Dylan McCaffrey and Valor Christian play Cherry Creek in the semifinals. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
BROADCASTING NOTE: Both 5A semifinal games as well as the 8-man, 1A and 2A title games will all be available online via the NFHS Network.
The last time that Cherry Creek and Valor Christian faced off in the Class 5A football playoffs, a state championship was on the line.
Saturday, the league rivals will meet once again, but unlike last season, this game is not the end of the road for both teams. The winner advances to the state title game on Dec. 5 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The loser can only watch as a spectator, either in the stands or on the Altitude television network.
One must survive to advance.
“Our mindset is no different,” Valor coach Rod Sherman said. “Every week is a new challenge and a new opportunity. It’s another chance to go play and showcase the skills that have been given to you.”
The Eagles (10-2 overall, 5-0 5A Centennial) beat Cherry Creek 10-0 on Oct. 23, their first win over the Bruins (10-2, 3-2) in program history.
In order to keep that same result from happening again, Bruins coach Dave Logan knows his offense has make plays when possible and get on the scoreboard.
“We’re going to try and score; that would be different,” Logan said. “(Valor is) a really talented team on both sides of the ball. They’re well schooled, they’ve played in big games, so we have to play a game where we limit our mistakes and we have to have ball security.
It comes down to what it usually does, when there are plays available to be made, we have to make plays.”
Cherry Creek’s best opportunity to put points on the board came when they drove down inside the Valor four-yard line. But the Eagles’ defense held and when Curtis Appleton got the ball on 4th-and-goal at the 2, the Eagles swarmed him and prevented him from getting into the end zone. In a game in which only one touchdown was scored, failing to convert proved to be costly for the Bruins.
It was late in the game that Dylan McCaffrey found Ben Waters for a 97-yard touchdown pass, putting the game out of reach in favor of Valor.
“They’re a multiple-formation and multiple-personnel team,” Logan said. “It requires constant communication defensively in terms of who’s in the game and what set they’re in. They give us more sets, honestly, than the rest of the teams that we play combined.”
Sherman and his guys won’t be lacking in the preparation aspect of the game either. While they still have the game tape from they Oct. 23 showdown, Sherman has spent a lot of time trying to study what the Bruins do against other teams, hoping he can be as prepared as possible.
After all, a shot at the state championship is on the line.
“They’ve played a couple of good teams, Jordan from Utah, Grandview,” Sherman said. “So we try to be pretty thorough. I think we have 15 games that are in our scouting plan.”
Valor Christian and Cherry Creek kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Stutler Bowl.
Columbine at Pomona
Pomona and Columbine play in the 5A semifinals. (Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)
The first matchup between Pomona and Columbine this year was anything but boring. The Rebels came away with the win 42-35 in game that the Panthers easily could have won.
Saturday, they get another chance. With a trip to the 5A state title game on the line, the league rivals will square off once again.
“We saw just about everything from (Pomona) the first time,” Rebels coach Andy Lowry said. “Both teams played tough and Mikey Griebel just ended up picking off a pass and we ended up scoring on it. That was the first time either of us held the other (on defense).”
With only seven points the difference in the final score, Pomona came closer than any team to beating Columbine this season. The Rebels finished the year as the No. 1 team in the CHSAANow.com rankings.
With the close win along with storming through the first three rounds of the playoffs, the Panthers still believe they can be the first team to knock off Columbine this year.
“We just have to take care of every little detail because if you make a mistake, they’ll make you pay for it,” Panthers coach Jay Madden said. “Obviously they did that last time.”
But the key to victory is slowing down Griebel. The junior back has amassed 1,801 yards from scrimmage and found the end zone 15 times this season.
In the first game agains the Panthers, Griebel ran for 225 and three touchdowns. Every touchdown run went for longer than 40 yards.
“It starts up front with the offensive line,” Lowry said. “That’s the key for both teams. We go as far as our linemen take us.”
The Panthers are certainly not lacking in the trenches. Left tackle Jake Morietti has committed to Ohio State and he and the rest of the line have helped running back Cameron Gonzales run for over 112 yards a game. Gonzales has also scored 27 touchdowns this year.
“Cam’s done a great job and we also have Max Borghi who has the exact same amount of yards from scrimmage,” Madden said. “We’re a little more balanced so hopefully we can keep them off balance a little bit.”
The Panthers and Rebels will kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday at the NAAC.
Class 4A semifinals
(1) Pine Creek at (13) Loveland
The next step for Loveland’s Cinderella run through the 4A playoffs is getting through two-time defending state champion Pine Creek.
That will be no easy task as the Eagles are outscoring their opponents 80-16 this postseason. The Indians will need a big game from their senior combination of quarterback Ayden Eberhardt and running back Charles Dunkelman. The duo combine for 183 yards per game and their production will be essential in keeping the Eagles’ offense off the field.
For Pine Creek, Brock Domann looks to send big brother JoJo off to Nebraska with another state title.
The Indians and Eagles kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday.
(3) Windsor at (2) Longmont
(Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
In what is easily the most anticipated rematch in 4A, Windsor travels to Longmont with the winner advancing to the title game at Sports Authority Field.
A Hail Mary pass, followed by a two-point conversion, gave the Trojans an 8-7 win over the Wizards, solidifying Longmont’s spot as the No. 2 team in the class.
Longmont’s offense has been cruising this postseason as the Trojans scored 58 points against Pueblo South in the first round and 48 against Denver South in the second round.
The Wizards a tougher road to the semifinals as it took overtime for them to beat Palmer Ridge and advance.
Kick off for Windsor and Longmont is at 1 p.m. Saturday at Longmont High School.
Class 3A semifinals
(4) Fort Morgan at (1) Pueblo East
To be the man, you’ve gotta beat the man. That’s exactly what For Morgan is looking to do as they travel to Dutch Clark Stadium Saturday with hopes of advancing to the 3A title game.
Fort Morgan is the only remaining unbeaten team in 3A. The Mustangs have a great chance to show they belong with the top teams as they draw the defending 3A champs in the Eagles.
Led by Bryson Torres and Daniel Martin, the Eagles have firmly sat atop the 3A rankings all season and have no desire to give up the top spot now.
But the Eagles’ offense will have to be on point. The Mustangs haven’t surrendered more than 14 points in any game this year.
Kick off at Dutch Clark will be at 1 p.m. Saturday.
(3) Delta at (2) Roosevelt
While Roosevelt isn’t technically unbeaten, the lone blemish on its record came from Windsor, a 4A semifinalist.
Beyond that, the Roughriders have played very good football in 2015. They topped Holy Family 64-63 during a stretch in which Chris Helbig was setting state passing records ablaze.
Delta was no slouch either as they had to face The Classical Academy early in the regular season before having to face them once again in the playoffs. The Panthers are getting 145 rushing yards per game from Jonny Ponce which they will need to control the clock and keep the Roosevelt offense off the field.
The Roughriders are scoring 45 points per game in the playoffs.
Delta and Roosevelt kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Class 2A championship
(1) Bayfield at (3) Platte Valley
The only thing that is a certainty in the 2A title game is that neither team will be a repeat champion. Bayfield dispatched dispatched defending 2A champion Brush in the second round of the tournament and will look to complete a state title run on Saturday.
But to do so, they’ll have to get through Platte Valley. Like in 2014, the Broncos met Kent Denver in the semifinals, but this time they were able to get the win to advance to the title game.
Hayfield looked impressive in their semifinal game against La Junta, putting up 47 points against a defense that had only allowed 63 points all season.
Bayfield and Platte Valley will kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Class 1A championship
(3) Paonia at (1) Buena Vista
In a rematch of last year’s 1A title game, the Demons hope they can overcome Paonia at home. The Eagles are winners of the last two 1A titles.
The Demons have not won a state championship since dropping down to 1A, but did win a 2A title back in 1999. Both teams rely heavily on a running attack, but it’s the Eagles who have put up better numbers.
They lead all of 1A with 3,905 yards on the ground.
Kick off is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Buena Vista.
8-Man championship
(1) Sedgwick County at (3) Akron
Sedgwick County didn’t make it out of the first round of last year’s playoffs. Akron made it to the second round before their season ended.
Saturday, one of them will be 8-man state champion.
Junior quarterback Trey Walter leads a juggernaut of an offense for the Cougars. He’s found the end zone 12 times on the ground while throwing for 24 more. He’s flanked by senior running back Cole McKinley who has run for 1,326 yards and scoring 24 touchdowns on his own.
The Rams counter the Walter/McKinley combination with three 1,000-yard rushers in Darrion Gibbs, Austin Couch and Levi Basler.
Kick off for the 8-man championship game is at 1 p.m. Saturday.