Returning First Team All-State players in Class 8-man
Our previews of returning First Team All-State football players in Colorado now moves to its two classifications below the traditional 11-man game. Here is a look at the returning players in Class 8-man, where a high number of players from…
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Continue ReadingOur previews of returning First Team All-State football players in Colorado now moves to its two classifications below the traditional 11-man game. Here is a look at the returning players in Class 8-man, where a high number of players from the fall 2020 and spring 2021 seasons stood out for First Team honors.
Here is a closer look at all those players coming back this fall.
Derrick Alber, 2022, 6’3, 175, WR/DB, Merino: A lengthy and versatile football player, Alber is a factor in the passing game on both sides of the ball. He runs with long strides and can either create separation on his routes or close the distance from the defensive back spot. His sure hands make him a reliable receiver who will catch passes, but it also makes him a ball-hawk defender with interceptions, and his length gives him a huge catch radius on the ball. Alber caught 12 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns on offense, but his hands shined the most on defense with a whooping nine interceptions, the most for any player in any classification in Colorado last season. If he has another big season, Alber could be a guy small schools might show interest in.
PJ Bliss, 2022, 5’10, 120, RB/LB, Custer County: While the 2021 spring season did not go the way Custer County wanted, Bliss was a bright spot for the team. While he stands just 5-foot-10 and 120 pounds, he is a difference maker in all three phases. From his running back spot, Bliss had 130 rushing yards and 58 receiving yards with one score. On defense, he recorded 22 tackles and two sacks, making him a player that opposing defenses would try to key on and contain. His play was also important on special teams as the team’s kicker and punter, and he returned seven kickoffs as well. You will find Bliss on the field almost every play in every game, and after a big spring season, he hopes to elevate his game further this fall.
Nolan Carlson, 2022, 5’9, 150, OL/DL, Sedgwick County: The lone player from the powerhouse defending champs in 8-man football, Carlson is a key player up front despite his smaller frame. What he lacks in size he makes up for with solid fundamentals, an aggressive mentality on the field and a confidence in getting the job done. His speed makes him a difference maker on defense, where he can rush up the field and blow up a play or get some pressure on opposing quarterbacks. He recorded 64 tackles and a sack in 2020, well on pace to surpass the season-highs he put up in 12 games in 2019. Despite losing a big number of players, Sedgwick County will again be the favorite to win the title this season, and Carlson will be one of the team leaders to emerge for the Cougars.
Kelton Gartrell, 2022, 5’11, 185, RB/LB, Sanford: Sanford made it to the state championship game last fall in large part to the play of Gartrell, the reigning Class 8-man Player of the Year. He was one of the top rushers in the state, compiling 1,322 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns on 127 carries for an average of 10.4 yards per carry. He gets north to south in a hurry and is a blur in the open field. With his speed, he easily break arm tackles and can escape from defenders for extra yardage. He is built well and can also take a hit and bounce off a defender, so he is not just a speed guy who will run away from defenders. The speed he possesses makes him an effective linebacker as well, where he recorded 91 tackles and two interceptions in the same season. Gartrell is unranked as a running back prospect, but he could find his way to be a small-school prospect and a Player of the Year candidate again in his senior season.
Davis Jennings, 2022, OL/LB, Front Range Christian: One of two players that was named First Team All-State in the 2021 spring season that returns for Front Range Christian, Jennings is a key up front for the team. He plays with grit and determination on the line for his size and can get out in the open field and block in the 8-man game. His physical play and good athleticism let him put up solid numbers from the linebacker position, where he recorded 30 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. Jennings will also serve as a kicker for the team in the special teams department. A solid and reliable player, he hopes to build off a career-best season going into his senior year.
Tallen Long, 2022, QB/LB, Plateau Valley: Plateu Valley put the ball in Long’s hands and asked him to make plays with his arm and legs. He was able to do both in the spring 2021 season. Throwing the football, he was able to find open receivers and put the ball in a position where his guys could catch it and run in space. He completed 52 of his 118 pass attempts for 730 yards and 10 touchdowns. When he decided to be a runner, he would do a good job of finding the running lane and taking off for some big runs. Long would rush for 644 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 6.7 yards per carry and 80.5 yards per game. He even caught a 70-yard touchdown pass. The production was also there on defense, where he recorded 63 total tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and 11 other passes that were defended. As the team returns to the fall season, Long will be a key to get his team back to the playoffs.
Caden Morlan, 2022, 5’10, 135, RB/LB, Las Animas: Though he only played in four games during the spring season, Morlan made his presence felt for Las Animas. He set a single-season best for rushing in his career last season, going for 616 yards and scoring four times on the ground. He proved to be a workhorse at times with 27 carries in a game versus Front Range Christian and 26 in his final game with Plateau Valley, but he would also make the most in his two other games when he only carried the ball 11 times versus Justice and 10 versus Custer County. He finished the season with 616 rushing yards and four touchdowns in his four games. With his size and speed, he can get away from bigger defenders and break free in the open field. Look for him to possibly take a bigger role on special teams returning kicks as well, and perhaps some more reps on defense.
Chase Moore, 2022, 5’9, RB/LB, Mancos: Moore became the focal point of the offense for Mancos and he did not disappoint. After getting 19 or less carries in the first three games he played, he saw his carries increase big time in the last two games for the team, rushing 23 times versus Dove Creek and 38 times versus Sanford. He seemed to run just as hard on his final carries in the fourth quarter as he would his first couple of carries in the game. Moore would finish with 1,125 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, but he also caught touchdown passes of 31 and 40 yards, showing the big-play ability in the passing game as well. If the team is looking for a spark, they will try to get it from Moore returning a kickoff or a punt in critical moments of a game. And in his third season as a defensive starter from the linebacker spot, he recorded his third-straight season with two interceptions and added 30 tackles, doing it in just five games. Moore is expected to be one of the top running backs in the classification this season.
Nolan Potts, 2023, 6’0, WR/LB, Front Range Christian: In his first season as a varsity starter, Potts was a stat-stuffer. The 6-foot receiver led the team with 32 receptions, 733 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He does a good job getting separation from defensive backs, setting a good window for his quarterback to throw to, and having reliable hands to haul in the pass. A gifted runner in the open field, the team also counted on him in the return game, where he was busy with nine kickoff returns and three punt returns, totaling 317 yards He became a reliable defender on the back end as well for the team with 32 tackles and a forced fumble. With a year under his belt at the varsity level, Front Range Christian is hoping for two more impressive seasons from their sophomore stud.