Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.
To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.
To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.
LAKEWOOD — The announcement this week that the state wrestling tournament won’t be held at its usual site was another change during this ever changing 2020-21 prep sports season in Colorado.
However, the news that Ball Arena (formerly Pepsi Center) won’t be the site of the state tournament next month hasn’t dampened Pomona’s focus on going after its fifth Class 5A team title over the past six years and eighth team title since 2000.
“I don’t mind. I really don’t,” Pomona coach Sam Federico said of the news coming down Wednesday that all classifications for the state tournament will be held at the Southwest Motors Events Center on the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo. “I’m glad we have one. I’d do it in South Dakota if we had to. Anywhere is good for me.”
Pomona junior Jacob Judd, behind, works on getting back points during his 170-pound match against Lakewood senior Nolan Hoefner. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The Panthers — ranked No. 1 in 5A by Tim Yount of On the Mat — has an extremely deep squad this season. Pomona has 11 wrestlers that are ranked in the top-5 of their weight class in the new rankings released this week.
“This is probably one of the best teams we’ve had in years,” Pomona sophomore Jakob Romero said after the Panthers’ tri meet Thursday at Lakewood High School. “We are strong everywhere. We can bump guys up and bump guys down. I’ve wrestled with everyone on this team for the past five-plus years. I’ll do anything for these guys.”
Pomona actually brought just a handful of its varsity wrestlers to the duals against Standley Lake and Lakewood. Still, the Panthers dominated with a 72-6 win over the Gators and 58-14 victory against the Tigers.
Two of the top Pomona wrestlers that saw some action with Romero and junior Jacob Judd. Romero took a 21-5 tech fall victory and managed a pin in the first period in his second match. Judd grabbed a pair of pins in his matches at 170 pounds.
“We are deep, but there are some good teams out there,” Federico said. “We’ll see this weekend when we wrestling Ponderosa and Brighton, two teams that are always good. We’ve got to stay healthy and keep working hard. If we do that good things will happen.”
The Panthers head to Ponderosa High School on Saturday for a pair of dual matches against No. 2 Ponderosa and No. 3 Brighton. It might be one of the best tests for Pomona before heading to regionals scheduled for March 5 and 6.
Federico doesn’t believe the last of tournaments will effect the Panthers. He had a lot of his wrestlers compete at a national tournament in Utah before the season started. Most of his year-round wrestlers have been able to compete at tournament during the COVID pandemic.
“There was so much stop and go,” Federico said of changing on the fly this season. “I’m just glad we got it pinned down and we are wrestling now. It’s good to see the guys out wrestling now.”
Romero is one of those wrestlers who is glad to be back on the mats. The sophomore that placed second at state last year at 126 pounds talked Thursday night about his own battle with COVID-19.
Romero actually came down with COVID in November. He went through return-to-play protocol to return to the mats after his bout with the virus.
Pomona sophomore Jakob Romero, top, controls his match with Standley Lake sophomore Aidan Carlin on Thursday night at Lakewood High School. The Panthers currently have 11 wrestlers ranked in the top-5 in their individual weight classes. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“My family got it. We are all athletes in the family,” Romero said. “We didn’t get it too bad, but I did see some in pact on my training and endurance. I took two weeks off, but still wasn’t myself. It’s just different for everyone.”
The sophomore has a realist perspective on what high school wrestling will look like for at least the near future.
“With COVID, it doesn’t seem to be dying down,” Romero said. “This may be the new norm for us. At least for a little bit.”
Romero admitted he was upset that the state tournament was moved from Ball Arena to Pueblo, but having a state tournament March 13 is what is important.
“In the end, I’m just glad we have a season,” Romero said.
Judd mirrors how everything can change. As a freshman his first tournament he wrestled at 106 pounds. He eventually placed 6th at the state tournament at 113. He wrestled at 132 and 145 pounds last year, qualifying for the state tournament at 145.
Now, Judd is all the way up to the 170-pound weight class and is ranked No. 3.
“I’ve been able to learn a whole bunch wrestling with a lot of different partners,” Judd said. “Most of the kids on the club don’t grow as fast as me. I’ve been able to practice with everyone in there.”
While Pomona has plenty of youth with a dozen varsity wrestlers either freshmen, sophomores or juniors this season they don’t want to take the 2021 season as a throwaway season.
“I’m trying to get the best out of the year,” Judd said. “One more year after this and I want to get two (individual) state championships.”
Pomona’s 113-pounder Gino Cardenas, top, took a 16-0 tech fall against Standley Lake junior Chance Clarke on Thursday night. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.
To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.
To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.
Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.
To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.
To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.
Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.
To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.
To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.
The 2020 all-state football teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.
These teams were created following a lengthy process which included nominations from leagues, and then a vote of head coaches across the state.
Players were placed onto the first-team, second-team and honorable mention based upon the number of votes they received. In 5A-1A, spots were reserved for linemen and one kicker/punter, while 8-man reserved spots for linemen.
CHSAA does not determine who makes or doesn’t make the team; they are created from the results of the coaches’ vote.
Because there will be two football seasons during the 2020-21 school year, this is the all-state football team for Season A. There will be a separate all-state football team released for Season C.
Jay Madden celebrates with his family after Pomona’s 56-49 victory over Eaglecrest in the Class 5A state championship game in 2017 at Mile High Stadium. (Lance Wendt/CHSAANow.com)
ARVADA — After nearly two decades leading Pomona High School’s football program, Jay Madden officially stepped down as head coach this week.
“Number one is I’m tired. I’ve been doing this a long time and the stuff that goes along with being a head coach wears you out,” Madden said in a phone interview Tuesday morning. “I love coaching. I love kids. I love football. I’ll probably never quit coaching.”
Madden will remain as a teacher at Pomona. He has a few more years before retiring from teaching and wants to focus on being a father.
Jay Madden spent 26 years as a head high school football coach in Colorado with stops at Alameda, Dakota Ridge, Mullen and Pomona. (Lance Wendt/CHSAANow.com)
“It was time to not be the boss anymore,” Madden said. “It’s time to be a dad. I’ve got a son who will be a sophomore in high school next school year. I can be his dad for three years, recharge my batteries and hopefully go back and do this all over again.”
What Madden — 1986 Pomona graduate — has done as a high school football coach in Colorado since his first head coaching job at Alameda in 1995 is impressive. He spent five seasons at Dakota Ridge (1996-2000) and two years at Mullen (2001 and 2002) before heading back to his alma mater for an 18-year stint.
At Pomona, he guided the Panthers to the Class 5A state quarterfinals each year except for once since 2008. As one of the smallest 5A football schools in the state, the Panthers advanced to the state semifinals six times and played in four state championship games (2009, 2015, 2016 and 2017), including winning the 5A title in 2017 over Eaglecrest.
“Honestly, I had no idea,” Madden said of his goals when he took over the Pomona football program in 2003. “At the time I was just glad to be back in Jefferson County. I had been told when I took the job that it was never going to be the same as the glory days. We were going to prove them wrong and I believe we did that.”
There are numerous on-field memories that Madden will never forget. The state championship victory at Mile High Stadium, a 2011 victory over Mullen and even this season defeating rival Ralston Valley with a last-second field goal.
“Eighteen years is one spot is a long time. It was a good run, that’s for sure,” Madden said. “We did it the right way. We grew where we were planted and made this a great place.”
Walking away from a program that Madden spent 18 years building into a perennial powerhouse was difficult.
Jay Madden guided the Panthers to a 7-1 record this past season, including a Class 5A Jeffco League title and advancing to the state semifinals. (Lance Wendt/CHSAANow.com)
“There is never an easy time to step down because you always have another great group of kids that you love,” Madden said. “Number one is I’m going to miss the players. The before practice time. The weight room time. The times where the kids are just being kids. And I’m going to miss my assistant coaches.”
Pomona athletic director Mike Santarelli has the task of finding Madden’s replacement. That won’t be an easy to replace Madden who racked up a 218-86 record as head coach over 26 seasons.
“Jay is probably the best Xs and Os coach I’ve ever seen,” Santarelli said. “He is always one step ahead of everybody. He does an outstanding job of getting his players ready for games.”
Santarelli added that Madden’s ability to adjust from year-to-year when it comes to highlighting the strengths of his players is unmatched.
“We just have to start looking,” Santarelli said. “We are changing. Demographics and interests aren’t the same. COVID hasn’t helped us either. We’ve got to get someone who is willing to put the time and effort in.”
Madden said there wasn’t an extra pressure taking over his alma mater back in 2003, but there was extra pride building up Pomona were he had been around since when his father became the freshman football coach in 1980.
“We’ve had some great kids. Great coaches and a great community,” Madden said.
It was semifinal Saturday as all seven classes were in action. That means that each championship matchup has been set up ahead of next week’s Championship Weekend at CSU Pueblo.
Cherry Creek scored on a Hail Mary as the first half ended to turn a one-score game to a 21-7 advantage, and the Bruins’ offense kept it up in the second half as they advanced to a third-straight title game.
Julian Hammond III threw two touchdowns, and star defensive back/offensive threat Myles Purchase had three touchdowns. Cherry Creek’s Gunnar Helm and Chase Penry each had receiving scores.
Cherry Creek, the defending champions, will be making its 19th appearance in a state title game, and third straight.
Already up 14-0 after the first quarter, Valor Christian exploded for 31 second-quarter points as the Eagles advanced to the program’s 10th state title game.
Valor score two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter, including one from Jordan Norwood, and then their special teams (blocked punt return from Mitchell Bigelow) and defense (Luke Meyer’s 17-yard fumble return) added two more scores early in the second.
Jackson Zimmermann added a receiving score, and Gabe Sawchuk scored on the ground.
Valor Christian is 8-1-0 in its previous trips to a championship game.
Loveland scored all of its points in the first half, and its defense held firm to secure a second championship game appearance in three years.
Tyson Williams had a 12-yard rushing touchdown which opened the scoring in the first quarter. After Dakota Ridge took a 7-6 lead, Loveland’s Garrett Harstad scored from 3 yards out.
Then, in the second quarter, Zack Rakowsky broke off a 73-yard rushing score for Loveland.
Loveland moves on to make its 15th championship game appearance.
A tight game through the first two quarters, Roosevelt’s Brig Hartson scored from 6 yards out in the final minute of the first half to put his team up 21-13.
Pueblo South’s Jace Bellah scored in the third quarter to cut it to 21-19, but Roosevelt close the game with 28 unanswered points.
This will be Roosevelt’s third championship game appearance, and first since 2015.
Durango built a 21-0 halftime lead, one it extended to 28-0 early in the third quarter as the Demons flexed their muscle in the win.
“The kids just executed our game plan perfectly,” Durango coach David Vogt told the Colorado Preps Scoreboard Show. “Our offense just really was rolling.”
Jordan Woolverton led the way for Durango with two rushing touchdowns, a passing score, and an interception on defense. Gage Mestas had two touchdowns: one receiving, and one rushing. Ben Finneseth also added a 40-yard rushing touchdown.
It is Durango’s first appearance in a championship game since 1988, and fourth overall. They are 0-3-1 all-time in title games.
“Every year, that’s our goal: To make it to the state championship,” Vogt said. “To accomplish that, it’s great for everybody who has ever been in the program. Everybody is so happy for the program, and the town is just elated, too.”
This will be Eaton’s first appearance in a state championship game since 2003, and the program’s eighth overall. Eaton has won one championship before, in 2000.
“The look on the players’ faces, it’s classic. It just brings tears to your eyes. Excited for them, that their hard work is playing off. You just love to see that look on their faces,” Eaton coach Zac Lemon told the Scoreboard Show.
Eaton led 14-7 at the half, and pushed their lead to 27-7 in the fourth quarter.
“We knew it was going to be a battle in the trenches. It wasn’t easy, but our guys battled,” Lemon said. “We did a little ‘bend, but don’t break.’ Guys played selfless, and excellent.”
Lamar’s lone score came less than a minute into the second quarter, when Zane Rankin hit Blake Buxton for a 38-yard touchdown. A Luis DeLaTorre extra point immediately after ultimately proved to be the difference in this game.
“Zane put it right on him for the touchdown,” Lamar coach Jason Tice told the Scoreboard Show.
The lead held through halftime and into the third quarter when Delta’s Nathan Scharnhorst scored from 6 yards out with 8 minutes remaining in the quarter. The extra point attempt, though, was not good.
“Our defense stood tall,” Tice said. “The defense really did a nice job today.”
Lamar will head to a title game for the first time since 1963.
“We’ve got great kids. This senior class is remarkable. It’s one of the best senior classes I’ve ever been a part of,” Tice said. “These guys just go out there and they play for one another. As a coach, that’s all you can ask for.”
The Badgers, two-time defending champions, are headed back to the title game.
Tied at halftime, Limon took a 14-7 lead with three minutes to play in the third following a long drive.
“Our kids did a really nice job,” Limon coach Mike O’Dwyer told the Scoreboard Show. “We had talked all week that this game was going to be 3 and 4 and 5 yards, and the team that can sustain that drive and not make mistakes and turn the ball over would win. I really thought our kids did a nice job. We ate up about 8 and a half minutes.”
The Badgers added a field goal early in the fourth to go ahead 17-7.
“To make it a two-score game, you felt a little bit more comfortable,” O’Dwyer said.
Wray cut the lead to 17-14 three minutes later, but Limon sealed the game with a touchdown pass with two minutes remaining.
“It was a great team effort on the defensive side,” O’Dwyer said.
Limon has the most championships of any program in the state, with 19. They have been to a title game 27 times before, also the most in the state.
For the fifth-straight year, Strasburg will head to the championship game. The squad has played Limon each of the past two seasons.
Down 14-0 in the first half, and 14-6 at halftime, Strasburg got a rushing touchdown and a two-point conversion midway through the third quarter to tie things at 14-14. Then, with five minutes to play in the fourth quarter, another rushing score gave Strasburg a 21-14 lead.
“When we got down 14-0, nothing was working for us offensively. Centauri came out and they were flying around the football,” Strasburg coach Brian Brown told the Scoreboard Show. “We told the boys, ‘We’re not used to this, but we got to keep our composure.’ Our boys, they never seem too worried about what the score is. They just know that if they keep doing the things they do best, good things will happen.”
They then sealed the game with a pick-6 with three minutes to play.
Strasburg will be making its seventh appearance in a championship game.
The Cougars have advanced to their sixth-straight state title game, and are looking to become just the second program to ever win six consecutive championships. Only Limon has done it before, from 1963-68.
“I think later on down the road, we’ll be able to look back and realize what had happened. Right now, we’re just a one-day-at-a-time team, just like everybody else,” Sedgwick County coach Chris Michel told the Scoreboard Show.
Sedgwick County scored four times on the ground, once through the air, and also had a 64-yard punt return for a score. The Cougars led 40-6 at halftime.
“We do a really good job, when we get some momentum, of capitalizing on that,” Michel said.
•••
(2) Sanford 16, (6) Merino 14
This marks the first time in program history that Sanford will play for a state football championship.
“Beyond excited,” Sanford coach Joe Cary told the Scoreboard Show. “We’re extremely excited to be able to go and do this.”
Sanford trailed 14-8 at halftime in a physical game. They went ahead 16-14 in the fourth quarter on a speed-option play.
“The kids never dropped their heads,” Cary said. “Never once did they let the doubt creep in. They just fought and fought.”
It was a shootout back-and-forth kind of game between the two teams that saw a number of lead changes.
Granada led 46-38 in the fourth quarter, but a long touchdown run cut it to 46-44 for Fleming. The Wildcats then took the lead for good on an 8-yard pass.
“It was a great game,” Fleming coach John King told the Scoreboard Show.
Fleming, the defending champion, will head back to the championship game for a second year in a row, and for the seventh time in program history.
“I’m sure it’s going to be one heck of a test for us again,” King said.
•••
(2) Stratton/Liberty 36, (3) Cheyenne Wells 15
It’ll be a fourth-straight title game appearance for the Knighted Eagles, and a rematch of last year’s title game, won by Fleming.
Against Cheyenne Wells, Stratton/Liberty trailed 15-14 at halftime. They closed with 22 unanswered points.
“I thought we just played harder, with more heart, and more urgency, in the second half,” Stratton/Liberty Toby Kechter told the Scoreboard Show. “The second half, we just ran right at them and we finally found some holes.”
This will be Stratton/Liberty’s 15th championship game in program history.
“We’re excited. You take away our best player Week 2, and our kids really stepped up,” Kechter said. “They played with a lot of heart and desire and want-to.”
After a thrilling week of Colorado playoff football games, teams roll into semifinals this weekend. With upsets in nearly every big-school classification, intriguing matchups have been set as teams prepare to earn a chance to get to the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl in Pueblo to compete for state football championships.
Here is a look at the semifinal games for the big-school games this weekend.
Breakdown: Two coaches very familiar with each other will face off once again as they each look to claim another state title. Dave Logan led Cherry Creek to the 5A crown last year and has a team loaded with talent once again in 2020.
Quarterback Julian Hammond has thrown for over 1,000 yards and 17 touchdowns and he also has the experience of leading the Bruins (7-0) to a state title. Cherry Creek won their quarterfinal game over Regis Jesuit 29-6 thanks to big plays from James Walker and Myles Purchase.
Pomona fell behind early in its quarterfinal game against Eaglecrest but behind Ian Dexter’s 101 rushing yards and the team’s six total rushing touchdowns, the Panthers grabbed a 49-14 win to advance.
Cherry Creek beat Pomona 12-7 in last year’s semifinals and the Panthers certainly wouldn’t mind evening the score this weekend.
• • •
(3) Legend at (2) Valor Christian
Paul Shepardson / Paul Shepardson Photography
Date and time: Nov. 28, 1 p.m.
Breakdown: Without Gavin Sawchuk, it seemed like Valor Christian’s game against Cherokee Trail was going to get a whole lot tougher. But Zach Wiley had other plans.
The backup ran for four first-half touchdowns to help the Eagles (6-0) to a 49-14 win over the Cougars. A few of those touchdowns were set up by brilliant completions from Sean McNair to Tyler Larson.
Valor is looking to get back to the state title game after getting beaten in the state quarterfinals a year ago.
Speaking of backup running backs, no one had a better weekend than Legend’s Bryce Vaz.
The junior broke out for 310 yards and six touchdowns as the Titans (7-0) beat Fairview 56-35 to advance to the state semifinals for the first time in the program’s history. Vaz spent his freshman year at Valor and is looking forward to displaying his ability against his former school.
Breakdown: Dakota Ridge wasn’t messing around when the postseason got underway as it scored 10 offensive touchdowns to beat Montrose 76-34 in the quarterfinals.
Ben Gultig ran for 101 yards and a touchdown and Noah Triplett accounted for three of the Eagles’ seven total rushing touchdowns on the day.
Loveland’s trip to the semifinals came thanks in part to a major boost on the defensive side of the ball.
Joe Killian’s pick-six was came at a crucial time and led the team to a 28-7 win over Broomfield, the 2019 4A runner-up. Zack Rakowsky had a banner day running the ball, amassing 183 yards and two touchdowns.
• • •
(2) Palmer Ridge at (6) Fountain-Fort Carson
(Paul Shepardson / Paul Shepardson Photography)
Date and time: Nov. 28, 1 p.m.
Breakdown: Palmer Ridge is in search of its fourth straight state title and its first in 4A. The Bears (5-0) looked strong in their 32-7 win over Pine Creek in the quarterfinals.
Luke McAllister threw for 367 yards and five touchdowns, four of which landed in the hands of Marcellus Reed.
The Palmer Ridge passing attack will be countered by one of the best running backs in the state.
Q. Jones put his talent on a full display in the Trojans (6-1) 41-38 win over Ponderosa last week. Jones ran for 332 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
Palmer Ridge is on the road because of a rule in 4A through 6-man which allows teams with fewer postseason home games to host.
Breakdown: Roosevelt was nearly the victim of a major upset at the hands of Fort Morgan in the quarterfinals.
A last-second field goal from Brecken Sawyer gave the Roughriders (6-0) the win and moved them on to the semis. Cooper Walton was also crucial to the win as he punched in two rushing touchdowns.
Pueblo South advanced to the semifinals due to Mead forfeiting their game last week because of COVID-19 issues.
The Colts (5-0) have looked strong all year as George Longoria has rushed for 816 yards and 12 touchdowns in just four games. South beat Vista Ridge 35-28 in its most recent game.
• • •
(3) Durango at (2) Holy Family
(Lance Wendt/wendt5280.com)
Date and time: Nov. 28, 12 p.m.
Breakdown: Holy Family made a big statement in its playoff opening win against Evergreen. The Tigers (7-0) maintained a balanced offensive attack as Michael White threw for 242 yards and four touchdowns.
Oscar Sena caught five passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns and the team overall rushed for 133 yards and a pair of scores.
Durango’s banner season continued as the Demons beat Lutheran 47-6 in the 3A quarterfinals.
Jordan Woolverton threw for 154 yards and three touchdowns while Ben Finneseth ran for 130 yards and scored two touchdowns.
