Class 2A First Round State Playoff Breakdown
The bracket is set and your final 16 teams are now fighting for a state championship. Your League Champions are: Kent Denver (Colorado League), Faith Christian (Flatirons League), Bayfield (Intermountain League), Platte Valley (Patriot-East League), Eaton (Patriot-West League), La Junta (Tri-Peaks League), Basalt (Western Slope League). As we know the league champions received the automatic home game. 1 other team also received home game and that is Classical Academy. I will run a breakdown on each game. I will post my predictions in a separate post. Also last week I predicted the final 16 teams to get into the playoffs.
#1 Platte Valley vs #16 D’Evelyn on 11/4 @ 1:00pm
#1 Platte Valley comes into the playoffs as the #1 team in the State in the RPI but #3 in my Power Rankings. They are a perfect 9-0 and won the Patriot East League. They have surprised in terms of going undefeated. They played against 4 playoff teams going 4-0 against them. Platte Valley is one of the better defensive teams in 2A. They are only giving up 11.3 ppg and held 4 teams under 10 points. Against playoff teams they gave up 12 ppg which is just above their season average. Offensively they are scoring 38.6 ppg and are run first but have a pretty good passing attack as well. Platte Valley has 1389 yards passing and 2050 yards rushing. Platte Valley is led by junior QB Trevor Wehrman 1367 yards passing 10 TDs, 3 INT and 846 yards rushing & 10 TDs. Platte Valley also gets good contribution from Jr RB Ernesto Rios 521 yards rushing and 5 TDs. The strength of Platte Valley teams has been their defense and very good rushing attack. Platte Valley biggest weakness is turnovers but even then, they don’t commit that many.
#16 D’Evelyn comes into the playoffs as the #16 team and was the final team to make the playoffs. They finished second in the Flatirons league which only qualified two teams into the playoffs. Overall D’Evelyn is 5-4 and 4-1 in league. D’Evelyn went 0-4 against playoff teams playing two of them close Classical Academy (24-21) & Faith Christian (14-7) and losing the other by more than 14 points Sterling (42-28) & Plate Valley (35-6). Defensively they are in the middle of the pack giving up 18.3 ppg. Against playoff teams though they are giving up 28.8 ppg which is much higher than their season average. Their defense held 4 teams to under 10 points this year none of which made the playoffs. Defensively they are led by SR Peter Flack 104 total tackles and JR Brady Sullivan 88 total tackles. Offensively D’Evelyn is a pass first team that is averaging 32.2 ppg. They are throwing for 2179 yards passing and 1507 yards rushing. Offensively they are led senior QB Chad Dines 1991 yards passing 21 TDs & 11 INTs. Chad Dines main receiving weapon is senior WR Cody Bell 1002 yards passing and 12 TDs. The biggest strength of D’Evelyn is their offense. They are one of the few passes first teams and test your secondary. D’Evelyn biggest weakness is their defense against playoff teams. They only held 1 of the 4 playoff teams to under 20 points and that was Faith Christian.
Plate Valley and D’Evelyn have played each other already this year. With Platte Valley winning the week 4 matchup 35-6. In that game D’Evelyn QB Chad Dines threw 3 INTs and struggled to get anything going on offense. Platte Valley was able to attack in a balanced manner throwing for 181 yards and rushing for 197 yards. If D’Evelyn wants to pull the upset their offense must take care of the ball and probably need to be more balanced in their attack. Platte Valley must attack on offense and have their defense play great in the secondary. I am going with Platte Valley as the favorite and I am picking them to win 35-7.
#8 Eaton vs #9 Sterling on 11/4 @ 1:00pm
#8 Eaton comes into the playoffs as your Patriot West League Champion. Eaton went a perfect 5-0 in league and finished 7-2 overall. Eaton played 3 playoff teams this year going 1-2 against them. They beat Resurrection Christian 21-12 and lost to Platte Valley (41-21) & Sterling (48-28). Eaton defensively is giving up 15.6 ppg but giving up 34 ppg to teams that made the playoffs. Eaton held 5 teams to under 10 points. Defensively Eaton is led by senior Trenton Kramer 71 total tackles and Mason Koehn 4.5 sacks & 30 total tackles. On Offense Eaton is balanced in their attack and they are averaging 35.3 ppg. On offense Eaton is rushing for 1930 yards and passing for 1125 yards. Eaton is led on offense by senior QB Austin Coalson 1091 yards passing 15 TDs and 2 INTs. Leading the rushing attack is senior RB Travis Cunningham 908 yards rushing and 12 TDs. Eaton biggest strength this year has been their offense which is averaging 35 ppg and one of the few teams to score over 20 points on Platte Valley. Eaton biggest weakness is their lack of defense against top teams. Eaton will need their defense in the first round.
#9 Sterling comes into the playoffs just missing the other home game and finishing second in the Patriot East. They went 4-1 in league and 7-2 overall. Sterling played 5 playoff teams this year going 3-2 against them. The wins are against Resurrection Christian (33-8), D’Evelyn (42-28), & Eaton (48-28). Their two losses were to Classical Academy (24-7) & Platte Valley (42-21). Sterling on defense is giving up 20.4 ppg and at times struggled against top offenses. Defensively they are led by senior Christian Rose 79 total tackles and sophomore Drew Books 7 sacks & 41 total tackles. On offense Sterling is a pass heavy offense with 2226 yards passing and 998 yards rushing. Sterling is averaging 36.8 ppg and are led by senior QB Bodie Hume 2060 yards passing 26 TDs and 9 INTs. His main target senior Christian Rose 779 yards receiving and 8 TDs. Sterling biggest strength is their passing attack and a good senior leader in Bodie Hume. Sterling biggest weakness is their defense which only held 3 teams under 10 points and gave up multiple 20 points games.
For the first round I believe this will be the second best game in the first round. These two played each other and Sterling won 48-28. The difference in the game was turnovers. Eaton had 3 turnovers to just 1 by Sterling. Eaton also struggled stopping the pass giving up 338 yards and 5 TDs. Sterling must be able to stop the run and force Eaton into a pass first offense. Sterling in their meeting with Eaton gave up over 300 yards of offense and their defense must play better. This game could turn into a high scoring affair with neither team possessing a top defense and both have solid offenses. Seed wise Eaton is the favorite but in my eyes Sterling is the favorite in the game. I am going with Sterling to win 48-31.
#4 La Junta vs #13 Pagosa Springs on 11/4 @ 1:00pm
#4 La Junta is your defending State Champion and once again won the Tri-Peaks league going perfect in league and posting an 8-1 overall record. La Junta played 4 playoff teams going 3-1 against them. La Junta lone loss was to Kent Denver 10-7. Their 3 wins were over Elizabeth (21-13), Classical Academy (14-11), and Salida (39-16). La Junta will have a very good shot to defender their title and that is due to their defense. La Junta on defense is only giving up 9.2 ppg. They held 4 teams to under 10 points and didn’t give up over 20 points all season. Defensively La Junta is led by senior Wyatt Buhr 47 total tackles and junior Jon Nuschy 44 total tackles & 2 INTs. Offensively La Junta is averaging 30.1 ppg but against top teams are only averaging 20.3 ppg which shows the dominance of their defense. La Junta on offense is led by junior QB Jon Nuschy 533 yards passing, 6 TDs, 2 INTs, and 868 yards rushing & 13 TDs. La Junta also gets good contributions from senior RB Wyatt Buhr 671 yards rushing and 9 TDs. La Junta biggest strength is their defense which is only giving up 9.2 ppg and have yet to give up over 20 points in a game. La Junta biggest weakness is not being as explosive of an offense and rely heavily on two players to supply your offensive power.
#13 Pagosa Springs is one of the most surprising teams in 2A this year. Last year they went 3-6 and completely flipped the script going 6-3 and finishing second in the Intermountain League going 4-1. Pagosa Springs played 4 playoff teams going 1-3 against them. They beat Monte Vista (26-7) and lost to Salida (30-22), Centauri (36-17), and Bayfield (21-3). The biggest improvement this year for Pagosa Springs has been their defense. Last year they gave up 29 ppg and this year are only giving up 14 ppg. As the year went on Pagosa Springs improved on defense and it showed only giving up over 20 points 1 and holding 6 teams under 20 points. Pagosa Springs is led on defense by junior Connor Aragon 67 total tackles and senior Jesse Laverty 64 total tackles. Offensively Pagosa Springs is a run first offense that is averaging 30 ppg. Offensively Pagosa Springs has thrown for 425 yards and ran for 2208 yards. Pagosa Springs is led by senior RB Ty Kimsey 887 yards rushing and 15 TDs and helping is junior RB Cade Cowan 501 yards rushing and 7 TDs. Pagosa Springs biggest strength is their double wing offense and their defense. Pagosa Springs defense must continue to improve and help their run first offense. Pagosa Springs biggest weakness is their reliance on their rushing attack. If a team slows down their rushing attack Pagosa Springs may not be able to throw the ball effectively.
La Junta enters the game with a ton of playoff experience and of course defending their state championship. La Junta got a tough draw with Pagosa Springs in the first round. La Junta defensive discipline will be tested by Pagosa Springs offense. La Junta also must get their offense going and be ready for another run in the playoffs. Pagosa Springs will be tested on both sides of the ball and must establish the run. Pagosa Springs defense will help keep the game close but if Pagosa Springs cannot get their rushing attack going it could be a long day for them on offense. La Junta is the favorite and I am going with them in this game 28-7.
#5 Classical Academy vs #12 Aspen on 11/3 @ 7:00pm
#5 Classical Academy or TCA comes into the playoffs at 8-1 overall and 4-1 in the tough Tri-Peaks. TCA finished second in the Tri-Peaks which got 3 teams into the playoffs. TCA played 4 playoff teams going 3-1 against them. TCA lone loss was to La Junta 14-11. TCA wins are over Sterling (24-7), D’Evelyn (24-21), and Salida (27-19). Classical Academy defensively is very solid giving up 11 ppg and have held 5 teams under 10 points. TCA has only given up over 20 points once this year and it was a close game against D’Evelyn. TCA defensively is led by Brady Miller 60 total tackles, 13.5 TFL, and 6 sacks also contributions is senior Brayden Luft 48 total tackles and 4 INTs. Offensively Classical Academy is balanced in their attack and are averaging 35.2 ppg. TCA offense is passing for 1339 yards and rushing for 1913 yards. TCA offensively is led by senior QB Cade Bethany 1316 yards passing, 12 TDs, and 4 INTs and leading the rushing attack is senior Brayden Luft 908 yards rushing and 10 TDs. TCA biggest strength is their defense and good senior leader in QB Cade Bethany. Cade Bethany started last year on their playoff run and knows what it takes to win in the playoffs. The biggest weakness for TCA is their lack of scoring against top defenses. When they faced La Junta offensively they struggled to score and move the ball.
#12 Aspen is the biggest surprise team in 2A this year. They went 2-7 last year and have completely turned it around going 8-1 this year and finishing second in the Western Slope league going 4-1. Aspen played 1 playoff teams this year losing to Basalt 48-22. Defensively Aspen is near the bottom of playoff teams giving up 20.2 ppg and are one of the few playoff teams to give up over 50 points. Aspen has shown improvement on defense though only giving up 30 points in their final 3 games. Defensively Aspen is led by senior Robbie Francis 47 tackles and sophomore Max Ufkes 38 total tackles. Offensively Aspen has been outstanding averaging 46 ppg and have broken the 40-point mark 6 times this year. Aspen is a pass first team with 2372 yards passing and 1624 yards rushing. Aspen is led on offense by senior QB RJ Peshek 2242 yards passing 28 TDs and 4 INTs. He also has 697 yards rushing and 14 TDs and is the main catalyst of this offense. Peshek main target is junior Noah Hollander 1056 yards receiving and 14 TDs. Aspen biggest strength is their offense and specifically their passing attack. Aspen can throw the ball around the field and will need to be very effective this week. Aspen biggest weakness is their defense. They struggle to stop teams and rely on outscoring teams to win games.
Classical Academy is the favorite in this game. They are solid on both sides of the ball and have faced two passes first teams in Salida and D’Evelyn winning both games and forcing plenty of Interceptions in both games. TCA will be tested in their secondary this week again by a very good senior QB. Aspen must play defense and must slow down TCA rushing attack. Aspen must be able to make some stops this week if they plan on pulling the upset. If Aspen defense struggles then their passing attack must be on point and Aspen will need a 35-point offensive game plus they cannot commit turnovers. I am going with Classical Academy to win 35-21.
#3 Bayfield vs #14 Elizabeth on 11/4 @ 1:00pm
#3 Bayfield come into the playoffs as your Intermountain League Champion. Bayfield is perfect on the season going 9-0 overall and 5-0 in league. They played 3 playoff teams with possibly 2 more from New Mexico and Bayfield went 3-0 against all of them. Bayfield has the best defense in 2A only giving up 5.4 ppg and have held 6 opponents to under 10 points. Bayfield has only given up over 20 points once this season and that was too 5A Aztec NM (Equivalent to 3A in Colorado). Bayfield has posted back to back shutouts as well. Defensively Bayfield is led by senior Hunter Killough 104 total tackles, 11 TFL, and 5 INTs and helping is senior Ryan Phelps 65 total tackles and 15 sacks. Offensively Bayfield is averaging 39.9 ppg and only twice this year have been held in the 20 against Pagosa Springs and Durango (3A). Bayfield is a run first team but can attack you with a solid passing attack. Bayfield has 1498 yards passing and 2349 yards rushing. Bayfield passing attack is led by junior QB Hunter Farmer 1479 yards passing 23 TDS & 9 INTs. Bayfield rushing attack is led by senior RB Carl Heide 749 yards rushing and 7 TDs. Bayfield biggest strength is their defense which is playing outstanding and only giving up 5.4 ppg and a stable of running backs all of whom can go for 100 yards. Bayfield biggest weakness is throwing Interceptions. Bayfield QB must take care of the ball and keep this offense going on in the right direction.
#14 Elizabeth enters the playoffs finishing 3rd in the Colorado League going 3-2 in league and 6-3 overall. Elizabeth played 3 playoff teams going 0-3. They lost to La Junta (21-13), Kent Denver (35-0), and Machebeuf (26-19). Defensively Elizabeth is giving up 15.6 ppg and is right in the middle of the pack in terms of defense. Elizabeth held 3 teams to under 10 points and only let 2 teams break 20 points La Junta and Kent Denver. Elizabeth defense is led by junior Gage Dauenbaugh 56 tackles and junior Reece Ullery 42 tackles. Elizabeth offensively is a run heavy team averaging 31.2 ppg. Elizabeth has 2269 yards rushing and 363 yards passing. Elizabeth passing attack is led by junior Nicholas Ball 308 yards passing 3 TDs and 2 INTs. Elizabeth rushing attack is led by junior RB Reece Ullery 1250 yards rushing and 16 TDs. He is the main catalyst of this offense and must get plenty of touches in their game. Elizabeth biggest strength is their rushing attack led by Reece Ullery. He is the big factor for this team to be successful. Their biggest weakness is their one-sided offense. If their rushing attack is slowed their passing attack and no other running back has over 300 yards of rushing.
Bayfield offense should be productive against Elizabeth defense but Bayfield defense will be tested. Bayfield will look to control the line of scrimmage on defense and control the running lanes. Bayfield must be careful Elizabeth has played tough against top team such as La Junta and Machebeuf. Elizabeth must establish the run and cannot lose the battle in the trenches. Elizabeth also must figure a way to get more running room for Ullery if he is slowed down. I am going with Bayfield as the favorite and have them winning 31-7.
#6 Basalt vs #11 Salida on 11/4 @ 1:00pm
#6 Basalt enter the playoffs winning the Western Slope League and in all 8 of their wins. Basalt is perfect against 2A opponents this year with their lone loss to Rifle (3A). Basalt went 8-1 overall and 5-0 in league but only faced 2 playoff teams in Rifle (3A) and Aspen. After their first game Basalt defense has played outstanding. Basalt is giving up 12.9 ppg and if you take out the first game they are only giving up 9.1 ppg. Basalt only challenged by two other teams this year Battle Mountain (3A) 41-33 and Aspen (48-22). Due to Basalt weaker schedule not, much is known how good this team is so well find out against Salida. Basalt on defense is led by junior Tai Kimm 51 tackles and Raul Torres 51 tackles. Basalt offensively has been very impressive averaging 43.4 ppg and were only held under 40 points twice this year. Basalt offensively is a run first team and have 2427 yards rushing and 929 yards passing. Basalt passing attack is led by junior Trevor Reuss 901 yards passing, 9 TDs, and 2 INTs. Basalt rushing attack is led by Noah William 1232 yards rushing and 25 TDs. Noah William is the main cog in this offense and must be productive for Basalt to win games. Basalt biggest strength is their rushing attack which helps control the clock and is averaging 7.8 yards per run. Basalt biggest weakness is their lack of quality opponents. We are not sure how good Basalt is or what happens if they are down in games. Well learn more about Basalt in this game.
#11 Salida enters the playoffs finishing 3rd in the Tri-Peaks and improved a ton from last year. Salida went 7-2 overall and 3-2 in league. Salida played 3 playoff teams this year going 1-2 against them. They beat Pagosa Springs 30-22 and lost to Classical Academy (27-19) and La Junta (39-16). Defensively Salida is giving up 13.8 ppg and have held 6 opponents to under 10 points. Defense has been key for Salida winning games when they lost games they gave up over 25 points. Salida defensively is led by junior Hunter Clark 109 total tackles and sophomore Jesse Camp 75 total tackles. Offensively Salida is averaging 36 ppg and are a balanced offense. Salida has 1819 yards passing and 1625 yards rushing. Salida passing attack is led by senior QB Bridger Russell 1802 yards passing, 19 TDs and 5 INTs. Salida rushing attack is led by senior RB Cody Farney 787 yards rushing and 11 TDs. Salida biggest strength is their passing attack which is very dynamic and can hit you with big plays. Salida biggest weakness is their defense against good offenses. Salida gave up 27 to Classical Academy and 39 to La Junta. In games were Salida gave up over 25 points they lost the game. Salida will need a great defensive effort this week.
This is the 3rd best game in 2A in my eyes. Basalt is looking to prove they are a solid playoff team and have the dynamic offense to prove it. Basalt must establish the run in this game but their defense will be tested by a dynamic offense that can both run and pass. Salida run defense will be tested. They cannot just stack the box though because Basalt has proven they can throw the ball as well. Salida will need their offense to be on point this week and must avoid the costly turnovers the suffered against La Junta. I think this game could turn into a bit of a shootout and I am going with Basalt as the favorite and have them winning 38-28.
#7 Faith Christian vs #10 Machebeuf on 11/4 @ 1:00pm
#7 Faith Christian enters the playoffs as the Flatirons League Champion going a perfect 5-0 in league and 8-1 overall. Faith Christian played 3 playoff teams going 2-1 against them. Faith Christian lone loss on the year is to Kent Denver 52-33. Faith Christian beat Resurrection Christian (9-0) & D’Evelyn (14-7). Faith Christian defensively is giving up 12.4 ppg and held 6 opponents to under 10 points. Faith Christian at times on defense has struggled giving up 52 to Kent Denver and 26 to Middle Park. Faith Christian defensively is led by senior Ryan Muniz 76 tackles and Jacob Thielen 38 tackles. Faith Christian offensively is averaging 30.7 ppg and 3 times this year were held under 14 points. Faith Christian is a run first offense rushing for 1606 yards and passing for 775 yards. Faith Christian passing attack is led by sophomore QB Isaiah Kroll 775 yards passing 12 TDs and 5 INTs. Faith Christian rushing attack is led by junior Jordan Abbott 633 yards rushing and 5 TDs. Faith Christian biggest strength is their defenses ability to close out tight games and their rushing attack which is averaging 174.4 rushing yards per game. Faith Christian biggest weakness is their ability to score on good defenses. They had 3 games where they were held to under 14 points and they must be able to score points in the playoffs.
#10 Machebeuf enters the playoffs as the runner up in the Colorado League which qualified 3 teams into the playoffs. Machebeuf finished 8-1 overall and 4-1 in league. Machebeuf played 2 playoff teams and went 1-1 against them. Machebeuf lone loss was to Kent Denver 21-8 and Machebeuf win was over Elizabeth 26-19. Machebeuf has a top defense giving up 10.4 ppg. The one big thing to note is their lack of quality opponents but they did hold Kent Denver to 21 points. Machebeuf is led on defense by Max Hansen 41 tackles and John Paul Luebbers 9 sacks. Machebeuf offensively is a run first team and are averaging 33.9 ppg. Machebeuf only puts stats in for 8 games and in those 8 games they are passing for 485 yards and rushing for 1871 yards. Machebeuf passing attack is led by senior Daniel Francis 468 yards passing 15 TDs and 1 INT and Machebeuf rushing attack is led by senior Fernando Chavez 719 yards rushing and 12 TDs. Machebeuf biggest strength is their rushing attack and their defense. Machebeuf plays great defense and are one of the few teams to slow Kent Denver down. Machebeuf biggest weakness is their lack of quality opponents. Machebeuf only played 2 playoff teams and both were in league. Machebeuf has a shot to show they are a good defense right away.
This is the best game in the first round in Class 2A. Both teams are solid teams with good defenses and good offenses. Faith Christian has proven they can play big in the 4th quarter hold two teams to 0 points and winning 9-0. Faith Christian must be able to move the ball on offense and defensively the must control the line of scrimmage. Machebeuf must make Faith Christian one-sided and force them to throw. Machebeuf defense will be tested and their offense must be able to run the ball or could be a long offensive day for Machebeuf. Faith Christian is the favorite in this game and I am going with Faith Christian in a close 21-17 game.
#2 Kent Denver vs #15 Resurrection Christian on 11/4 @ 1:30pm
#2 Kent Denver enters the playoffs as the #2 seed and the Colorado League Champion. They are a perfect 9-0 and 5-0 in league. Kent Denver played 4 playoff teams this year going 4-0 against them. Defensively Kent Denver has the second-best defense in 2A just behind Bayfield. Kent Denver is giving up 7.4 ppg and have held 7 opponents to under 10 points. One of the games where they gave up more than 10 was 33 to Faith Christian. Kent Denver has proven they are very tough defensively and can use their defense to close out games. Kent Denver defensively is led by Will Morland 69 total tackles and TJ Love 49 total tackles, 27 TFL, 10 Sacks. Kent Denver offensively is a run first offense but can throw the ball. Kent Denver is averaging 40.7 ppg. Kent Denver has 887 yards passing and 2370 yards rushing. Kent Denver passing attack is led by junior QB Joey Licht 862 yards passing 12 TDs and 1 INT. Kent Denver rushing attack is led by senior Seven Lindsey 1164 yards rushing and 14 TDs. Kent Denver biggest strength is their defense and power rushing attack. Kent Denver has slowed quite a few offenses down and shown they can control the clock. Kent Denver biggest weakness is lack of turnovers but their defense gets off the field by making people go 3 and out.
#15 Resurrection Christian surprised me this year after losing a very talented senior class their offense had to rebuild but their defense played solid and helped them make the playoffs. Resurrection Christian is 5-4 overall and 4-1 in league and finished second in the Patriot West. Resurrection Christian has played 4 playoff teams this year going 0-4 against them. They lost to Sterling (33-8), Faith Christian (9-0), Platte Valley (20-0), and Eaton (21-12). Resurrection Christian is giving up 12.9 ppg and held 4 teams to under 10 points. Resurrection Christian is led by junior Zach Zuhlke 98 total tackles and freshman Tanner Applebee 57 total tackles. Resurrection Christian is balanced in their offensive attack and are averaging 20.2 ppg. Resurrection Christian had a ton of new starters this year. Resurrection Christian has 972 yards passing and 1398 yards rushing. Resurrection Christian passing attack is led by junior QB Issac Crane 860 yards passing 7 TDs and 8 INTs. Resurrection Christian rushing attack is led by junior Kyle Lueck 421 yards rushing & 4 TDs. Resurrection Christian biggest strength is their defense which has kept them in games and they will need it in the playoffs. Resurrection Christian biggest weakness is their offense. Their offense is still a work in progress but have improved.
Kent Denver is the favorite in this game and will have their offense tested by a solid defense. Kent Denver rushing attack must get going to quickly gain traction in this game. Resurrection Christian must hold Kent Denver offense to under 20 points and have a solid offensive outing to pull the upset. Resurrection Christian will need a good day from their QB. I am going with Kent Denver to win this game 35-7.
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