgot the team that eliminated Broomfield from the Class 4A football state playoffs a year ago.
“They beat us last year, so we came out for revenge,” Peters said after the Eagles took a 27-3 victory over Chatfield on Saturday afternoon at Elizabeth Kennedy Stadium. “We wanted them bad. For the seniors, this was our last game on our home field and we put everything we had on the field today and it paid off.”
Broomfield’s defense continued its incredible run. The Eagles have gone six straight games holding opponents to single-digit points after Broomfield’s 27-3 victory over Chatfield. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Chatfield upset Broomfield 10-7 last season in a first-round playoff game on the Eagles’ home field. There would be no repeat upset for the No. 7-seeded Chargers against the No. 2 and undefeated Eagles (12-0 record).
Broomfield got off a rough start offensively fumbling on its first offensive snap, but the Eagles’ ground game went to work after the miscue. Broomfield had back-to-back scoring drive of 11-plays, 76 yards and 9-plays 67 yards to grab a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
While quarterback Zachary Kapushion and senior Trey Ortega finished off the drives with short scoring runs, it was Peters who carried the major of the load on both drives. The senior running back had 13 carries for 89 yards on those two drives alone.
“He (Peters) does such a great job finding those holes, making the cuts and then accelerating through,” Broomfield coach Blair Hubbard said. “He thanks his line every week and is a humble kid. He is grateful for the guys upfront.”
An interception by Broomfield junior Jaden Solano with less than four minutes to play before halftime helped set up Peters get into the end zone for the first of two scores for one of the top rushers in the state.
Chatfield senior Malcolm Boyd (3) breaks into the open during the first quarter Saturday against Broomfield. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Peters capped off a 12-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown run with 23 seconds left in the first half. Chatfield did work its way into field-goal position to close out the half. Senior Andrew Lazarus booted a 45-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, but it would be the only score for Chatfield (9-3).
“That is the best team we’ve seen this year,” Chatfield coach Bret McGatlin simply stated. “They hit hard. Control the line of scrimmage on both sides. They took us out of things we wanted to do and then you have to do things you don’t want to do.”
McGatlin did come out aggressive in the second half. The Chargers successfully recovered an on-side kick, but junior quarterback Ethan Delfino was picked off on the following play by Broomfield senior Aedan Collins.
“That was tough,” McGatlin said of the interception. “You go down and score there they you get some confidence. We never really got that going.”
Broomfield’s ground game went back to work following the turnover. The Eagles went on a 7-minute, 16-play drive that covered 77 yards and concluded with another short touchdown run by Peters for what would be the final score of the game.
Chatfield junior quarterback Ethan Delfino (12) gets off a pass during the Class 4A state quarterfinal game Saturday at Broomfield High School. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
It was the 20th touchdown run for Peters who is well over the 2,000-yard mark on the ground heading into next week’s state semifinal against No. 6 Dakota Ridge.
“Both lines played really well today,” Hubbard said of the Eagles’ big guys up front. “Our offensive line really got after it this week. We are surviving and advancing onto next week. We are excited about the opportunity.”
Dakota Ridge (10-2) edged Heritage on Friday night 38-34. The 4A state semifinal game will likely be played Saturday afternoon at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood.
“I’m glad I get to play with these guys for another week,” Peters said. “Hopefully two more weeks and go to Mile High.”
The other 4A semifinal will pit No. 5 Pueblo West against No. 1 Pine Creek at 1 p.m. Saturday at District 20 Stadium in Colorado Springs.
Broomfield senior River Juarez (27) attempts to elude a trio of Chatfield defenders during the first half Saturday afternoon at Elizabeth Kennedy Stadium. The Eagles took a 27-3 victory to advance to next week’s Class 4A state semifinals against Dakota Ridge at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
