Class 1A Football Semifinal Preview

Class 1A Football Semifinal Preview

By Anthony Garcia

We are down to the final four teams in Class 1A.  Both games look to be phenomenal matchups and should make for a great weekend of Football.  Both games in Class 1A will be on Saturday.  Good Luck to all four teams as they push to make a bid for the State Championship.

#1 Limon vs #4 Meeker, Saturday at 1pm

Limon enters as the top seeded team in the Class 1A State Playoff bracket.  Limon comes into the Semifinals following a 41-18 win over previously undefeated #8 Banning Lewis.  This was a competitive game to start with Limon taking an early 12-0 lead after the first quarter.  Limon pushed the lead to 26 to 0 at halftime and never looked back.  Limon racked up 439 yards of total offense in the game.  QB Jordan Rockwell had an efficient day going 6 of 7 for 179 yards and 2 passing TDs.  Rockwell had one of his best games of the season in this game his previous best was 160 yards against Wray.  Rockwell distributed the ball around with 3 receivers all breaking 50 yards in Lohgan Bottjer, Lance Beedy, and Keon Bandy.  The rushing attack led the offense with 260 yards rushing and 4 rushing TDs.  RB Keon Bandy led all rushers with 109 yards and 3 rushing TDs.  Lohgan Bottjer was also effective in the game rushing for 95 yards on 12 carries.  Defensively Limon pitched the shutout thru 3 quarters before giving up the scores.  Limon forced a pair of INTs in the game, one by Lance Beedy and the other by Keon Bandy.  LB Keon Bandy continued his dominate performance in the game with 11 tackles.  Treyton Marx and Zac Carr also had big days on defense with both breaking 8 tackles in the game.

Meeker enters as the #4 Seed in the Class 1A State Playoff bracket.  Meeker moved into the quarterfinals with a 28 to 7 win over Buena Vista.  Meeker took an early 9 to 0 lead after the first quarter and followed that up with a 12-point 2^nd quarter taking a 21 to 0 lead into Halftime.  Meeker never looked back scoring one last time in the 4^th Quarter and making the final 28 to 7.  Meeker offensively racked up 273 yards of total offense in the game.  The rushing attack powered the offense with 248 yards of rushing and 4 rushing TDs.  RB Clay Crawford had a big day with 159 yards rushing and 1 rushing TD.  RB Cade Blunt also had an impactful day with 75 yards rushing and 3 rushing TDs.  QB Ryan Sullivan only had 25 yards passing in the game but look for him to have a much bigger role if Meeker wants to upset Limon.  Defensively Meeker was dominate in the game pitching the shutout in the first half and closing things out with the shutout in the 4^th Quarter.  Meeker forced 3 turnovers in the game a pair of INTs by Jace Mobley and a forced fumble by Buzz Clatterbaugh and a fumble recovery by Jake Blazon.  Buzz Clatterbaugh had a big day on defense with 14 tackles and a sack in the game.  Cade Blunt and Judd Harvey were also big defensive players with each breaking the 9-tackle mark.

These two teams have meet each other in the playoffs just once since 2004 with Limon defeating Meeker in 2018.  These two teams faced each other in the regular season with Limon defeating Meeker 28 to 7.  These two teams have 2 common opponents.  Limon went 2-0 defeating Buena Vista 21-0 and Cedaredge 42-7.  Meeker went 3-0 defeating Buena Vista (2x 42-14, 28-7) and Cedaredge 33-0.  Limon is your defending State Champions and they have reached the State Championship every season since 2018.  Meeker made the playoffs last season falling in the first round to Wray.  Meeker is also on an impressive run making the playoffs every season since 2013.

#6 Strasburg vs #7 Wray, Saturday at 1pm

Strasburg enters the matchup as the #6 seeded team in the Class 1A State Playoff Bracket.  Strasburg moved into the Semifinals with a 56 to 14 win over #3 Seeded Gunnison on the road.  The Strasburg vs Gunnison game started very well with Gunnison getting the three and out and getting a big playoff a trick play.  After that trick play Strasburg defensively came to play and shutdown the Gunnison offense for most of the game.  Offensively Strasburg had a big day thru the air and once the offense got rolling it did not stop.  Strasburg offensively racked up 479 yards of total offense.  QB Landen Martin had a big day passing for 259 yards and 4 passing TDs.  Martin also added a pair of rushing TDs as well.  Martin main target was WR Austin Velasco who had a massive day with 7 catches for 167 yards and 2 TDs.  The rushing attack also was important in the game with 219 yards and 4 rushing TDs.  RB Thomas Devlin led all rushers with 162 yards and 2 rushing TDs.  Defensively Strasburg locked things down after the first score not allowing Gunnison to score until the 3^rd Quarter.  Strasburg forced 3 turnovers in the game a pair of INTs by Paul Smith and Cameron Manahan and had a fumble recovery by AL Dickens.  Paul Smith and Thomas Devlin lead Strasburg in tackles with both over 9 tackles.

Wray enters as the #7 seeded team in the Class 1A State Playoff Bracket.  Wray moved into the Semifinals with a 41 to 35 win over #2 Holyoke.  For consecutive years Wray has at least reached the Semifinals being a 6 or lower seed.  Wray vs Holyoke lived up to the Hype with both teams battling in the opening half and we took a 14 to 14 lead into halftime.  Then the fireworks started with Wray scoring 21 unanswered points and taking a 35 to 14 lead into the 4^th Quarter.  Holyoke then got a pair of score unanswered to cut the lead to 35 to 28.  Wray responded with a 6-minute drive and capped it off with a TD to push the lead back to a two score game.  Holyoke did get one last score before a recovered onside kick ended the game with Wray grabbing the win.  Wray offensively had a solid day with 384 yards of total offense.  The rushing attack lead the way for Wray racking up 322 yards rushing and 4 rushing TDs.  RB Samuel Meisner led all rushers with 204 yards and 2 rushing TDs.  QB Casey Midcap was also a big part of the offense passing for 62 yards and 2 passing TDs.  Midcap also added 116 yards on the ground and another 2 rushing TDs.  WR Aaron Tena continued his big postseason catching a pair of passes for TDs.  Defensively Wray forced 2 turnovers a INT by Samuel Meisner and a fumble recovery by Austin Collins.  Wray also had 3 sacks by Brody Richards.  Tavery Chappell, Casey Midcap, and Austin Snapp led Wray in tackles with all 3 over 8 tackles in the game.

These two teams have meet each other in the playoffs 2 different times since 2014 with each team winning once against each other.  These two teams have 3 common opponents.  Strasburg went 1-2 defeating Wiggins 27-22 and losing to Holyoke 33-7 and Limon 49-21.  Wray went 2-2 defeating Wiggins 35 to 21 and Holyoke 41 to 35 and losing to Holyoke 32 to 14 and Limon 35 to 7.  Strasburg last season made the playoffs falling in the Semifinals to Wray.  Strasburg is on a very impressive run making the playoffs every season since 2011.  Wray was your runner-up last season falling to Limon in the state championship.  Wray has made the playoffs every year since 2016.