Class 3A Championship Takeaways: Up-and-Comers

Ryan Wesley

December 8, 2020 @ 06:30 PM

The final game of the 2020 fall season is in the books with Durango claiming the 3A state champions title. The contest between the top-seeded Roosevelt Roughriders and the third seed Durango Demons provided high school football fans with a plethora of takeaways in every facet of the action. In a matchup that concluded with a score of 21-14 in favor of the Demons, there was no shortage of standout talent present on the field Saturday afternoon. For the seniors, the conclusion of that game brought along the end of their high school careers. The returning players, however, left that game with the motivation to return to that stage next year. Below is a list of under-the-radar players who stood out during the championship matchup and ended up under the spotlight that will carry over into next fall.   [player_tooltip player_id="22771" first="Tucker" last="Peterson"] - Roosevelt - 6’2”, 175lbs - 2023 WR/DB Peterson had one of the more outstanding performances in the entire game. He is a speedy receiver who gave Durango’s secondary an extremely tough time all game. His ability to get past the defenders and track the ball is one of his many qualities that helped to shine a light on him. Peterson was an absolute difference-maker who finished the contest with five receptions for a total of 76 yards and one touchdown. Expect for him to be considered one of the top players in the classification before his time is up. [embed]https://twitter.com/colohsfootball/status/1335336676210528259?s=21[/embed] Luke Wesley - Durango - 5’9”, 170lbs - 2023 DB/WR Wesley played a major role in the defensive stands that the Demons made that resulted in their win. He made his presence known by disrupting quite a few of Roosevelt’s passing plays. One of his best plays came by way of a hard tackle with perfect form that completely stopped the ball carrier in his tracks, forcing a fourth down. Wesley is a young player with two more years left in his high school career, add him to your watchlist. [player_tooltip player_id="22698" first="Cooper" last="Walton"] - Roosevelt - 6’1”, 205lbs - 2022 RB/OLB Walton is a plug-and-play type of athlete who is versatile enough to fill multiple positions. He is a change of pace running back for the Roughriders but typically got his carries when needing to spell the highly-talented Keegan Sterkel. Walton finished with 13 carries for 15 yards and was credited with five total tackles. Not only will he be a staple on for the defense next year, but there is also a great possibility that he will take over as the main rusher for his team. [player_tooltip player_id="58958" first="Nate" last="Messier"] - Durango - 5’9”, 180lbs - 2022 RB Messier is a tough power running back who can pick up the hard-fought short yardage. He is not the type of runner who is going to try and make a lot of cuts while running side-to-side. Messier’s style is to make one cut then put his foot in the ground and attack the hole. His usage in the passing game comes as an extra blocker, rather than a passing option. This is likely due to the Demons using the outstanding [player_tooltip player_id="50575" first="Ben" last="Finneseth"], which means he could be on the receiving end of more passes next season. Messier has the makings of a three-down bruiser type of running back, watch out for him next year. Keaton Kaiser - Roosevelt - 5’10”, 160lbs - 2022 WR/DB Kaiser is a two-way player who really shined on the offensive side of the ball. He was one of Brig Hartson’s go-to targets along with Peterson. His six receptions for 59 yards made him the team’s leader in receptions and second in yards. Defensively, Kaiser made a few really good plays to help keep the game close. His coverage forced a few errored throws and he had a touchdown-saving tackle. Definitely keep an eye out for Kaiser next season. Ryan Doucette - Roosevelt - 5’10”, 155lbs - 2023 DB Doucette is a young player with a high ceiling. From the beginning of the game, he was able to stand out because of his ability to locate the ball and come downhill to make aggressive tackles. He is a scrappy defensive back who plays the ball well in the air. Doucette had a pass breakup that he was able to make because of his ability to play through the catch. He was credited with four total tackles and one pass breakup, but his presence proved to be a tough obstacle to get around.