Class 8-man state semifinal preview

The No. 1 seed Sedgwick County Cougars are one of Colorado’s most dominant football programs in recent history and a best kept secret for many who follow high school football. The Cougars were the favorites coming into the 2020 season and looked the part in their first playoff game last week. As for the other three teams remaining, they are evenly matched and are looking to play spoiler to another title for the Cougars. The winners this week will collide in the state championship game on Thursday, Dec. 3, in Pueblo. Here is a look at the two playoff games in 8-man football this week. <h3><strong>No. 1 Sedgwick County vs. No. 4 Dove Creek, Nov. 28, 1 p.m.</strong></h3> Perhaps the biggest storyline in the game does not have to do with the matchup, or even the fact that Sedgwick County is on a quest to win its sixth straight championship game. The story everyone is talking about with this matchup actually has to do with the distance between both schools. Dove Creek will be taking a 600+ mile trip – you read that right – from the southwest corner of the state to the northeast region to Julesburg for this game, making it one of, if not, the longest trip for any high school football game in state history. On the field, there is a potential dynasty looking to add another chapter to its legacy and a team looking to make the long trip worth it as spoiler. Sedgwick County has not lost a game since falling to Merino in the regular-season finale in 2018 and has not lost a playoff game since the 2014 season. This year, they have been dominate on both sides of the ball, averaging 48.7 points per game while allowing 8.8 per game on defense. There are no official stats posted for the 2020 season, but there are still a number of players to keep an eye on in this game. <strong>Terrance Heath</strong> had a good junior season with 20 receptions for 385 yards and eight touchdowns and is a go-to receiver with his 6-foot frame and athleticism. He is also an excellent outside linebacker who can set the edge and get off the ball to get pressure in the backfield. Middle linebacker <strong>Tate Groves</strong> brings a big, physical presence inside at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds with great closing speed to the ball. On the back end of the defense is safety <strong>Jaciel Villalobos</strong>, a player with excellent range and good speed to break up passes and get interceptions. Looking to stop the dynasty run this weekend is Dove Creek. The Bulldogs have used a stingy defense to win five of six games, including a 30-12 win over Rangely last week in the quarterfinals. Most of their damage comes from getting in the backfield to create pressure and record sacks, led by defensive end <strong>Austin Beanland</strong> with 10 sacks. The other defensive end making plays for Dove Creek is sophomore <strong>Kendall Gardner</strong> with six sacks, 26 total tackles and two fumble recoveries. Both will be tasked with setting the edge and disrupting an explosive Sedgwick County offense. For the Dove Creek offense, they like to run the ball at will and establish a physical presence. Leading the charge is <strong>Gage Bailey</strong> with 877 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. <strong>Gauge Thompson</strong> has found the end zone nine times on the ground to go with his 589 yards, and <strong>Chorbin Cressler</strong> is third with 538 yards and five touchdowns. They are young up front, but junior <strong>Blaine Johnson</strong> leads the offensive line at 6-foot and 200 pounds. <h3><strong>No. 6 Merino vs. No. 2 Sanford, Nov. 28, 1 p.m.</strong></h3> Sanford had an impressive regular season, but they were pushed to the brink in its playoff game last week with Mancos, having to hang on for a 36-28 win. In the other five games they won, no team scored more than 14 points against them, including another playoff team in Dove Creek. No stats are available for the 2020 season, but stats from 2019 indicate that <strong>Kelton Gartrell</strong> will be the focal point for the team. In his sophomore season last year, he rushed for 1,401 yards and 23 touchdowns to lead the team in scoring. Gartrell is explosive and can break the big one at any time. <strong>Josh Holman</strong>, who is listed at quarterback this season, was the team’s leading receiver in 2019 and is also a playmaker who Sanford will look to this week. The defense will be led by <strong>Brett Price</strong>, a small but quick and fiery player who finds himself to the football frequently. He was tied for a team high with 75 tackles and also had a pair of sacks in 2019. <strong>Ethan Larson</strong> was an effective defensive end last year as a sophomore and should be just as effective with more experience under his belt. Sanford will look to improve in stopping the run after allowing 418 rushing yards to Mancos last week. Merino went on the road and defeated Fowler 22-6 in the quarterfinals last week, so they will be rewarded with the home game this Saturday despite being the lower seed. Merino has shown an ability to win in multiple fashions, whether it’s a low-scoring defensive battle or an offensive shootout. <strong>Deacon Trenkle</strong> is the main man for Merino this season. A 6-foot, 155-pound sophomore, he is the team’s starting quarterback and linebacker. He is athletic and can move with the ball, but he will also take shots down the field with his arm. His speed also allows him to get to the football and make tackles on defense, and he is coming off a season where he had over 100 tackles in 2019. Fellow linebacker <strong>Trent Elliott</strong> and defensive back <strong>Andrew Frank</strong> also finds their way to the football routinely on defense. All three will look to lead the Rams defensive efforts. Frank and Elliott were the top two rushers for Merino last year and should carry the workload on the ground for the Rams. When Trenkle does go to the air, look for him to find <strong>Derrick Alber</strong>, the team’s leading receiver from a year ago who can win 1-on-1 battles at 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds.