Pomona football is looking to “bust down that door” in the postseason. (Pam Wagner/CHSAANow.com)
Jake Moretti and his Pomona football teammates have had just about enough of the recurring theme that is the Class 5A state playoffs.
Since advancing to the state semifinals back in 2011, the Panthers have been on the cusp of returning over the past three seasons. But each time Pomona was turned away in the quarterfinal round, a trend that the squad is eager to end in 2015.
“It’s frustrating. The entire team feels that way,” said Jake Moretti, an all-state offensive tackle as a sophomore who committed to Ohio State over the summer. “We’ve been in that same spot quite a few years now, and we need to get to the point that we bust down that door and get to our final destination.”
Last fall Pomona upended its first two playoff opponents before running into a buzzsaw in Valor Christian. The Eagles scored a pair of touchdowns in all four quarters on their way to a 56-34 victory. Valor eventually lost in the title game to Cherry Creek.
The Panthers opened last fall by playing the two eventual state finalists, splitting the set on their way to a 9-3 season. Never one to take the easy road, coach Jay Madden has the same two teams on the schedule to kick off the 2015 campaign.
Pomona visits Valor Christian on Sept. 4 before hosting Cherry Creek on Sept. 11.
“I just think you only get nine games, you might as well make them all fun. Why not challenge yourself right away and find out what you’re made of?” Madden asked. “Our kids can’t wait — we’re excited about it. Those are two real tough teams. Our defense is going to have to carry us.”
Speaking of the defense, Pomona is expecting big things on that side of the ball this season. The Panthers started eight sophomores in the quarterfinal round, meaning that the experience factor is now working in the team’s favor instead of against it.
“You can’t be expecting to beat Valor with eight sophomore starters on defense,” Madden said. “Now those kids are all juniors and those kids are ready to go. The growing pains of last year should pay dividends this year.”
Elijah Leyva led Pomona with 8.5 sacks a year ago as a junior, and the defensive end/linebacker hybrid is excited to see what the squad can do. Leyva said the postseason loss to Valor Christian has stayed with the team, especially since the Panthers played the Eagles so tough in the season opener.
“We had a good regular season, but I think honestly we just kind of lost track a bit of our edge last year,” he said. “This year is totally different. It’s good motivation to stay strong the whole season.”
Offensively Pomona graduated quarterback Justin Roberts and touchdown-machine Isaac Marquez, who led the team in receiving and was second in rushing yards. Sophomore Ryan Marquez will step in at quarterback, while a potent 1-2 punch of sophomore Max Borghi and junior Cameron Gonzales will pace the ground game.
Jake Moretti will be an anchor on Pomona’s line. (Pam Wagner/CHSAANow.com)
“Cameron is more of a downhill runner and Max is one of the fastest guys in the state,” Moretti said. “It’s just a great combo to have.”
The offensive line graduated four starters, including a pair of all-state players in Dillon Middlemiss and Connor Pierson. Moretti is the veteran of the group as a junior, though Madden said the rest of the line isn’t lacking for depth or competition.
With the season ready to kick off this week for a handful of teams around the state, the Panthers are optimistic about what the future will hold. So is the rest of the state. Pomona opened at No. 3 in the preseason poll, just behind Valor Christian and Cherry Creek.
Moretti said the team has rediscovered its edge, and another tough schedule will only help to better prepare Pomona for what lies ahead.
“I think to get over the hump we’ve just go to do all the little things right that we didn’t do last year,” Leyva said. “We can’t make the mistakes and we’ve got to play our best ball at the end of the year.”
Big-school football preview
- Preseason rankings
- Season Start Date: Aug. 27
- Postseason begins: Nov. 7
- State Championship: Dec. 5, 5A and 4A at Sports Authority Field at Mile High; 3A at home site
Defending Champions:
- 5A: Cherry Creek
- 4A: Pine Creek
- 3A: Pueblo East
Returning All-State Athletes:
- Class 5A: TeQuan Baker, Sr., Doherty (2nd team); Alec Barnes, Sr., Regis Jesuit (2nd); David Imola, Sr., Cherry Creek (2nd); Todd Jones, Sr., Boulder (1st); Carlo Kemp, Sr., Fairview (1st); Patrick Moody, Jr., Chaparral (2nd); Jake Moretti, Jr., Pomona (1st); Jonathan Van Diest, Jr., Cherry Creek (2nd).
- Class 4A: Conlan Berger, Sr., Longmont (2nd team); Zach Castellucci, Sr., Pueblo South (2nd); JoJo Domann, Sr., Pine Creek (1st); Isaiah Fields, Sr., Falcon (1st); Ben Freeman, Sr., Fort Collins (2nd); Adrian King, Sr., George Washington (2nd); Nathan Leithead, Sr., Pine Creek (2nd); Jeremy Lujan, Sr., Dakota Ridge (1st); Isiah Pannuzio, Sr., Pueblo South (1st); Corte Tapia, Jr., Windsor; Jack Wibbels, Sr., Pine Creek (1st).
- Class 3A: Alonso Archuleta, Sr., Roosevelt (2nd team); Beau Beattie, Sr., Discovery Canyon (2nd); Cameron Brown, Sr., D’Evelyn (2nd); Bruno Derose, Sr., Pueblo East (1st); Lalo Diaz-Alvarez, Sr., Pueblo East; Franny Gonzales, Sr., Fort Morgan (1st); Chris Helbig, Sr., Holy Family (1st); Tate Kembel, Jr., Fort Morgan (2nd); Isaac Maestas, Jr., Palisade (2nd); Alex Mai, Sr., Fort Morgan (2nd); Zach Manchester, Sr., Canon City (2nd); Daniel Martin, Sr., Pueblo East (1st); Toby McBride, Sr., Fort Morgan (1st); Jonny Ponce, Sr., Delta (2nd); Davis Price, Sr., Evergreen (1st); Bryson Torres, Jr., Pueblo East.