Colorado Class 5A State Semifinals Preview
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It has been a shorter, yet somehow long, season with many challenges to face and there are just four teams left and still vying for a state title in each classification. The state’s elite teams have risen to the penultimate…
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Continue ReadingIt has been a shorter, yet somehow long, season with many challenges to face and there are just four teams left and still vying for a state title in each classification.
The state’s elite teams have risen to the penultimate state with semifinals just about 24 hours away. With a full slate of semis on deck for Saturday, let’s take a look at each matchup and the game-changing recruits to keep an eye on, let’s continue with Class 5A.
No. 1 Cherry Creek vs. No. 4 Pomona
This game is a rematch of last year’s semifinals, in which Cherry Creek won 12-7 over Pomona on its way to a state championship.
But there won’t be any bad blood in this one, right? No, of course not…
In that game last year, Pomona’s Jack Pospisil Jack Pospisil 5'9" | WR Pomona | 2021 State CO scored the Panthers’ lone touchdown as a wide receiver. Now he’s playing quarterback and he’s been crossing the goal line a lot more, rushing for 655 yards and 11 touchdowns behind Anthony Devries Anthony Devries 6'0" | OL Pomona | 2021 State CO & Co. in just second games so far. In a 49-14 quarterfinals win over Eaglecrest, however, it was running backs Ian Dexter (101 yards, 1 touchdown) and Dominick Nichols Dominick Nichols 5'11" | 175 lbs | ATH Pomona | 2022 State CO (3 touchdowns) who stole the show.
Problem is, Cherry Creek has numerous players of Pospisil’s and Devries’ caliber, including Julian Hammond III Julian Hammond III 6'2" | QB Cherry Creek | 2021 State CO , Chase Penry Chase Penry 6'1" | WR Cherry Creek | 2021 State CO , Myles Purchase Myles Purchase 5'11" | DB Cherry Creek | 2021 State CO , Gunnar Helm Gunnar Helm 6'5" | TE Cherry Creek | 2021 State CO , Al Ashford III Al Ashford III 6'1" | DB Cherry Creek | 2021 State CO , Arden Walker Arden Walker 6'4" | DL Cherry Creek | 2021 State CO , Gus Zilinskas Gus Zilinskas 6'3" | DL Cherry Creek | 2021 State CO , James Walker II James Walker II 5'10" | RB Cherry Creek | 2021 State CO , George Fitzpatrick George Fitzpatrick OL Cherry Creek | 2022 State CO and Ky Oday Ky Oday 5'10" | WR Cherry Creek | 2022 State CO , to name a few. Hammond III, who will play basketball for the University of Colorado, has thrown for over 1,000 yards with 17 passing touchdowns, while Walker II has rushed for 864 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2020.
Defensively, Luis Lozano (2021) and Jaxson Hurd (2021) have combined for 94 total tackles up the middle and Malik Majekodunmi Malik Majekodunmi 6'2" | LB Cherry Creek | 2021 State CO (2021) leads the Bruins with seven sacks. Purchase and Ashford III are as elite a cornerback combination as you’ll find and either is a threat to take an interception, of which they have a combined six, to the house.
No. 2 Valor Christian vs. No. 3 Legend
Legend is in the state semifinals for the first time and that’s largely thanks to running back Bryce Vaz (2022), who ran for 310 yards and six touchdowns in a 56-35 win over Fairview in last week’s quarterfinals. Prior to that game, Vaz had only 41 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Talk about good timing for a breakout performance.
Even with offensive standouts like Vaz, Kalen Shoemaker Kalen Shoemaker 5'10" | QB Legend | 2021 State CO , Blake Doud Blake Doud 6'4" | WR Legend | 2021 State CO , Connor Eise, James Betschart James Betschart 6'5" | OL Legend | 2021 State CO and J.T. Axelrod J.T. Axelrod 6'0" | LB Legend | 2021 State CO , as well as a stout defense led by guys like Jaxon Muma Jaxon Muma 6'1" | DB Legend | 2021 State CO and Luke Sandy (2022), the Titans have their work cut out for them against Valor Christian.
Without star running back Gavin Sawchuk Gavin Sawchuk RB Valor Christian | 2022 State CO , and that’s a big missing piece, the Eagles beat Cherokee Trail, 49-14, in the quarterfinals. Backup running back Zach Wiley (2022) took the start and ran with it, amassing 114 yards and four touchdowns (in the first half) on 23 carries. Quarterback Sean McNair (2021) completed 12 of 16 pass attempts for 182 yards that included several big plays to Tyler Larson Tyler Larson 6'4" | 190 lbs | WR Boulder | 2022 State CO (2021), who finished with 119 yards receiving.
The Eagles are back in the semifinals after getting knocked out in the quarterfinals of the 2019 postseason and they look ready to take the newcomers’ best shot. Should be an exciting game.