MileHigh Prep Report Preseason Class 1A Football Rankings
We are getting closer and closer to the start of the football season. Here is my top 16 preseason rankings. 1A will be battle this year with plenty of talent returning. The top of 1A again is dominated by the blue bloods but look for some new teams to push for the top. We are doing a media/coaches poll again this season. If you are interested in voting shoot me a message. I move to 8-Man Football next week. Good Luck to all teams this season!
Class 1A
| Rank | Team | Notes |
| #1 | Limon HS Defending State Champions | Limon is your defending State Champions. Limon will lose a very talented senior class taking key contributors across the board. Limon though is a factory and should still be a top team in Class 1A. Offensively, Limon will look for new starters on the offensive line to step up and will look for the 7 Jr. & Sr. offensive linemen to step up. Limon will also return POY Candidate RB Camdyn Tacha and RB Liam Yoder. Defensively Limon returns 6 of their top 13 tacklers including 3 of their top 6. Key Defensive players returning are Ben Carr, Nelson Sontay, and Camdyn Tacha. |
| #2 | Meeker HS Made the Playoffs, lost in the Quarterfinals | Meeker made the playoffs last season falling in the Quarterfinals to Buena Vista 40 to 14. Meeker will lose 8 seniors from last year and have a few holes to fill. Meeker offensively returns POY Candidate QB Cade Mills and RB Said Rodriguez. The offensive line for Meeker should also be in decent shape returning 8 Jr. & Sr. Offensive/Defensive Linemen. Defensively Meeker should have a top unit returning 9 of their top 13 tacklers including 4 of their top 6. Key Defensive players returning are Tucker Chinn, Jonah Christenson, and Wesley Thompson. |
| #3 | Centauri HS Made the Playoffs, lost in the Semifinals | Centauri reached the Semifinals last year, falling to Buena Vista 27 to 12. Centauri will lose a talented senior class taking 13 seniors. Offensively Centauri will look to rebuild the offensive line as they lose 4 if not 5 starters on the offensive line. The skill positions for Centauri will be loaded with POY Candidate RB Leland Chacon, RB Blake Johnson, WR Dallyn King, and RB Caden Ruggles all coming back. Defensively Centauri is always a top unit, and they return 6 of their top 13 tacklers including 3 of their top 6. Key defensive players returning are Blake Johnson, Donovan Jarvies, and Leland Chacon. |
| #4 | Burlington HS Made the playoffs, lost in the Quarterfinals | Burlington made the playoffs last season falling in the Quarterfinals to Wray 50 to 14. Burlington has continued to build a top program and will have a few holes to fill from last season losing 6 seniors. Offensively Burlington will return 4 starters on the offensive line but must replace their top RB from a year ago. Burlington will look for POY Candidate RB Scout Humrich to step up this year along with QB Weston Schaal who was hurt all of last season. Defensively Burlington returns 7 of their top 13 tacklers but must have new leadership step up as just 1 of their top 6 returns. Key defensive returners are Scout Humrich, Garrett Rogers, and Samuel Krober. |
| #5 | Monte Vista HS Made the playoffs, lost in the Quarterfinals | Monte Vista reached the Quarterfinals last season before falling to Limon 50 to 14. Monte Vista will have a few holes to fill losing 12 seniors from a year ago. Offensively Monte Vista returns 4 starters on the offensive line. POY Candidate QB Manny Jiron returns along with RB Judah Howe, RB Nehemias Sandoval, and WR Jeremiah McComas. Defensively Monte Vista returns 7 of their top 13 tacklers including 3 of their top 6. Key defensive returners are Mason Mondragon, Lucas Pino, and John Jake Naranjo. |
| #6 | C.S Christian Made the playoffs, lost in the First Round | C.S Christian made the playoffs last season being upset in the first round by Monte Vista 21 to 0. C.S Christian will have a few holes to fill losing 11 seniors but mainly losing key RBs and their top WR. C.S Christian offensively returns key players with POY Candidate QB Fisher Tenpas returning along with WR Silas Lambert, and RB Liam Smith. The offensive line could have a few holes to fill but return 5 Jr. & Sr. Offensive linemen. Defensively C.S Christian could have a top unit returning 9 of their top 13 tacklers including 5 of their top 6. Key defensive returners are Liam Smith, Matt Hinderland, and Christian Banks. |
| #7 | Yuma HS Missed the playoffs, went 4-5 | Yuma missed the playoffs last season, going 4-5 and finishing in 5th place in the North Central League. Yuma has a lot of talent coming back losing just 8 seniors from a year ago. Offensively, Yuma returns their entire offensive line from last year and should take a huge step forward. Yuma also returns POY Candidate QB Iann Duran and RB Christian Thomson. Defensively Yuma should also have a top 10 unit returning 8 of their top 13 tacklers including 3 of their top 6. Key defensive returners are Jesus Gordo, Jose Ross, and Brodie Kallweit. |
| #8 | Wiggins HS Missed the playoffs, went 1-8 | Wiggins missed the playoffs last season going 1-8 and played one of the toughest schedules in Class 1A a season ago. Wiggins will hope the experience they gained last year will help them this season. Wiggins will lose 7 seniors from last year including possibly 3 starters on the offensive line. Offensively, Wiggins will return at least two starters on the offensive line plus 6 Jr. & Sr. Offensive and Defensive linemen. Wiggins also returns QB Brock Forsha, RB Owen Erker, and RB Julien Towers. Defensively Wiggins returns 8 of their top 13 tacklers including 3 of their top 6. Key defensive returners are Cyrus Barkdoll, Owen Erker, and Keaton Crownover. |
| #9 | Rye HS Made the playoffs, lost in the first round | Rye made the playoffs last season falling in the first round to Wray, 56 to 13. Rye will hope to build off last season. Rye will have some key holes to fill, losing 7 seniors including their top tacklers plus some key offensive linemen. Rye offensively will return POY Candidate RB Jackson Bjorum, QB Brady Baumgartner, and WR Wyatt Scheid. The offensive line for Rye will return at least two starters and will look for the 7 Jr. & Sr. Offensive/Defensive linemen to step up. Defensively, Rye returns 7 of their top 13 tacklers from a year ago including 3 of their top 6. Key defensive returners are Grant Clennin, Tyson Boisvert, and Chase Daniel. |
| #10 | Buena Vista HS Runners Up | Buena Vista is your runner up from a year ago, falling in an exciting State Championship matchup with Limon 14 to 10. Buena Vista will lose a very talented senior class with 14 seniors graduating. Buena Vista will be looking for new leadership offensively, both skill positions and on the offensive line. Offensively, Buena Vista will lean heavily on POY Candidate RB Casen Pridemore and WR Joe Bearss. The offensive line will look for the 5 Jr. & Sr. Offensive/defensive linemen to step up. Defensively Buena Vista returns 2 of their top 13 tacklers including 2 of their top 6. Pridemore and Bearss both are defensive leaders as well. A few other names we could see step up this year are Dexter Whitemore, Kenny Elenfeldt, and Thomas Sander. |
| #11 | Platte Valley HS Made the playoffs, lost in the First Round | Platte Valley made the playoffs last season falling in the first round to Meeker 41 to 18. Platte Valley will look to make a deeper run this year but have a few holes to fill. Platte Valley will lose 7 seniors from last year, taking their starting QB and top RB from last season. Offensively Platte Valley returns 6 Jr. and Sr. Offensive/Defensive linemen. Platte Valley also returns RB Mason Hunt and key WRs in Kaden Tucker, Jason Harrison, and Jackson Bauer. Whoever takes over at QB will have tons of weapons to throw at. Platte Valley did not input defensive stats, but they have always had a tough defensive unit. |
| #12 | Byers HS Made the playoffs, lost in the First Round (8-Man) | Byers makes the move up into Class 1A this season from 8-Man last year. Byers made the playoffs last year in 8-Man falling in the first round. Byers will jump up to 11-man football losing just 4 seniors from their team and should be loaded to make an impact in 1A. Byers will return at least two starters on the offensive line and will look to build a 5-man unit to compete. Byers also returns POY Candidate QB James Maes, RB Gabe Price, and WR Benjamin McPherson. Defensively Byers returns 9 of their top 13 tacklers including 3 of their top 6. Key defensive returners are Caleb Eastwood, Devin Mohatt, and Wesley Butterfield. |
| #13 | Denver Christian Missed the playoffs, went 4-5 | Denver Christian missed the playoffs last year going 4-5 and finishing 2nd in the Frontier League. Denver Christian looks to take a big step forward this year and reach the playoffs. Denver Christian lose just 3 seniors from last year and are poised for that playoff run. Offensively, Denver Christian returns 4 of their 5 starters on the offensive line plus return plenty of depth. Denver Christian also returns QB Cole McCabe, RB Quinn Barkema, and WR Austin Fitzgerlad. Defensively Denver Christian should also make a huge leap, returning 11 of their top 13 tacklers which includes their top 6 from a year ago. Key defensive returners are Quinn Barkema, Daniel Copeland, and Elijah Whitfield. |
| #14 | Wray HS Made the playoffs, lost in the Semifinals | Wray reached the Semifinals last season falling to Limon 42 to 21. Wray will hope to reload on the run and will have some big holes to fill losing 8 seniors from a year ago. Offensively Wray returns at least two starters on the offensive line and will look to the returning 14 Jr. & Sr. Offensive lineman to fill some holes. Offensively Wray will also look for new skill players to step up like Jaiden Depue and Grady Godsey. Defensively Wray will return 6 of their top 13 tacklers from a year ago but just 1 of their top 6. Look for players like Lance Buoy to step forward as a leader but also Eric Lords and Benjamin Riggleman. |
| #15 | Cedaredge HS Missed the playoffs, went 6-3 | Cedaredge missed the playoffs last season, going 6-3 and finishing in 3rd place in the Western Slope. Cedaredge will look to reach the playoffs this year but will have a few key holes to fill. Cedaredge will lose 9 seniors from a year ago losing their top RB and possibly 3 or 4 starters on the offensive line. Offensively Cedaredge will look to 7 Jr. and Sr. Offensive/defensive linemen to fill the gaps. Cedaredge also returns QB Logan Sanders, WR Liam Martin, and RB Makai Salazar. Defensively Cedaredge should be a top unit still returning 8 of their top 13 tacklers but will need leaders to step up returning just 2 of their top 6. Key defensive returners are Shane Smothers, Liam Martin, and Cole Wyatt. |
| #16 | Flatirons Academy Made the playoffs, lost in the First Round | Flatirons Academy made the playoffs last season falling in the first round to Limon 44 to 16. Flatirons Academy got back to the playoffs last year and will look to make a deeper run this year. Flatirons Academy lost just 4 seniors from last season and should be loaded for a good season. Flatirons Academy offensively returns at least 3 starters on the offensive line and will lean on the 9 Jr. and Sr. Offensive/defensive linemen to fill the holes. The Bison also return POY Candidate QB Caleb Doughty, RB Zeke Friedman, and WR Jack Joyner. Defensively Flatirons Academy returns 10 of their top 13 tacklers including 4 of their top 6. Key defensive players returning are Isaiah Figueroa, Zeke Friedman, and Gabe Noteboom. |
| Other Teams to Watch | Valley, Moffat County, Dayspring Christian, North Fork, Olathe, Holyoke, Highland, Platte Canyon |
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