Glimpse into the Future II: The Most Talented 4A Rosters in 2022

We are back with yet another edition of an inclusive glimpse into the future of the 4A schools who will possess the best talent in 2022! From the offensive line to skill positions, and even place-kickers; these rosters will be looking to climb to the peak of the Colorado mountain top and call themselves champions of Class 4A! Of course, Championship runs are not built by talent alone. These select squads need the right amount of team chemistry, ideal coaching, and even a little bit of luck. The difficulty to achieve such a complicated task is not simple whatsoever, as one school making their wildest dreams come true by taking home a state title is few and far between. Not to mention, hundreds of schools will be competing for the top prize. However, in this specific case, these schools listed below will succeed in situations when talent cannot be overcome. When the game is on the line and a big play is needed, these skilled prospects will be primed and ready for any obstacle that might lie in front of them due to their God-gifted natural abilities. For this reason alone, the most talented 4A rosters in Colorado will be in good hands when it is time to strap on the pads in 2022.   Chatfield 2021 Record: 11-3 (3-2) 2021 Result: Win vs Erie 41-34 (State Title) It is only fitting that we begin this piece with the defending champions of Class 4A. Just a few short months ago, the seven-seed Chargers ran rampant throughout the state playoffs by taking advantage of their first-round bye and reeling off four consecutive wins. In their final victorious triumph over the Erie Tigers in the state championship game at Empower field at Mile High, the mighty Chargers took control late in the contest thanks to a 32-yard high-arching touchdown pass from QB [player_tooltip player_id="251265" first="Jake" last="Jones"] to TE [player_tooltip player_id="251279" first="Drew" last="Rohlman"] with just seconds remaining. It was the type of play that young players and coaches alike can only dream of drawing up and executing, none the less win a state title with. With their first football crown since 2001, Chatfield will be galloping into 2022 with high expectations, intoxicated by the sweet scent of victory. Despite losing key playmakers on both sides of the ball such as All-State RB [player_tooltip player_id="240088" first="Jake" last="Marschall"] and stingy MLB Caden Logan due to graduation, the king of the hill Chargers will be returning an abundant amount of talent in 2022. With Marschall moving on to greener pastures, the running back room is ready for a reload. There will be plenty of opportunities to go around, as halfbacks like [player_tooltip player_id="22769" first="Mason" last="Lowe"] and [player_tooltip player_id="251310" first="Brock" last="Narva"] should get the first crack at the starting running back role. Not to mention, Chatfield was a run-dominant team a season ago, and even if the Chargers can find improved quarterback play, the expectation is that opposing defenses will be once again receiving a heavy dosage of run packages. Leading tackler [player_tooltip player_id="150077" first="Cade" last="Thomas"] is also expected to be back, which should be a huge boost on the defensive side of the ball. Thomas was on a rampage during his junior campaign, tallying 132 total tackles including 3.0 for a loss. Chatfield football is proving to be a well-oiled machine within the 4A realm, and no one should be shocked to see another possible title run out of the Chargers during the fall of 2022. https://twitter.com/Chatfieldftball/status/1467553791247536135 <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13004335/61be76897bd33303e0ab09b9" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe>   Dakota Ridge 2021 Record: 11-1 (5-0) 2021 Result: Loss vs Chatfield 42-31 (Elite Eight) As the 2021 season progressed from its early stages all the way to its last few gasps, it became quite clear that the Dakota Ridge Eagles had the opportunity to accomplish something special. The dynamic Eagles were a force to be reckoned with throughout the entire regular season, and their offense was nothing short of explosive. Throughout the campaign, Dakota Ridge pummeled opponents by scoring at least 50 points in five of their contests, erupting for a grand total of 538 points over twelve games. The Eagles soon displayed to most that they were a destructive tank of a unit with no way of being defeated in sight. Despite their dominant play in 2021, Dakota Ridge was stunned by the eventual state champion Chatfield Chargers during the Elite Eight playoff round, destroying their hopes and dreams of going all the way. As expected, the abrupt loss during the postseason should serve as fuel for an Eagles squad that is starved to prove that they have what it takes to bring home all of the marbles. The fresh slate that is the 2022 season will include more than a few key departures from the #2 ranked roster from a year ago, including senior signal caller [player_tooltip player_id="240370" first="Adam" last="Graves"] and a trio of their leading wideouts. Although graduation seems to rear its ugly head to even the best football programs in the state of Colorado, Dakota Ridge will not be shy of elite talent across the board. Returning for his final year will be bonafide star running back [player_tooltip player_id="150210" first="Noah" last="Triplett"], who led all of 4A in total touchdowns with 32 and was also ninth among all runners by amassing 1,551 rushing yards. The Eagles will no doubt look to run the offense through their go-to back and will need to rely on him even more than a season ago with some question marks at a few of the offensive positions. Defensively, leading tacklers MLB [player_tooltip player_id="251224" first="Brayden" last="Cusick"] and DB Brandon Miller will be back in town to sustain the stinginess to an already young and skilled defensive unit. Quarterback play is the name of the game at any level of football, and Dakota Ridge will have to sort out which young gun will be under center by opening night in order to mirror the success that was had in 2021. https://twitter.com/NoahTriplett2/status/1484756796598222850 https://twitter.com/RonWoitalewicz/status/1468221081014059013   Ponderosa 2021 Record: 7-5 (2-3) 2021 Result: Loss vs Chatfield 31-9 (Second Round) The Mustangs began the 2021 season with a great amount of anticipation, especially with arch crosstown rival Legend awaiting them in Week 1 to battle it out on the gridiron. After the smoke cleared, Ponderosa was in disbelief and on the wrong side of a 42-0 rout. It wasn’t exactly the ideal start the Mustangs had anticipated, but they soon switched gears and outscored their next five opponents by a score of 203-81, all resulting in victories. The five-game winning streak and new found confidence catapulted Pondo into the postseason as a ten seed where they handled business against Aurora Central and then advanced to play seven-seeded Chatfield. Like many of the 4A squads, Ponderosa was bested by the Chargers, who eventually proved too much to overcome for every club participating in the big dance. Alas, the success that took place after a disheartening loss to a stellar Legend Titans team was a positive for Coach Cohen and the ’Stangs moving forward. Additionally, a revelation was made within the program: a vast pool of raw, youthful talent that has the chance to be positively developed for years to come. Starring in this juvenile movement are freshman sensations QB [player_tooltip player_id="216827" first="Andrew" last="Heidel"] and WR [player_tooltip player_id="232160" first="Max" last="Mervin"], who supplied fans with more than enough to cheer for over twelve games. The field general Heidel is currently on the Prep Redzone Watch List among QB’s after chucking 16 touchdowns and piling on 1,498 passing yards during his first full season of high school football. His partner in crime, WR [player_tooltip player_id="232160" first="Max" last="Mervin"], was an instant favorite among Heidel’s wideouts, and displayed a strong understanding of receiving fundamentals. Mervin excelled in his route running and the knack for big time play ability, helping him snatch 48 receptions for 521 yards and five trips to the end zone. Don’t sleep on the abilities of soon-to-be senior LB Ethan Rodriguez as well, who should act as the anchor of the defense with an impressive stat line of 97 total tackles, 15.0 TFL, and 5.0 sacks as a junior. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/9616948/618737a523477f031c5a72c4" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> https://twitter.com/max_mervin/status/1457126674613612548   Golden 2021 Record: 9-3 (3-2) 2021 Result: Loss vs Fountain-Fort Carson 41-0 Let’s take a trip down memory lane shall we? Close your eyes and take a deep breath. The year is 2002. The cost of gas per gallon is $1.61, Nickelback is dominating the top of the Billboard charts, Simon Cowell is beginning his aggressive run as the rude, realist judge on American Idol, and Ben Affleck is busy being named People’s Sexiest Man Alive. What a time to live! Not to mention, Golden high school was making a run at the 2002 Colorado State Championship Trophy. With the team coming up short and Monarch ending up taking home the gold that season, the Golden Demons next appearance in the postseason would be mightily delayed, thus implementing a dark curse on its football program. The Golden squads that would suit up since then failed to get over the playoff clinching hump, ultimately falling short season after season. Fast forward to 2021, and the Demons were growing impatient to finally snap the prolonged drought that had intensified their thirst to win. After starting off the year 7-0, Golden was more than determined to rewrite history. The success that occurred during the regular season followed them to the playoffs, where they managed to win their first playoff game in almost 20 years, dismantling Cheyenne Mountain 42-6. Golden’s season concluded the following week, but their future appears to be as bright as ever. A huge part of Golden’s successful season was in large part due to the dual-threat ability of field general [player_tooltip player_id="215284" first="Jazel" last="Riley IV"]. The #8th ranked wiggly quarterback in the state will be at the helm once agin for his senior season after he accounted for a combined 42 touchdowns through the air and on the ground. Riley IV presents a number of problems for defenses, and the Demons won’t be short of returnees to provide additional firepower. Shifty halfback Luc Chevalier is set to be among those returning in 2022, as he led the running back room in rushing last year. Another name to keep your eye out for? Defensive torpedo and strong-legged kicker [player_tooltip player_id="150425" first="Chase" last="Brion"], who is the #10 rated kicker in the state and can also strike fear into opposing offenses. He'll be a key player for the Demons this fall, as his 63 tackles to go along with 4.0 sacks were as superb as any. Did I mention he also connected on 11/15 field goal attempts? Mr. Brion seems to be as valuable as they come. https://twitter.com/GoldenDemonsFTB/status/1456829787079589892 <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12775936/6201d821041d880a4cb4269b" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Montrose 2021 Record: 12-1 (5-0) 2021 Result: Loss vs Erie 29-28 (FInal Four) Since 2019, the Montrose Indians have been one of 4A’s more elite teams, compiling a record of 26-6 during that three-year stretch of play. Their most successful of the three teams happened to burst onto the scene during the fall of 2021, where the Indians could do no wrong. Montrose was represented greatly by a two-headed backfield that consisted of a pair of near 1,000 yard rushers. Tailbacks Austin Griffin and Ethan Hartman accounted for a marvelous 2,125 rushing yards, with the latter of the bruising duo tallying up 1,138 of those on the ground and padding 627 receiving yards to his name as well. In fact, Montrose ran the ball with such efficiency a season ago that they had four running backs rush for at least 400 yards by the end of the year. When the dust settled, 3,998 rushing yards were surrendered by opposing defenses. There was no doubting that the philosophy of running it right up the gut proved to be a potent recipe for success. After going 10-0 during the regular season and steamrolling their first two foes by scoring 56 and 48 points respectively, Montrose would face Erie in an all-time great Final Four matchup. After extending their lead by two touchdowns with roughly 5 minutes remaining in regulation, Erie stormed back to a comeback beat of their own and pulled within a point and two minutes on the clock thanks to a [player_tooltip player_id="143622" first="Blake" last="Barnett"] touchdown strike. With the game most likely on the line, Erie mustered up the courage to go for two, and the calculated risk paid off. Just like that, the game was over. It was a gut wrenching way to end one of the most successful runs in recent school history. Despite perhaps never forgetting the pain of being up two possessions and six minutes away from the state title game, Montrose was indeed one of the better teams in the state throughout 2021. On a positive note, the Indians will be inheriting a roster that has plenty of skill, even with certain players now graduated. The younger Griffin brother named Blake (not to be confused with the NBA player who dunks over cars) will be one of many talented athletes leading the Indians in trying to redeem their semifinal loss. Outside of RB [player_tooltip player_id="143632" first="Blake" last="Griffin"], others include QB [player_tooltip player_id="251264" first="Gage" last="Wareham"], RB/LB Torrie Eckman, and DT Dmarian Lopez. If Montrose wants to get back to where they were just a few short months ago, pounding the rock while attacking defenses with the play action pass could be a deadly one-two punch. https://twitter.com/ErieTigerMedia/status/1464781792339279872