Championship Weekend: Recapping Each State Title Game

As each year passes, there are a few special teams that come together at just the right time. Getting into the big dance is one thing, but surviving the grueling task of coming out each and every round victorious against the cream of the crop is a feat that cannot be replicated. Of course, there are the usual juggernauts who dominate their path throughout the playoffs, but we can’t forgot about the annual cinderella that sweeps us off of our feet and makes the season finales the most wonderful time of the year. This specific season, the 5A matchup contained two heavyweights, sprinkled with a few underdogs who no one thought could get as far as they did. Championship weekend has come and gone, as we are now collectively looking at the offseason slate right in the face. Congratulations to Cherry Creek, Chatfield, and Fort Morgan for withstanding the 2021 campaign and for reaching the the summit of high school football. Now let us break down each state title game, its best performances, and why each champion was crowned on Saturday evening.   Class 5A #1 Valor Christian (13-0) vs #2 Cherry Creek (11-2) 2021 Statistical Leaders: Valor Christian QB [player_tooltip player_id="22689" first="Colton" last="Allen"]: 148/246, 2,133 Yards, 14.4 AVG, 20 TD’s, 7 INT’s RB [player_tooltip player_id="22667" first="Gavin" last="Sawchuk"]: 287 CAR, 2,004 Yards, 7.0 AVG, 143.1 YPG, 28 TD’s WR [player_tooltip player_id="62053" first="Grant" last="Simmons"]: 54 REC, 723 Yards, 13.4 AVG, 7 TD’s SS Andrew Hale: 96 Tackles, 6.9 TPG, 3.0 TFL Cherry Creek QB [player_tooltip player_id="43802" first="Christian" last="Hammond"]: 135/203, 2,025 Yards, 15.0 AVG, 18 TD’s, 6 TD’s RB [player_tooltip player_id="22757" first="Carlson" last="Tann"]: 93 CAR, 845 Yards, 9.1 AVG, 76.8 YPG, 9 TD’s WR [player_tooltip player_id="22761" first="Ismael" last="Cisse"]: 39 REC, 652 Yards, 16.7 AVG, 6 TD’s LB Angelo Petrides: 151 Tackles, 10.8 TPG, 4.0 TFL   Final Score: 21-0 Cherry Creek https://youtu.be/F5VeeUi8zPg   In a rematch from the 5A State Playoff game from 365 days ago, the Bruins imposed their will on the defensive side of the football for the second straight year, Following up their 21-0 shutout of Valor Christian from their 2020 showdown, Cherry Creek copied that formula identically, even replicating the same exact score on their way to their third straight championship title. The Bruins forced a total of four turnovers on the day, three coming from interceptions and the fourth a fumble lost by Valor standout [player_tooltip player_id="22667" first="Gavin" last="Sawchuk"], who was limited to only 77 yards on 29 carries. Despite mustering only 242 yards of total offense, it was all the Bruins needed in order to shut the haters up who viewed Creek as the underdog coming into this heavyweight bout. A ferocious sack by highly touted DL [player_tooltip player_id="62241" first="Blake" last="Purchase"] near the conclusion of the ballgame crushed any hope of a monumental comeback by the Eagles, thus giving legendary head coach Dave Logan his tenth 5A championship. The ten titles tie Logan with Limon coach Lloyd Gaskill for the most state championship wins in Colorado high school football history.   Why Cherry Creek Won: Defense, defense, and more defense. The Bruins continuously beat down a very talented Valor Christian squad, limiting the Eagles to only 286 total yards of offense. Forcing turnovers repeatedly put Creek in good field position, constantly putting Valor in tough positions. Class 4A #5 Erie (13-0) vs #7 Chatfield (10-3) 2021 Statistical Leaders: Erie QB [player_tooltip player_id="143622" first="Blake" last="Barnett"]: 157/241, 2,531 Yards, 16.1 AVG, 27 TD’s 7 INT’s RB [player_tooltip player_id="240091" first="Caleb" last="Theisen"]: 179 CAR, 1,795 Yards, 10.0 AVG, 128.2 YPG, 28 TD’s WR Jaylen Klickna: 42 REC, 595 Yards, 14.2 AVG, 42.5 AVG, 3 TD’s LB CJ Reeves: 86 Tackles, 6.6 TPG, 1.0 TFL Chatfield QB Jake Jones: 45/85, 767 Yards, 17.0 AVG, 7 TD’s, 8 INT’s RB [player_tooltip player_id="240088" first="Jake" last="Marschall"]: 289 CAR, 1,944 Yards, 6.7 AVG, 138.9 YPG, 28 TD’s WR Drew Rohlman: 11 REC, 271 Yards, 24.6 AVG, 4 TD’s LB [player_tooltip player_id="150077" first="Cade" last="Thomas"]: 132 Tackles, 10.2 TPG, 3.0 TFL   Final Score: 41-34 Chatfield https://twitter.com/MartyCesario/status/1467343995638484996   After an insane 4A State playoff bracket that had game after game end in the wildest of ways, it was only fitting that the playoff finale between Erie and Chatfield finished the way it did. With just 11 seconds to play, WR Drew Rohlman reeled in an acrobatic one handed snag from QB Jake Jones that proved to be the difference maker and guaranteed Chatfield a football state title for the first time since 2001. Unlike the defensive duel that took place between Cherry Creek and Valor Christian, the game that would decide the 4A winner couldn’t have been any more different. Both schools combined for a galvanizing 868 total yards of offense, and on a day where temperatures were unseasonably warm in Denver (nearly reaching 70 degrees), it was a safe haven for offenses galore. Despite having a tremendous day offensively to the beat of 508 yards for the Erie Tigers, their championship aspirations literally came up seconds short. Led by a valiant effort on the part of QB [player_tooltip player_id="143622" first="Blake" last="Barnett"], who sliced and diced his way to 145 yards on the ground and threw for another 258 yards, it was still a little bit short, with the Chargers doing the celebrating instead as the clock struck zeros. Why Chatfield Won: The offensive line. How about a whopping 312 rushing yards on the night for the Chargers? It’s hard not to give credit where it is due to the hog mollies up front in the trenches. It also helps when you have a tailback of [player_tooltip player_id="240088" first="Jake" last="Marschall"]’s caliber, whose 151 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns made it a fact that Chatfield would be the "King of the Hill" of 4A Colorado high school football. Class 3A #5 Mead (10-2) vs #3 Fort Morgan (11-1) 2021 Statistical Leaders: Mead QB [player_tooltip player_id="153721" first="Gavin" last="Garrettson"]: 96/163, 1,580 Yards, 16.5 AVG, 21 TD’s, 8 INT’s RB Evan Morris: 203 CAR, 1,225 Yards, 6.0 AVG, 94.2 YPG, 15 TD’s WR [player_tooltip player_id="58963" first="Corby" last="Tecu"]: 30 REC, 581 Yards, 19.4 AVG, 7 TD’s LB Jeremiah Strizki: 108 Tackles, 8.3 TPG, 6.0 TFL Fort Morgan QB [player_tooltip player_id="58957" first="Briggs" last="Wheatley"]: 131/229, 2,188 Yards, 16.7 AVG, 16 TD’s, 7 INT’s RB Frank Ortega: 155 CAR, 948 Yards, 6.1 AVG, 72.9 YPG, 12 TD’s WR [player_tooltip player_id="58939" first="Fernando" last="Marquez"]: 45 REC, 618 Yards, 13.7 AVG, 3 TD’s LB David Keller: 82 Tackles, 6.8 TPG, 6.0 TFL   Final Score: 21-17 Fort Morgan https://twitter.com/CHSAA/status/1467255780088946702 Last and certainly not least, three-seed Fort Morgan and five-seed Mead were locked in an all out war, trading blows left and right until punches could not be thrown any longer. Obviously, I am speaking figuratively of course, but those in attendance at the home of CSU-Pueblo felt very similarly as the events unfolded. It wasn’t the prettiest of games to watch as a spectator, but it was the type of grind out game that was fitting to take place for all of the stinkin’ marbles. A combined three interceptions on both squads provided many opportunities for the final two schools left standing, but it was inevitably Fort Morgan that took full advantage of what they were given. Wideout Brayden Fajardo paved the way for the Mustangs, as his 134 All-Purpose yards (28 rushing, 106 receiving) was just enough to put his team on top. Even when faced with adversity late in the fourth quarter as the Mustangs trailed 17-14, a clutch rushing touchdown by QB [player_tooltip player_id="58957" first="Briggs" last="Wheatley"] from nine yards out and a game sealing interception on defense proved to be the difference in an absolute nail biter. Why Fort Morgan Won: A bend but don’t break defensive mentality. Despite Mead rushing for 240 yards, usually a winning formula, Fort Morgan’s defense was characteristically fortunate, making the right play at perfect times throughout the game. The Mustangs defended the pass at a superb rate as the night went along, forcing the Mavericks to try to control the line of scrimmage. Even with Mead having some success on the ground, it was the boys of Fort Morgan that made plays when it counted that ultimately gave them the title of champs.