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.
LAKEWOOD — Columbine junior Wes Jones is the Rebels’ latest multiple dimensional player.
The junior had a rushing touchdown, receiving touchdown and interception on defense — not to mention handling some of the kicking duties — Friday night at Jeffco Stadium.
“I’m just going to do whatever I can because we are kind of short on seniors this year,” Jones said after carrying a heavy load in the Rebels’ home opener. “Coaches have been talking to all the underclassmen that we need to step it up. I’ve taken that to heart.”
Columbine junior Seth Cromwell (34) breaks free for a 73-yard touchdown run in the first quarter Friday at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Jones helped lead Columbine — No. 2 in the CHSAANow.com Class 5A rankings — to a 34-10 victory over Arvada West in a 5A Jeffco League opener.
“He (Jones) is one of the top athletes on our team,” Columbine coach Andy Lowry said. “He can run, jump and catch. He can do everything. We are trying to get him into some situations and find guys who are playmakers. That’s our biggest challenge.”
Columbine graduated a ton of seniors from last year’s 5A state runner-up squad. The new pieces in the Rebels’ well-oiled machine has Columbine (2-0, 1-0 in league) undefeated so far this season.
Columbine junior Seth Cromwell got the Rebels’ ground attack going early. The junior fullback scored on a 73-yard touchdown run on Columbine’s second play from scrimmage to give the Rebels’ a 7-0 lead with 8:46 left in the first quarter. Cromwell already had five rushing touchdowns on the season.
“I just busted it out,” Cromwell said of his long touchdown run.
Senior Isaiah Miller finished off a 12-play, 78-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter to put Columbine ahead 14-0.
A-West did mount a nice long drive, but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by sophomore Ethan Kerstiens in the second quarter. Columbine answered late in the second quarter capitalizing on a short field after an A-West punt.
Cromwell scored his second touchdown of the first half with an 11-yard touchdown run with 17 seconds left before halftime to give the Rebels a 20-3 lead at halftime after a missed PAT.
“Seth is a really great fullback for us. He does a lot of the work for us,” Jones said. “He is a really good power player and lays out a lot of good blocks. He really opens the field open.”
Columbine junior Dominic Esquibel (10) zeroes in on Arvada West quarterback Evan Hurlburt during the Class 5A Jeffco League opener. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Jones opened the fourth quarter with a 1-yard dive into the end zone. His interception of Arvada West senior quarterback Evan Hurlburt led eventually to Miller’s touchdown run in the first quarter.
“He is a stud,” Cromwell said of Jones.
Jones finished off the Rebels’ scoring with a 42-yard touchdown catch from Columbine junior quarterback Brock Zanetell early in the fourth quarter to put the Rebels up 34-3. A-West scored a late touchdown on a 19-yard touchdown catch by sophomore Andrew Martinez to make the final score 34-10.
Columbine is back at Jeffco Stadium next week. The Rebels face Lakewood (0-2, 0-1) on Friday, Oct. 23. The Tigers were shut out 42-0 Thursday night by No. 4 Pomona in another Jeffco League opener.
“Our guys are young,” Lowry said of the missed execution against A-West that featured several penalties. “We just have to be patient with them.”
The Rebels toughest test in conference play will come in the final two games of the scheduled regular season. Columbine faces Ralston Valley on Nov. 6 and squares off against Pomona on Nov. 12.
“Our team will be more molded together,” Cromwell said of facing Ralston Valley and Pomona late in the regular season.
A-West stays on the road next week. The Wildcats head to Mullen to face the Mustangs (0-1, 0-1). Mullen suffered a 21-3 loss Thursday night to No. 5 Ralston Valley (2-0, 1-0).
A-West has surpassed its win total after last season’s 0-10 record of 2019. Coach Brad Pyatt had guided the Wildcats to three straight winning seasons prior to last year, including a pair of postseason appearances in 2017 and 2018.
Arvada West senior quarterback Evan Hurlburt (16) gets some protection from his offensive line before getting off a pass against Columbine on Friday night at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
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.
ARVADA — Pomona sophomore Emma Stutzman added to her growing resume Friday afternoon during the Class 5A Jeffco League Cross Country Championships.
Stutzman easily cruised to the girls individual title with a time of 18 minutes, 57.7 seconds on the grounds of the Standley Lake Basketball Barn near Stoney Creek Golf Course in north Arvada.
Chatfield freshman Reese Tucker helped the Chargers bring home the 5A Jeffco League girls team title. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“It means a lot because last year I came in third and blew the finish a little bit,” said Stutzman, who broke the school cross country record at Pomona earlier this season. “It feels really good to be able to win this one.”
The sophomore didn’t mind the several surface changes and uneven ground of the new course that hosted the 4A Jeffco League championships the day before.
“It was good. It’s a nice course. It was kind of lonely, but you just got to work with you got,” said Stutzman, who’s time was nearly 40 seconds faster that second-place. “It hits home a little bit. I train a lot in the mountains. It was nice to have a similar surface and not have a concrete course.”
Chatfield grabbed the team title with 55 points. Freshmen Reese Tucker (2nd) and Aspen Webb (4th) led the Chargers to the team victory.
Now it’s onto regionals next week. Stutzman and the Panthers will head to Monarch High School for the 5A Region 3 meet on Thursday, Oct. 8.
“It’s definitely to win regionals,” Stutzman said of her goal next week.
Dakota Ridge senior Jacob White is alone as he nears the finish-line during the 5A Jeffco League XC Championships on Friday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
On the boys side, Dakota Ridge senior Jacob White continued his winning ways. The three-time state placer grabbed his first individual conference title with a time of 15:52.1.
“I just ran,” said White, who was all by himself for the majority of the race defeating the rest of the field by nearly a minute. “I feel ready for regionals.”
Dakota Ridge grabbed it third straight 5A Jeffco team title with four runners — White, Ethan Straub, Chance Heisler and Silas Thompson — all finishing in the Top-10. Ralston Valley boys finished second with seniors James Ramey (2nd) and Jack Donze (4th) leading the way for the Mustangs.
White is looking forward the facing some tough competition at the 5A Region 1 meet Friday, Oct. 9, at Clement Park. Mountain Vista senior Harrison Witt will give White a good gage of where he is at heading into state.
“It will be so much fun. I can’t wait for next week,” White said. “It will truly be something.”
