5A Spring State Championship Playmakers Worth Knowing

Ryan Wesley

May 14, 2021 @ 09:00 AM

The spring season is coming to an end with the final game being played between the Far Northeast Warriors (2) and the Bounder Panthers (4) on Saturday night. Like the fall season, the state championship game will be hosted by CSU Pueblo at the Neta and Eddie DeRose Thunderbowl Stadium at 7:00 P.M. on Saturday. Each of these teams have had to overcome a plethora of obstacles to make it to the pinnacle of high school sports. Which is a shot at a state title. There are standout players on both teams who all deserve recognition. This article highlights 12, six from each team, of the players who have made season-defining plays for their teams. Playmakers for the Far Northeast Warriors <img class=" wp-image-125155 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/03/F864E1FB-1F48-492A-A6E0-7DC53FD7817B.jpeg" alt="" width="225" height="150" />Gregory Anderson | 5’9”, 180lbs | 2021 | WR/DB Anderson is an athlete with a versatile set of skills that have helped him rack up a total of 734 all-purpose yards. He has 31 carries for 306 yards and five touchdowns, along with 18 receptions for 324 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, Anderson has accounted for 23 total tackles, three pass breakups, one interception, and one fumble recovery. Emmanuel Nwaneto | 5’11”, 245lbs | 2021 | LB/DL/RB Nwaneto is one of the key components of the Warriors’ defense. He has 47 total tackles, five sacks, four QB hurries, one interception, and one forced fumble. As a running back, Nwaneto has a total of 85 yards and one touchdown off of 13 carries. <img class=" wp-image-143241 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/D93E2192-7D46-403E-BFAC-6B77074E4C65-300x228.jpg" alt="" width="214" height="163" />Dre’Monti Jackson | 5’9”, 170lbs | 2023 | RB/DB Jackson has been extremely impactful on both sides of the ball. As a running back, he has recorded 470 rushing yards and six touchdowns off of 75 carries. He also has four pass receptions and 85 receiving yards. As a defensive back, Jackson has a total of 22 tackles, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. University of Northern Colorado commit Jaylen Byrd (2021) has been an integral part for his team. He has 253 all-purpose yards, 19 total tackles, one fumble recovery, and one interception. Antavius Hughes (2023 RB/LB) has carried the ball 54 times, accumulating 329 yards and five touchdowns. Abdullahi Mberwa (2021 WR/CB) has eight receptions for 173 yards and three touchdowns. Other Warriors to watch out for Leonardo Ramos-Valles (2022 DE/TE) Migel Ramos (2022 DE/RB) James Aryeetey (2022 QB/K) Andy Martinez (2022 QB) Emmit Anderson (2023 RB/LB) Playmakers for the Boulder Panthers [caption id="attachment_129036" align="alignright" width="233"]<img class="wp-image-129036 " src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/04/EF9B8C29-390C-4E22-AA16-9202F1D57609.jpeg" alt="" width="233" height="155" /> Drake Arthur (left)[/caption] Drake Arthur | 6’2”, 195lbs | 2021 | OLB/TE Arthur has been nothing less than phenomenal for the Panthers on both sides of the ball this season. He is the team’s leading receiver, tallying 315 yards and three touchdowns off of 17 receptions. Defensively, he has accounted for 69 tackles (team high), four sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble. [player_tooltip player_id="56054" first="Luke" last="Werner"] | 5’11”, 170lbs | 2021 | WR/DB Werner is a versatile athlete who makes plays on both sides of the ball. He has one rushing touchdown, 17 catches for 192 yards, 154 kickoff return yards, and 171 punt return yards. Defensively, he has seven tackles and a touchdown off of a fumble recovery. Tristan Langenegger | 6’3”, 170lbs | 2022 | QB/WR/S Langenegger has been very impressive as a safety this year, racking up 34 total tackles, five interceptions, and a fumble recovery. He also has four catches for 54 yards and one touchdown, as well as ten rushing attempts for 65 yards. Julian Mechels (2022 DE) and Elijah' Graham (2021 DE) have been critical parts of Boulder’s relentless defensive line. They have combined for 21 sacks and over 70 tackles, with Mechels also recording an interception. Declan Culberson (2022 RB) has had a breakout season in his junior year. He leads the Panthers in rushing with 84 carries for 416 yards and six touchdowns. Other Panthers to watch out for Parker Patchett (2021 LB/RB) Devin Kunkel (2021 OLB) Omar Molina (2021) Ty Chandler (2022 WR/DB) [player_tooltip player_id="58941" first="Tyler" last="Larson"] (2022 WR)