After-Action Report: First Playoff Round
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The first round of the playoffs has come to a close for all of the classifications except for 3A. As the remaining teams prepare to head into the next round, the teams who earned a bye week will be challenged…
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Continue ReadingThe first round of the playoffs has come to a close for all of the classifications except for 3A. As the remaining teams prepare to head into the next round, the teams who earned a bye week will be challenged by the victors from this past weekend.
This article will briefly examine Friday and Saturday’s attended playoff games and a few standout players from the match.
#24 Doherty (7-4) at #9 ThunderRidge (10-1) | Friday, November 4, 2022
Final Score: 38-10 ThunderRidge
The game between the ThunderRidge Grizzlies and the Doherty Spartans began as an exciting contest that lasted halfway through the second quarter. In his debut start for the Grizzlies, DJ Bordeaux (2026 QB) put together a successful opening drive that was sealed off with a rushing touchdown by 2024 running back Luciano Tafoya Luciano Tafoya 5'6" | 175 lbs | RB ThunderRidge | 2024 State CO with just over seven minutes remaining in the first quarter. Doherty quickly responded with a rushing touchdown of their own by 2023 quarterback Kaden Becker Kaden Becker QB Doherty | 2023 State CO with five minutes left in the first, bringing the score to seven points for each team.
Doherty scored on a successful field goal attempt with just under eight minutes remaining in the half to take their first and only lead of the game. ThunderRidge responded with a successful field goal attempt of their own a few minutes later, bringing the game to a tied score once again. The field goal was the first of three scoring plays for the Grizzlies in the final five minutes of the first half. Bordeaux completed a touchdown pass to 2024 wide receiver CJ Reese CJ Reese 6'3" | WR ThunderRidge | 2024 State CO with 2:19 left on the clock, then another to 2023 receiver Gavin Olshan with just over 30 seconds left to play in the half.
On their first offensive drive in the third quarter, ThunderRidge scored another touchdown by way of a 53-yard pass connection between Bordeaux and Olshan, giving the Grizzlies a comfortable 31-10 lead with nine minutes left to play in the quarter.
The game’s final score happened within the last four minutes of the contest. 2024 running back Will Fisher Will Fisher LB ThunderRidge | 2024 State CO punched in a rushing touchdown, bringing the score to 38-10 and securing the first-round victory for the Grizzlies.
Other Standout Players
Richard Okuno
Richard
Okuno
5'7" | 140 lbs | WR
ThunderRidge | 2023
State
CO
| ThunderRidge | 2023 WR
Erik Saur | ThunderRidge | 2023 CB
Max Hughes
Max
Hughes
LB
ThunderRidge | 2024
State
CO
| ThunderRidge | 2024 LB
Armando Solano | Doherty | 2023 OL/DL
Solomon Latimer
Solomon
Latimer
6'2" | WR
Doherty | 2024
State
CO
| Doherty | 2024 WR
Logan Hutcheon
Logan
Hutcheon
WR
Doherty | 2024
State
CO
| Doherty | 2024 WR
Looking Ahead
#9 ThunderRidge will travel to Littleton to face the #8 Arapahoe Warriors in a rematch of last year’s second-round playoff match that ended in a 23-16 victory for the Warriors. Now that ThunderRidge’s offense has started to build a rapport with their quarterback of the future, the revenge game against Arapahoe should be an exciting one to watch.
#22 Air Academy (6-5) at #11 Erie (7-4) | Saturday, November 5, 2022
Final Score: 49-7 Erie
The first-round game between the Kadets and the Tigers was a one-sided contest in favor of Erie for the entirety of the match. Erie’s Trey Khanna (2023 RB/DB) scored the first touchdown on a run with 5:26 left in the first quarter. Backup quarterback Ronin Ward Ronin Ward ATH Erie | 2025 State CO (2025) punched in a run for a successful two-point conversion, giving the Tigers an 8-0 lead early in the game. With under a minute to play in the first, Blake Barnett Blake Barnett 6'2" | 210 lbs | QB Erie | 2024 State CO (2024 QB) and Mason Cowgill Mason Cowgill 6'4" | 225 lbs | TE Erie | 2024 State CO (2024 TE) had a touchdown pass connection to push the lead to 15-0. Barnett threw another touchdown pass within the first minute of the second quarter, this time to 2023 wide receiver Caden Lettis Caden Lettis 6'2" | 175 lbs | WR Erie | 2023 State CO . Khanna scored his second rushing touchdown with just over five minutes left to play in the first half, giving Eire a 28-0 lead heading into the third quarter.
Khanna scored his third rushing touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter, giving him a hat trick on the day and putting the Tigers up 35-0 over the Kadets. Erie would go on to score two more times before the Kadets managed to get on the board. Gavin Lusk Gavin Lusk RB Erie | 2025 State CO (2025 RB) scored a rushing touchdown with close to five minutes left in the third, bringing the score to 42-0 and putting the game in a running-clock situation. With Eire’s second team offense and defense in the game, the Tigers drove down the field and scored one final time on a QB keeper by Ward with 9:30 left fourth quarter.
The Kadets managed to drive down the field and score on a passing connection between senior quarterback Braden Dougherty Braden Dougherty 6'2" | QB Air Academy | 2023 State CO and sophomore receiver Caleb Kasayka Caleb Kasayka 6'4" | 200 lbs | TE Air Academy | 2025 State CO , putting the Kadets on the board with just seconds left to play in the game to avoid a shutout.
Other Standout Players
Jackson Clancy
Jackson
Clancy
6'2" | 260 lbs | OL
Erie | 2023
State
CO
| Erie | 2023 OL
Jackson Cowgill
Jackson
Cowgill
6'5" | 250 lbs | DL
Erie | 2024
State
CO
| Erie | 2024 DE
Kaveh Meredith
Kaveh
Meredith
WR
Erie | 2024
State
CO
| Erie | 2024 WR
Joey McLaughlin | Air Academy | 2023 WR
Collin Dougherty | Air Academy | 2023 WR
Madax Daniels
Madax
Daniels
QB
Air Academy | 2025
CO
| Air Academy | 2025 QB
Looking Ahead
On Friday night, the #11 Tigers will travel to Denver to take on a tough #6 Denver South Ravens team. The Tigers will have a short week to prepare for the Ravens, who are coming off a first-round bye. Expect the two dynamic offenses to put on a show that should be an exciting one for all four quarters.