CLASS 2A FOOTBALL REPORT – CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
A new champion will be crowned in Class 2A on Saturday night, as defending titlist The Classical Academy was knocked out in the semifinals. Wellington is back in the final contest after finishing runner-up last season. The opponent, Elizabeth, is making its first appearance since winning the 3A title in 2010. The teams will kickoff the championship contest at 5pm on Saturday at the ThunderBowl at CSU-Pueblo.
#2 WELLINGTON EAGLES (12-0) VS #4 ELIZABETH CARDINALS (10-2)
Championship history… While this incarnation of the program is in just its fourth season at the varsity level, Wellington does have a couple of titles associated with its name. Wellington won back-to-back Class C 6-man crowns in 1952 and 1953. As noted above, the Eagles were the runners-up last season, falling to The Classical Academy 42-36.
The Cardinals are hoping that history repeats itself, as they won their previous state title in their first championship game appearance back in 2010. That was in Class 3A.
Season notes… Wellington has been on a mission, outscoring opponents 504-62. That’s an average of 42 points a game for the Eagles, while their defense allows just under 5.2 points a contest. They’ve topped 50 points four times, all in the first month of the season, including a season-high 68 in the opener against Fort Lupton. The Eagles have scored at least 40 four more times. Their defense has posted six shutouts, including a forfeit, and have held three other opponents to single digits. No one has scored more than 16 points against them.
Elizabeth holds a 446-229 scoring edge on the season, and the Cardinals enter the championship clash on a six-game winning streak. They have not scored 50 in a game this year, but have posted at least 40 seven times. That includes a season-high of 48 in a shutout of Bennett. They’ve made a living in close games, going 4-1 in contests decided by 10 points or less. Defensively, Elizabeth has two shutouts on the campaign, and one other opponent was held to single digits. The Cardinals have given up more than 30 points four times, two coming in the postseason.
Stat leaders… The Eagles like to stay grounded on offense, as they’ve amassed 3423 yards and 7 touchdowns in that phase of the attack. That’s an average of better than 285 yards per contest. Five players have at least 200 yards on the season, led by Brayton Meglen with 858 and 12 touchdowns. Cyle Kisner is a close second, pitching in 836 yards and 13 touchdowns, and Tanner Gray adds 727 yards and a team-leading 17 scores. Tre Trujillo has 307 yards and three TD to his credit, and Loyal Scott has been a big play waiting to happen, as the sophomore has 201 yards and four touchdowns on nine carries.
Gray is the only one on the team with a completion, as he checks in having completed 47 of 83 attempts for 729 yards and 12 TD against three interceptions. Meglen has 15 receptions for 283 yards and four touchdowns out of the backfield, and Tanner McLean follows with 14 catches, 249 yards, and four scores. Kisner has three receiving TD on nine catches.
Teagan Greiman paces the defense with 74 tackles, just ahead of Ethan Thurnes with 70. Tyler Shaffer is third with 60 tackles, while Matt Brown and Gray follow with 57 and 54, respectively. Ezra Batjargal has made 42 stops. Gray has eight sacks in his 20 tackles for loss, and Batjargal owns five, and Anijah Garner has four. The Eagles have picked off 18 passes, with Meglen and Owen Gabbert having three apiece. Greiman and Kasen Brown have two each. Batjargal owns three of the team’s seven fumble recoveries, and Kaden Bennett has blocked two punts. Seth Long has converted 35 of 42 PAT kicks, and one of two field goals. The successful try was good from 47.
Elizabeth also prefers to pound the rock, having piled up 3309 yards and 52 touchdowns, compared to just over 800 yards through the air. Tristan McCray is hunting down a 1000-yard season, as the senior enters with 938 yards and 19 touchdowns. Griffin Widhalm adds 790 yards and 14 touchdowns, and Andrew Martinez has racked up 695 yards and seven TD. Jaden Francis makes it four backs over 500 yards, as he comes in with 512 to go with three touchdowns.
Widhalm completes just over half of his passes for 830 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s also thrown five interceptions. Luke Antinora leads the receivers with 14 catches for 277 yards and three TD. Cole Robinson had 10 receptions, 147 yards, and one touchdown in seven games, and Cole Powers had two touchdowns and 118 yards on four catches.
The Cardinal defense is spearheaded by Carter Jones, who has 76 tackles so far. Tyler Hanak and Landon Edwards have chipped in 67 and 63, respectively, and Ryker Atkins has made 54 stops. Brody Aldridge is at 50, followed by Coalten Crowner (46), and Talyn Douglas (40). Hanak (five) and Calvin Moore (four) have combined for nine sacks. The Cardinals have picked off 10 passes, two by Aldridge, and Edwards has two of the unit’s eight fumble recoveries. Luke Ferland has been good on 48 of 57 PAT kicks, and three of seven field goals. His long is from 32.
Postseason path… Wellington began its postseason run by blanking #15 Alamosa 48-0 in the opening round. The Eagles followed that with a 42-12 decision over #7 Resurrection Christian in the quarterfinals. In last week’s 29-7 semifinal win over #3 The Classical Academy, Wellington jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead behind a pair of Gray TD runs. He would finish with 112 yards and those two scores, while also hitting on six of nine passes for 116 yards and a TD. Meglen caught the scoring pass and also ran one in.
Elizabeth eked out wins over #13 Pagosa Springs (44-38) and #5 Brush (38-35) in the first two rounds, and then the Cardinals took care of #9 Eaton 35-13 in last week’s semifinal clash. Both teams found paydirt in the second quarter after a scoreless first. Elizabeth took a 13-7 lead into the fourth, and then outscored the Reds 22-6 to earn the trip to Pueblo. Widhalm ran for 125 and three scores on 10 carries, and also completed a TD pass to Antinora. McCray finished with 91 yards and a TD on the ground.
Series notes… This is the first match-up between the two programs.
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