Pomona senior Max Borghi leaps over fellow running backs during a drill Aug. 14. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
ARVADA — Questions surrounding Pomona senior running back Max Borghi was a hot topic during the off-season.
Borghi, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Class 5A football state quarterfinal against Columbine, answered those questions during the first official day of practice Aug. 14 for the state runner-up the past two seasons.
“I’m feeling really good. My recovery is coming along great,” said Borghi, who has scored 45 touchdowns, rushed for nearly 2,300 yards and has almost 1,000 yards receiving since he bursted on the football stage as a freshman. “Still, iffy on when I’m going to be ready. Definitely an early game. Could be Mullen (Aug. 25). Could be Week 2 (Sept. 8 against Fountain-Fort Carson).”
The senior looked as quick as ever despite the devastating knee injury last November. Pomona coach Jay Madden said Borghi had a 38-inch vertical leap and squatted 365 pounds late this summer.
Pomona coach Jay Madden, right, will use Max Borghi, left, at running back and receiver this season. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“He has a chance to be in uniform against Mullen. How much he’ll play is yet to be determined,” Madden said. “He will definitely be ready for Week 2.”
Borghi isn’t wearing a brace on the surgically repaired knee. He said he is feeling strong without a brace and didn’t want to mess up his running form.
While rehabbing, Borghi made the decision to switch his verbal college commitment from the University of Colorado to Washington State University.
“I just really love the coaches out there with Jim Mastro (running backs) and Mike Leach (head coach),” said Borghi, who has been told he could play right away at WSU. “I wanted to leave the state and that offense will fit me really well.”
Borghi has been through so much at Pomona. From becoming one of the most explosive football players in the state, being on the short-end of the 5A state championship game his sophomore season to standing on the sidelines during a second straight state championship loss to Valor Christian last year.
“He has been through a lot,” Madden said. “We talked about it a little last week. He has a chance to write a story. If he can come back and lead this team to a state championship after all he has been through, you can make a movie out of it.”
The future Washington State Cougar knows there is still a long road ahead before his final prep chapter is written.
“It’s been quite the adventure for sure. Just have to end the senior off right,” Borghi said. “Obviously, our goal is to win the state championship, but we’ve got to take it week-by-week.”
That week-by-week road begins at the North Area Athletic Complex on Aug. 25. Pomona, ranked No. 2 in the CHSAANow.com 5A preseason poll, faces off against No. 4 Mullen in the premier game during Zero Week.
“It’s always good to have great competition to see where we are at early so we can build from there,” Pomona senior defensive end Tanner Kimminau said.
For the first time in a while, there are a lot of new faces on Pomona’s always strong defense. Madden graduated a ton of talent and several long-time starters on the defensive side. However, Madden likes what he has seen from his new-look defense.
Pomona senior Ryan Marquez will be a three-year starting quarterback for the Panthers. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“It feels weird because we’ve got nine or 10 guys who were three-year starters that are no longer out here, but I see us practice and we’ve got some guys who look just like those guys,” Madden said. “We are looking forward to this year. We’ve got some young guys, but I believe we can do it.”
Sophomores Kyle Moretti and Sanjay Strickland will man the middle linebacker spots with senior Mateo Crespin holding down one of the outside linebacker positions. Kimminau and fellow senior Garrett Warner will be the bookends on the defensive line.
The defensive backs will be led by Santos Maguina and Kenny Maes. Madden will also use some of offensive skill players like junior receiver Billy Pospisil and senior quarterback Ryan Marquez on the defensive side.
Marquez enters his third season as the starting quarterback for the Panthers. The hope is Pomona can finish the season on a winning note.
“What will be the main focus when Week 14 rolls around,” Marquez said of the Panthers finding a way to win their final game this season. “The only thing that is on our minds now is Zero Week and Mullen.”
Offensively, Pomona has three returning offensive lineman to go along with maybe the best quarterback, running back and receiver combos — Marquez, Borghi and Pospisil. The Panthers have a host of other receiving options and two-time state wrestling champion Theorius Robison will share the load at running back.
With Borghi going down in the state quarterfinals and running back Cameron Gonzales breaking his leg the following week in the state semifinals, Madden had to go to his third-string running back in the state championship game.
“We are hoping we don’t have to deal with it this year,” Madden said of injuries. “We are hoping we can keep our guys healthy and enjoy this year. It’s been a long of fun the last (several years), but we would like to take it one more step.”
Pomona plays one of the toughest non-league schedules in the state before getting into the 5A Mt. Evans League play. The Panthers went 5-0 in conference play last year, outscoring their opponents 222-36.
“We know going in it’s going to be the toughest part of our scheduled,” Marquez said about the non-league slate that includes Mullen, Ralston Valley, Rockhurst (state semifinals in Kansas last year) and Valor. “We know those games are where we are going to get better. Those games prep us to play in weeks 11, 12, 13 and 14.”
Pomona opens the season on Zero Week hosting Mullen at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, at the North Area Athletic Complex. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)