State champions will be crowned in Class 5A, 4A and 3A on Saturday in Fort Collins and Pueblo. Here’s a scouting report of the teams competing for titles:
Class 5A
No. 1 Cherry Creek (13-0) vs. No. 2 Columbine (13-0)
When/where: 3 p.m. Saturday at Canvas Stadium, Altitude TV
Creek players to watch: Hayden Treter, sr., OL (USC commit); Max Parrott, sr., OL (Purdue); A.J. Burton, sr., OL (Iowa State); Angelo Petrides, sr., OLB (85 tackles, 2 fumble rec., 1 INT); Jordan Herron, sr., RB (1,324 rush yards, 18 TDs); Brady Vodicka, so., QB (2,126 yards, 25 TDs passing); Jake Howell, sr., LB (141 tackles).
Columbine players to watch: Josh Snyder, sr., RB/DB (1,583 rush yards, 24 TDs); Mason Moreno, sr., RB/DB (1,201 rush yards, 15 TDs); James Cillessen, sr., MLB/RB (119 tackles, 5 sacks); Hunter Hamilton, sr., DE/TE (48 tackles, 7 sacks); Ryder Williams, sr., DB (68 tackles, 3 INTs).
For the sixth year in a row, the Cherry Creek Bruins are in the Class 5A championship. And if they win Saturday afternoon in FoCo, head coach Dave Logan’s squad will be state champions for the fifth straight season. Standing in the way? The program Creek beat to start its record-setting run of four consecutive 5A titles: Andy Lowry’s Columbine Rebels.
The unbeaten Rebels rolled through their schedule in typical Lowry fashion, riding a tough, disciplined defense and relentless ground-and-pound attack to a 13-0 record. The only team to come within one score of them? The same Arapahoe squad that had Creek on the ropes in Centennial League play. Columbine needed some late-game magic from quarterback Reeve Holliday and kicker Julian Ruiz to survive that one, beating Arapahoe 31-29 on a last-minute field goal. Since then, the Rebels beat semifinalists Ralston Valley once (30-14) and Chatfield twice (35-14, 35-16), and now have a shot at the program’s first state title since 2011.
Of course, winning state titles is old hat for the Bruins. Linebacker Angelo Petrides and defensive back Aiden Knapke are among a handful of players who played a role on each of the last two championship teams. And quarterback Brady Vodicka started last year’s 5A title clash vs. Valor Christian at Empower Field as a freshman. Vodicka was swapped out after throwing two picks in the first half, but he’s thrown just three interceptions as the full-time starter this season and is no doubt champing at the bit to flip the script this time around. If he does, the Bruins will be raising a trophy for the 14th time in program history.
Class 4A
No. 1 Palmer Ridge (13-0) vs. No. 2 Erie (12-1)
When/where: 11 a.m. Saturday at Canvas Stadium, Altitude TV
Palmer Ridge players to watch: Derek Hester, sr., QB (2,306 total yards, 35 TDs); James “Jimmer” Weir, sr., WR/DB (886 receiving yards, 17 TDs; 55 tackles, 4 INTs); Holden Wright, sr., LB/RB (92 tackles, 16 TFLs; 12 TDs rushing); T.J. Mabe, sr., DE (61 tackles, 11 TFLs); Avier Elvira, jr., RB (799 rush yards, 7 TDs).
Erie players to watch: Blake Barnett, sr., QB/DB (Kansas State, 2,957 total yards, 50 TDs); Jackson Cowgill, sr., DL (Washington State, 38 tackles, 8 TFLs); Mason Cowgill, sr., TE (South Dakota, 203 receiving yards, 3 TDs); Carson Hageman, jr., LB/OL (175 tackles, 12 TFLs); Preston Terranova, sr., DB/WR (7 INTs, 65 tackles); Gavin Lusk, jr., RB/LB (1,264 total yards, 14 TDs).
Two programs looking to finally break through at the Class 4A level meet, with one guaranteed to be a 4A champion for the first time in program history.
Erie has been knocking on the door for three years now with record-breaking quarterback Blake Barnett at the helm. Two years ago, the Tigers fell to Chatfield in an instant-classic 4A championship that saw the Chargers score on a 32-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds left to claim a 41-34 win. A year later, Barnett fumbled at the goal line in what would’ve been the go-ahead score against eventual champion Broomfield in the state semifinals. Now comes one last opportunity for Barnett and a talented senior class that’s helped carry Erie to a 34-7 record over the past three seasons.
Palmer Ridge was the definitive power in Class 3A for the latter half of the last decade, winning three state titles between 2017 and ’19 behind an explosive offense and shutdown defense. But after a 42-6 humbling against Loveland in the 2020 4A title game — the Red Wolves famously didn’t attempt a single pass — the Bears haven’t returned to the championship stage until now. Third-year starting quarterback Derek Hester has transformed into a dual threat every bit as scary as Barnett on the opposite sideline. Throw in a defense that’s surrendered all of 27 points over three state playoff games, and it appears the Bears have the team to finally get over the 4A hump.
Class 3A
No. 2 Holy Family (12-1) vs. No. 5 Lutheran (11-2)
When/where: 1 p.m. Saturday at CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl
Holy Family players to watch: Rylan Cooney, sr., QB (3,313 total yards, 45 TDs); Dominic Gabriel, sr., RB/OLB (1,325 rush yards, 13 TDs); Jaxon Grable, sr., WR (715 receiving yards, 6 TDs); Brayden Bach, sr., OLB (141 tackles, 6 TFLs); Connor Neely, sr., FS (76 tackles, 4 INTs, 1 punt block).
Lutheran players to watch: Ryken Daugaard, sr., QB (3,051 total yards, 38 TDs); Ben Herbek, jr., WR (1,225 receiving yards, 17 TDs); Peyton Garrett, sr., DE (76 tackles, 10 sacks, 24 TFLs); Sam Smolen, sr., FS (6 INTs, 1 fumble rec.); Mason Kelley, sr., CB (6 INTs, 13 passes defensed); Landen Mroczek, sr., DT/G (84 tackles, 23 TFLs).
A pair of league rivals meet for the second time this season in a game that will end with one of these programs claiming its first Class 3A state title.
Holy Family has two state football crowns to its name, but both were in 2A, with the last one coming in 2005. While the Tigers have been able to build a strong 3A program since, this marks the first time they’ve reached the championship round in 18 years. With senior dual-threat quarterback Rylan Cooney surrounded by talent, including senior running back Dominic Gabriel and receivers Jaxon Grable and Monte Samaras, the Tigers have shown an ability to trade haymakers with anyone — including victories over 4A semifinalist Broomfield (30-29) and Lutheran (35-28).
The Lions haven’t lost since that setback at Holy Family, ripping off seven straight wins to return to the 3A championship game for the second consecutive season. It’s been a steady climb for the program to get to this point, with a semifinal appearance in 2021 followed by last year’s run to the title game, which ended with a 34-24 loss to Roosevelt. After handing previously unbeaten Green Mountain a 27-21 defeat with two fourth-quarter touchdowns last weekend, all that’s left is to avenge the Lions’ only loss to 3A competition this season and they will claim the program’s first state title.
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