CLASS 2A FOOTBALL REPORT – SEMIFINALS by Kerry Sherman

CLASS 2A FOOTBALL REPORT – SEMIFINALS

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

Three of last week’s quarterfinal games in Class 2A were decided by three points or less, and one saw the top-seed, Strasburg, upset by #9 Eaton. The four remaining teams, which includes three of the top four seeds, will be looking to punch their ticket to the state title game, currently scheduled for next Saturday at 5pm at CSU-Pueblo. Games are listed in bracket order and will be played at 1pm on Saturday.

#4 ELIZABETH (9-2) VS #9 EATON (8-3)

Last week… Elizabeth built a 28-7 second quarter lead over #4 Brush, and still led 28-14 at the half. The Cardinals held onto a 35-28 advantage entering the final frame, but saw the Beetdiggers tie the contest midway through the period. Elizabeth then went on a long march, culminating in a 25-yard field goal by Luke Ferland with just 14 seconds to play, sending the Cardinals into the semifinals with a 38-35 victory.

Tristan McCray went for 118 yards and a TD on the ground to lead Elizabeth on offense, and the Cards also got rushing scores from Griffin Widhalm, Jaden Francis, and Andrew Martinez. They amassed 326 yards in the running attack. Carter Jones paced the defense with 14 tackles, just ahead of Finn Quinby, who had 13. Brody Aldridge also hit double figures, picking up 10 stops. Tyler Hanak had a sack, and the Cardinals got an interception apiece from Talyn Douglas, Tim Waters, and Ronin Lundgren. Ferland hit on all five of his PAT kicks, and one of two FG tries.

After fighting through a scoreless first quarter, Eaton took a 14-13 lead over #1 Strasburg at the half, thanks to a missed PAT by the Indians. Special teams played a crucial role in the second half, as the Reds blocked a punt for a touchdown, but also missed a field goal that eventually led to a Strasburg TD and a 32-21 lead for the Indians in the fourth quarter. Eaton rallied in the final quarter, getting the lead on a short run by Jackson Savona with around a minute to go. His two-point run gave the Reds a 35-32 lead, and the defense sealed the win with an interception.

Brayden Legler threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns, one apiece to Cooper Wiedeman and Max Blaskowski. Savona finished the day with 75 yards and two touchdowns in the ground attack. Ely Madaleno caught five passes for 88 yards. Cameron Southard topped the defense with nine tackles, while Vinnie Juarez and Paxton Pettinger added eight each. Andrew Loyd notched two sacks, and Pettinger and Austin Bright had one apiece. Southard and Dylan Paris each picked off a pass. Keenan Gallegos went 3-3 on PAT kicks.

Series history… Eaton leads 3-0, including playoff victories in 2021 and last year. The Reds scored a 21-13 win in the opening round a season ago, with Loyd throwing three touchdown passes. McCray scored one of Elizabeth’s touchdowns and ran for 116 yards.

#2 WELLINGTON (11-0) VS #3 THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY (11-0)

Last week… The lone quarterfinal contest decided by more than one score last week saw Wellington run past #7 Resurrection Christian, 42-12. The Eagles led 14-0 after one, and after the Cougars got on the board early in the second, Wellington scored the next 28 points to take command.

Tanner Gray ran for 103 yards and four touchdowns, and also completed six of nine passes for 66 yards to lead the Eagles. Brayton Meglen added 68 yards and a TD, and Tre Trujillo went for 56 yards and a touchdown. Wellington ran for 284 yards as a team. Teagan Greiman led all tacklers with 15 in the contest. Matt Brown tallied nine, and Ethan Thurnes posted eight. Meglen recorded an interception.

Regulation wasn’t long enough to decide a winner between TCA and #6 Kent Denver, as the teams worked overtime. Kent Denver had built a 35-21 lead through three quarters, but the Titans fought back to tie the contest just past the midpoint of the fourth on a pair of Jackson Schipfer touchdown runs. The Sun Devils went back on top with an 80-yard TD pass, but the Titans responded again, this time on a TD run by Braden Godoy. Kent Denver had a chance to end it in regulation, but Wellington’s defense came up with an interception. Schipfer’s third touchdown of the day gave the Titans a 49-42 lead in OT, and after Kent Denver found the end zone, the Sun Devils went for two and came up short.

Schipfer piled up 234 yards and three touchdowns on 36 carries, and Godoy registered 46 yards and two scores. Jackson Smetana tallied 29 yards on the ground, and threw for 188 yards and a TD. Nathaniel Thorne was on the receiving end of the scoring toss, and Shane Cooper caught five passes for 62 yards. Wilson Grothe made all seven PAT kicks.

Series history… The only previous meeting between the teams came in last year’s title game. The Classical Academy pulled out a wild 42-36 victory to earn the first football state championship in program history. Schipfer ran for one touchdown for the Titans, while Gray ran for one and threw for two in the loss for Wellington.