Major Thursday Showdown in 3A Metro Northeast

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are a handful of exciting match-ups set to kick off tonight throughout the state. One big-time game that should be on every scout's radar is the 3A Metro Northeast contest between the Northfield Nighthawks and the Holy Family Tigers at 7:00 P.M. in Broomfield.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams are 5-1 on the season with a 1-0 record in conference play, making both programs legitimate playoff contenders with stacked rosters. There will be more than a few standout athletes taking the field tonight, reinforcing the excitement surrounding the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Holy Family quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='251263' first='Rylan' last='Cooney']</strong> (2024) will enter this game having completed 82 of his 129 pass attempts for 1,235 yards and nine touchdowns. His dual-threat athleticism makes him a dangerous runner with 381 yards and 11 touchdowns on 60 carriers. <strong>Christian Love</strong> (2024) is Northfield's QB who has gone 51 of 82 for 553 yards and six touchdowns through the air and tallied 357 yards and nine touchdowns on 65 rushing attempts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Nighthawks have a powerful arsenal on offense that features <strong>Dean Stickel</strong> (2024 WR/ATH), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='547628' first='Kamrin' last='Joyce-Fairley'] </strong>(2024 WR/DB), and <strong>Jalen Robinson</strong> (2024 WR). Stickel is a do-all athlete with 15 receptions for 156 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver and 15 carriers for 106 yards and five touchdowns as a rusher. Joyce-Fairley and Robinson will enter this game with a combined 21 receptions for 254 yards and four touchdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers have their own firepower on offense. <strong>Dominic Gabriel</strong> (2024 RB/OLB) is the team's leading rusher with 703 yards and seven touchdowns on 105 carriers and 11 receptions for 114 yards. The receiving core consists of <strong>Ashton Erickson </strong>(2024), <strong>Jaxon Grable </strong>(2024 ATH), and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1596411' first='Monte' last='Samaras']</strong> (2025). Grable leads the pack with 340 yards and four touchdowns on 17 receptions. Erickson has 153 yards and three touchdowns on 19 receptions, while Samaras has totaled 274 yards and one score on 17 receptions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams have high-powered offenses, but their stout defenses have helped each team secure five wins on the season. Many programs in the 3A classification have multiple two-way players, which holds true for both programs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Holy Family's defense will look to <strong>Brayden Bach</strong> (2024 OLB), <strong>Mark Mollendor </strong>(2024 DB), Gabriel, and Grable to lead the Tigers against the Nighthawks. Bach leads the team with 67 total tackles, Mollendor's racked up 53 tackles with an interception and forced fumble, Gabriel has 34 total tackles, and Grable has secured two interceptions and forced two fumbles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Northfield's defense will feature <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='404981' first='Dylan' last='Anderson'] </strong>(2025 OLB), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='447857' first='Jack' last='Easterly']</strong> (2024 LB), <strong>Antonie Collins</strong> (2026), and Joyce-Fairley. Anderson has racked up 32 tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble. Easterly has a total of 32 tackles, Collins has secured seven tackles and three interceptions, while Joyce-Fairley has tallied nine tackles and two interceptions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The players listed above are just a handful of names with obvious potential to play at the next level. However, each team possesses more prospects with the potential of landing college roster spots, making this a must-see game on a Thursday night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->