Playoffs in Review: Valor Christian Eagles vs Columbine Rebels
Game Review As we move into the semifinal round of the state playoffs in Colorado, we circle back to the quarterfinals that were jam packed with a ton of great matchups. Of those matchups, the one that stood out the…
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As we move into the semifinal round of the state playoffs in Colorado, we circle back to the quarterfinals that were jam packed with a ton of great matchups. Of those matchups, the one that stood out the most was the 5A showing between the Valor Christian Eagles and the Columbine Rebels. The game was a defensive slugfest for most of the night with both teams only managing to put up a 7-7 score late into the 3rd quarter. The Eagles were able to ride star RB and the number one player in the state for the class of 2022, Gavin Sawchuk Gavin Sawchuk RB Valor Christian | 2022 State CO , to grind out a 17-7 win in the closing minutes of the game. While the Rebels defense and senior star Wesley Jones played outstanding against the vaunted Eagles offense, it wasn’t enough to pull out the victory. Valor Christian will move on to the semifinal round where they will play the Grandview Wolves, while the Rebels will head into the offseason hoping to continue building off of a great 2021 in preparation for 2022. With that being said, here were the three best players from last week’s matchup between Valor Christian and Columbine.
Players of the Game
Gavin Sawchuk Gavin Sawchuk RB Valor Christian | 2022 State CO , Valor Christian Eagles (RB)(Sr.)(27) – Sawchuk had himself a record breaking night against the Rebels defense as he passed former Valor star Christian McCaffrey as the Eagles’ all-time leading rusher, posting a career total of 5,477 yards passing McCaffrey’s 5,340 yards that was set in 2013. Sawchuk easily had the best night of any player for either team, as he accounted for 174 yards rushing on 39 carries (4.5 YPC) while also adding 59 yards receiving and a receiving touchdown. When you watch the film from Sawchuk’s performance, you can see Sawchuk displays an explosive, one-cut running style that allows him to accelerate laterally and gain space from defenders with relative ease. Elite level foot speed allows him to hit an extra gear and pull away from just about any second and third level defender, even if a good angle is taken by the defender. Exceptionally thick and strong lower body allows him to maintain outstanding pad level while running through contact, giving him the ability to maintain his balance/low center of gravity at the point of contact. Brings great physicality behind his runs in between the tackles, not shying away from contact to finish runs falling forward. The University of Oklahoma commit had himself a dominant night and will look to finish his prep career with a state title before becoming a Sooner in 2022.
Carter Forsythe, Valor Christian Eagles (LB)(Sr.)(43) – While there were many players that contributed to the Eagles’ dominant performance on defense, Forsythe might’ve had the biggest contribution to the effort against the Rebels offense. For the night, Forsythe posted 5 tackles, a tackle for a loss, and 2 pass deflections. When you watch the tape, you can see that Forsythe displays excellent power at the point-of-contact. Shows great first step explosiveness when coming out of his stance that, when combined with his exceptional power, routinely overwhelms opposing blockers and ball carriers while also adding a versatile skillset to his repertoire. Good closing speed when pursuing the ball carrier while having enough discipline to not be caught over-pursuing when working backside. Shows consistently good form when tackling by wrapping up and driving through contact with the ball carrier. Displays requisite ability and athleticism to drop into intermediate and underneath zone coverage. While Forsythe might not be a common name in recruiting circles, he is certainly a very talented player that should expect to get some interest from the collegiate level before signing day.
Wesley Jones, Columbine Rebels (RB/WR/FS)(Sr.)(22) – Jones did everything in his power to help the Rebels pull out the victory last week and, despite the loss, had himself an incredible final game as a Columbine Rebel. Against the Eagles, Jones posted an outstanding overall line of 70 yards receiving and a receiving touchdown offensively while also adding 10 tackles and an interception on the defensive side of the ball. When you look at Jones’ performance, the first thing that jumps out to you is his incredible overall athleticism and versatility. Outstanding athlete that can be plugged in and play multiple positions on offense and defense, often lining up in the backfield and out wide as a boundary receiver on offense while also lining up as both a deep safety and an in the box safety for run support on the defensive side. Great top end foot speed that allows him to stretch the defense as a boundary receiver while also making him a matchup problem for 2nd and 3rd level defenders out of the backfield. Shows excellent sideline-to-sideline ability as a ball hawk while playing a deep middle role. Displays excellent pop/force at the point-of-contact with the ball carrier when coming up in run support. Excellent overall athleticism allows him to match up in man coverage with most offensive skill players while also making him a lethal defender while roaming in zone coverage. Displays elite closing speed when pursuing the ball carrier from both the 2nd and 3rd levels. Jones might not be a big time recruit in the football world but he has more than enough talent to play football at the collegiate level, although it looks like basketball is what he’ll be pursuing after his prep career comes to an end.