Class 2A & 1A Top Ten Breakdown
With just 7 ranked teams in action between both Class 2A and 1A I decided to combine into one list. I will do the same with 8-man and 6-man and that will be posted tomorrow.
Class 2A
#4 Platte Valley vs Berthoud
Platte Valley opens their season against Berthoud. Platte Valley is looking to build off a very successful season last year where they reached the state championship. Platte Valley beat Berthoud last year 16-0 but both teams are completely different from a year ago. Platte Valley will be starting a new QB and looking for a new rusher to step forward. I will be interested to see who starts at QB for Platte Valley. Defensively Platte Valley will be loaded once again with 8 of their 11 top tacklers returning and this unit may have to step up big until the offense comes together. Berthoud played their first year of 2A last year going 6-4 and making the playoffs. Berthoud lost a huge senior class and a lot of starters. Sam Baird look to start at QB for Berthoud, but a new starting RB must be found. Defensively Berthoud will look completely different with just 3 of their top 11 tacklers returning. Berthoud will be an interesting team to keep an eye on. The main storylines for this game are who starts at QB and RB for Platte Valley and for Berthoud it is who steps up on defense for them and who moves into the RB position.
#6 Resurrection Christian vs Sterling (Game of the Week 2A)
Resurrection Christian opens their season against Sterling. Both teams have plenty of changes from last year and this should be a good game for both teams. Resurrection Christian went 11-1 last year and lost in the semifinals and are hoping to build of that performance. Buck Coors will return to lead the offense at QB but will have to find a new RB. Colton Stahla looks like he could fill the RB spot. Defensively Resurrection Christian returns just 4 of their 11 top tacklers but with leaders like Tanner Applebee and Sawyer Shepherd coming back I this unit will still be in the Top 10. Sterling went 5-4 last year and just missed out on the playoffs. Sterling is hoping to get back into the playoffs this year. Sterling will return QB Brock Shalla and #2 rusher Conner Polenz. New top targets at WR are needed along with new starters on the offensive line. Defensively Sterling will be returning 5 of their 11 top starters and this unit must improve this year. This should be a good game and both teams have plenty of questions. Resurrection Christian will have a whole new defense along with looking for a top rusher. Sterling is looking to rebuild their offensive line, and can their defense make improvements this year.
#7 Rifle vs Grand Valley
Rifle opens their season against 1A Grand Valley. Rifle played their first season of 2A football and had a successful season going 9-2 and reaching the quarterfinals. Rifle this year will be looking for a deeper run but have a few holes. QB Holden Stutsman returns for his senior year and his leadership is key. At RB Rifle loses 2000-yard rusher Tanner Vines but Levi Warfel is a solid replacement who ran for 952 yards. Look for Talon Cordova to also have a bigger season at RB as well. The offensive line for Rifle will also need some players to step up with possibly 3 or 4 starters graduating. Defensively Rifle returns 6 of their 11 top tacklers. Rifle I think will be poised for another solid year, but the Western Slope League looks to be loaded. Grand Valley went 2-7 last year and really struggled to get this going. Grand Valley will be looking for both a starting QB and starting RB. The offensive line will have at least 2 starters returning but this unit must step up this year. Grand Valley defensively will have to really step up with 6 of their 11 top tacklers returning. This unit will have to carry the load early on. The main storylines are: Rifle is losing key leadership players on both offense and defense can players step up and fill those holes. Grand Valley will need their defense to carry them this year and can this unit step up enough.
Class 1A
#2 Holyoke vs Haxtun
Holyoke opens their season against 8-man Haxtun. I am unsure of how the rules for the game will be but if anyone knows how please message me and will update this. Holyoke went 7-3 last year and were a young team. Holyoke did show their youth losing in the first round but are hoping for a much deeper run this year. Holyoke lose just 3 seniors from last years team and will be ready to roll. QB Miles Sprague looks to build on his freshman year and RB Blake Mosenteen is looking to have a huge senior year. This offensive unit should improve this year and be extremely tough to stop. Defensively this unit should also improve with 10 of their 11 tacklers returning. Losing their leading tackler could hurt but I think this defense improves this year. Haxtun went 3-6 last year and missed the playoffs. Haxtun will be starting a new QB with Owen Knode stepping into the role. A new RB will also need to be found. Haxtun defensively will be looking to rebuild this unit with just 4 of their top 11 tacklers returning. Haxtun will have to have some younger kids really step up. Some storylines for this game are: Haxtun will be young this year and need some younger players to really step up on defense and at RB. Holyoke will be looking for a new leader on defense and can Holyoke continue the growth of the young players.
#4 Meeker at Hotchkiss
Meeker opens their season against League Rival Hotchkiss but this is not a league. Meeker went 7-3 last year and got to the quarterfinals. Meeker will lose a big senior class from last years team but have enough talent coming back to try and make a deeper run. Meeker returns their offensive leader with QB Ryan Phelan coming back for his junior year. He will have to find a new lead RB but look for Kelton Turner to step into that role. Meeker will be looking for a couple new WR’s as well. The offensive line for Meeker this year will have a few new players as well, but I see Meeker offense being top notch in 1A. Meeker on defense has the most holes with just 4 of their top 11 tacklers returning. Hotchkiss went 2-7 last year finishing last in the Western Slope but I think if you need to find a team who could make a big jump this year then you must look at Hotchkiss. Hotchkiss is losing just 2 seniors from last years team and if there is a year for Hotchkiss to have a big year then 2019 is the year. QB Yahir Chavez is back along with RB Jace Peebles. The offense scored just 103 points last year and this unit must get things going this year. Defensively they return 10 of their 11 top tacklers but this unit did give up 319 points. The storylines for this game are: Can Meeker have enough players step up on defense to fill the holes. Also, can Meeker offense carry this team if needed. For Hotchkiss the main question is can seniors step up and lead and can this team move into the top 3 of the league.
#6 Strasburg vs University
Strasburg open the year against 2A University. Strasburg has a brand-new head coach in Brian Brown and seeing if he can keep the success that Strasburg has had. Strasburg will have some holes to fill from last year. QB Collin Russell will return for this junior year and seeing how he grows is key for Strasburg. #1 rusher Michael Spence does graduate but I expect Michael Burns to fill that hole. Strasburg will also have a few holes to fill on the offensive line with possibly 3 or 4 starters graduating. If the oLine comes together watch out for this offense. Defensively Strasburg will have a few holes to fill with just 4 of their top 11 tacklers returning. Strasburg will be looking for some inexperience kids to step into those holes. University went 5-4 last year and missed the playoffs. University is being picked by some to be a dark horse and win the Patriot West. I think University is going to be much improved this year but we will see how much against Strasburg. University returns QB Chayden Cox and RB Sam Custer. University also returns 3 starters on the offensive line. Defensively University has a few more holes with 6 of their 11 tacklers returning. I think this is a great first game for both University and Strasburg and should clue us into the type of seasons both teams could have.
#8 Wray at Highland
Wray opens their season against Highland. Wray beat Highland last year 41-8 but had to Forfeit the game. Wray went 5-5 last year and got into the playoffs but lost in the first round. Wray offensively will have a few holes to fill but have some upcoming talent. Wray will return QB Tyler Collins and we will see if he can grow in his second year at QB. Wray does lose #1 rusher Cade Hillman but return #2 rusher Emmanuel Huerta who will look to have a big year. Wray will have to replace some offensive linemen as well with possibly 2 or 3 starters graduating. Defensively Wray is returning a loaded unit with 8 of their 11 top tacklers returning. A new leader will have to step up, but this unit should be strong. Highland went 6-4 last year to reach the playoffs. Highland is losing a big senior group with a lot of leaders graduating. Highland will be looking for possibly a brand-new group of offensive linemen. Highland will also be looking for a new starter at QB but look for Sam Hnizdil to fill that hole. At RB look for Holden Morgan to have a much bigger year. Highland offensively may struggle until this offensive line comes together. Defensively Highland will be returning talent with 6 of their 11 top tacklers returning including their leading tackler. Highland will look to their defense early on until the offense comes together. The main questions for this game are: Can Wray build off last season and can a new senior leader step forward to replace Cade Hillman. Highland the main question is can their offensive line come together quickly and can their QB solution be figured out.
Florence vs Rocky Ford (Game of the Week 1A)
Florence opens their season against Rocky Ford. Florence went 8-3 last year playing their first year of 1A football. Florence last year got to the quarterfinals and came up just short against C.S Christian losing by 3. Florence will have some holes to fill this year losing some key pieces to graduation. Florence will have to replace 2 or 3 starters on the offensive line. Florence must also replace their QB, but I see Joshua Martinez fill that hole. The RB position must also replace their #1 rusher, but Owen Busetti should fill that hole. Defensively Florence will have 4 of their top 11 tacklers returning. Florence will have some holes to fill but I don’t expect much of a drop this year. Rocky Ford went 4-5 last year missing the playoffs. Rocky Ford is hoping to get to the playoffs this year but need players to really step up. Rocky Ford is losing just 2 seniors from last years team and both played RB/WR/DB. Rocky Ford is poised to have a big season, but can they step up. QB Isiah Garcia returns for his senior year and he must continue to improve. Garcia threw for 1023 yards and 13 TDs and I expect similar if not bigger numbers. The running game could use some improvement this year and look for Octavio Holguin to have a big year. Defensively Rocky Ford returns 10 of their top 11 tacklers. Rocky Ford must improve on this side of the ball against top teams. This is a great first test for both of these teams. Florence biggest question marks will be their Defense and filling the holes on the offensive line. Rocky Ford biggest question marks are can this team really step up against top teams.
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