There were quite a few changes to this week’s football rankings, with Dakota Ridge (4A), Roosevelt (3A), Resurrection Christian (2A), and Fleming (6-man) taking over atop their respective classifications.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.
Roosevelt defense stepped up in a monster moment on Friday night.
The fifth-ranked Roughriders, who had battled with Mead all night, held firm on a two-point conversion attempt to knock off the No. 1 team in Class 3A, 21-20.
Roosevelt got the ball first in overtime, and took just one play to score: Quarterback Brig Hartson found Keaton Kaiser for the score. The extra point was good, and then Mead’s offense took the field.
Likewise, the Mavericks needed just one play to score, when Brayden Keys dashed in for six. Mead coach Jason Klatt opted to go for the two-point conversion.
That’s when Roosevelt’s defense stuffed a run up the middle, setting off a celebration in Johnstown.
Roosevelt opened the game with a touchdown on its first drive, finished off when Brig Hartson found Tucker Peterson for a 19-yard touchdown pass.
The game stayed 7-0 until the third quarter, when Evan Morris tied the game up for Mead with a 1-yard rushing score.
Hartson, who ended the game with three touchdown passes, put Roosevelt up 14-7 with a 4-yard touchdown to Jadyn Herrera early in the fourth. But Mead responded quickly with a 74-yard pass from Porter Eastin to Corby Tecu, and the game eventually found its way to overtime.
Roosevelt is now 2-0, while Mead moves to 1-1.
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2A: (3) Sterling 14, (5) Eaton 10
The defending champions built a 14-3 lead at the break, and went on to win.
The Tigers’ defense had an outstanding game, and even scored a touchdown.
“It was a tough game, a hard-fought contest,” Sterling coach Rob Busmente told the Colorado Preps Scoreboard Show. “It kind of went back and forth there for a while. Teams were battling and putting together some drives. It was back-and-forth, back-and-forth, and fortunately we were able to make a couple of stops and get a couple of takeaways.”
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8-man: Haxtun 38, (3) Dayspring Christian 36
Michael Gerk had four touchdowns, Owen Knode added three, according to KPMX Sports, and Haxtun came away with a monster win for its program.
The Fightin’ Bulldogs established themselves with a scoring drive right out of the gate.
“We jumped out pretty quick on a nice, long drive, and our offensive line kind of set the tone,” coach J.D. Stone told the Scoreboard Show.
Haxtun rebounded from an opening-week loss.
“We were really disappointed last week,” Stone said. “I think we grew a lot from that loss. The team really came together … and had a great week of practice.”
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3A: (10) Lutheran 57, (4) Discovery Canyon 17
The Lions jumped all over the Thunder early and often, leading 28-0 after the first quarter en route to the big win.
“Putting up the points early got us a lot of confidence,” Lutheran coach Stephen Robbins told the Scoreboard Show. “We just pounded it with tempo, and kept going at it. And our linemen up front. I’ll tell you: It’s one of the best O-line groups I’ve had in a decade. They got hungry and they kept going, and that just kind of propelled us.
“I think that was the difference-maker, was how we came out of the gate.”
Robbins said that the win could be “a program-changer.”
“We felt like last year, we left quite a bit on the field, especially against Discovery Canyon,” Robbins said. “So like I said, it’s a program-changer. Kids believe a little bit more, and it gets the community excited as well.”
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6-man: (1) Stratton/Liberty 66, (7) Eads 27
The Knighted Eagles came away with a big top-10 win, but coach Toby Kechter said they lost returning first-team all-state running back Jarret Lichty to an arm injury.
“We got up 16-0, and our best player, and in my opinion, the best player in the state, Jarret Lichty, he dislocated his elbow and broke his arm. Our young kids stepped up and played awesome the rest of the game. Eads is a high-quality team. Our kids, they played for him. They stepped up and played with all their hearts. It was great to see.”
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Notables:
In a top-10 5A matchup, No. 1 Cherry Creek cruised past No. 10 Cherokee Trail 49-7.
In 2A, No. 1 Delta beat No. University 31-21. The game was scheduled at the last minute following COVID-related cancellations.
A rare score here: In 4A, Standley Lake beat Golden 3-0.
In overtime, Riverdale Ridge beat Niwot 14-7 to pick up the program’s first 3A win.
Pueblo Central beat Pueblo Centennial 17-9 to win the 72nd Bell Game.
Montrose stopped a two-point conversion attempt in OT to beat Fruita Monument 28-27.
With smoke from the Cameron Peak Fire blowing in, the game between Erie and Silver Creek experienced a nearly 40-minute “smoke delay.” Erie went on to win 54-27.
In its first varsity season, Severance is now 2-0 following its 54-0 win over Alameda.
With its win over Otis on Friday, Weldon Valley put an end to a 15-game losing streak.
MONTROSE — A top-10 clash served as a major launching point for Class 4A No. 7 Montrose as it cruised to a 43-12 win over No. 10 Chatfield on Friday.
Although the final score was tilted in favor of Montrose (1-0 overall), it was the Chargers who found themselves with the early lead. They moved right down the field and Jake Marshall got them on the board, scoring from two yards out.
The extra point was blocked by Trent Blundell, giving Chatfield just a 6-0 lead.
Montrose wasted no time in responding as Keegan Goodwin scored from 43 yards out, but a missed extra point kept the game tied at the end of the first quarter.
Tayne Ila added a Montrose touchdown and Jake Green’s kick was good, putting the home team ahead 13-6. Montrose held that lead at halftime.
(Josue Perez/Montrose Daily Press)
It took just 32 seconds for Montrose to score at the start of the second half as Ila found the end zone from 28 yards out, increasing the lead to 20-6.
Blundell made his presence known defensively, breaking through the offensive line and wrapping the Chargers up in their own end zone for a safety to make it 22-6.
On the ensuing drive, Blundell scored from nine yards out to make it 29-6.
Defino got a little momentum back in the Chargers favor, scoring from six yards out. Blundell blocked his second extra point of the game to make it 36-12.
Eli Evans added a Montrose touchdown from 12 yards and Green’s kick made it 43-12, which held on to be the the final score.
“First and foremost, it was awesome to be out there and I am so happy for our kids to be able to play the game they love,” Montrose coach Brett Mertens said. “I thought we played very well for the first game of the year. Defensively,I thought we were very physical and offensively I thought we executed very well and wore them out in the second half.”
“We were out coached and out physicated,” Chatfield coach Bret McGatlin said. “We played a very solid team tonight.”
COLORADO SPRINGS — It was a milestone day in so many ways for Cheyenne Mountain.
As the school’s namesake loomed large in the near distance, the boys golf team captured the Class 4A state tournament championship Tuesday at the Country Club of Colorado.
In the process, the school became just the second program in Colorado to win 100 state crowns. Cherry Creek High School, with 217, was the first. This is the school’s second boys golf championship, with the first coming in 2004.
Cheyenne Mountain, which trailed Mullen High School by four strokes after Monday’s first round, roared back to win in the final round by five strokes over the Mustangs (459-464).
“I can’t be any prouder of my team and the heart they showed, starting on the back nine yesterday and carrying over into today,” said Cheyenne Mountain head coach John Carricato, now in his sixth year at the helm.
“We don’t talk about the outcome. We talk about being competitively mature and being able to stay in the moment, and they did a great job doing that these past two days. I can’t be any happier for them.”
It was truly a team win for Cheyenne Mountain, which placed three golfers in the top 15.
Sophomore Carter Surofchek (77-75, 152) finished in a tie for sixth place, followed by senior Connor Moberly (80-74, 154) in a tie for ninth place. Another sophomore, Thomas Herholtz (78-78, 156), finished in a five-way tie for 11th place.
“It feels great, especially being the 100th win for Cheyenne Mountain,” Surofchek said. “I’m almost speechless. It’s just a great feeling. We’ve worked so hard. We’ve outworked everyone.
“We really came back in the second round and worked our butts off,” he added. “It was a true team win. We trusted ourselves, we trusted our teammates and everything came together.”
Montrose, which had won the previous three team titles (2017, 2018, 2019), finished third with a score of 472.
But the team still had reason to celebrate afterwards thanks to Jordan Jennings.
(Paul Soriano)
The senior carded a 3-under-par 68 to win the state championship by four strokes over Mario Dino of Mullen.
Jennings, who was tied with five other players for second place after the first round, started the final round hot as he posted three straight birdies after a par on the first hole.
“I got off to a great start. I knew that I had to,” he admitted. “I was making some good putts and hitting the ball a lot better.”
Jennings made the turn at 1-under par, then scorched the back nine, going bogey-free along with two birdies to win going away.
“I think I was three-strokes back going into the back nine, and I just told myself to keep my head up. It’s not over yet, and I’ve got a lot of golf left,” he added. “I stayed positive, made a few putts coming down the stretch and got it done.”
For Montrose head coach Steve Skiff, it was a mission accomplished.
“Jordan has been playing this way all year. He’s been a really steady golfer for us,” Skiff said. “We wanted him to win a state championship his senior year, and he went out and played an awesome round today … really the last two days.
“It couldn’t happen to a better kid,” Skiff added. “He’s the rock of our program, and has been for the last four years. I just couldn’t be more proud of him, and I’m so happy to coach him.”
Jennings, who is headed to Colorado State next season, had some encouraging words for his teammates after watching Cheyenne Mountain snap the Indians’ streak of three-straight titles.
“We fell short this year,” said Jennings. “Obviously, I’m so excited to win as an individual, but those young kids definitely have a few state titles coming their way if they just keep working.
“They’re great players and great kids. I think they’re going to do well in the future.”
And as happy as he is for his Cheyenne Mountain golfers, Carricato is also excited about the future.
“It’s hard to describe, but the reason [my team] accomplished what they did is because there are about 10 other kids in this program that push them,” he said. “Those other players are good enough to be on a state team.
“Our depth is one of our biggest strengths, and we’re lucky to be able to build that program with that depth,” Carricato added. “We’re looking forward to what’s going to happen in the next couple of years, too.”
The preseason football rankings were released on Monday for all seven classifications. Leading their respective polls are: Stratton/Liberty (6-man), Sedgwick County (8-man), Limon (1A), Delta (2A), Pueblo South (3A), Pine Creek (4A), and Cherry Creek (5A).
The rankings, voted upon by coaches, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.
