Week 7 Showdown: Columbine vs. Arvada West

Over this past weekend, I had the pleasure of watching the defending champs get pitted up against a young and rising team in Arvada West. The game started off tied at the end of the first quarter, 7-7. However, Columbine pulled ahead scoring 14 unanswered points in the 2nd quarter. Arvada West demonstrated grit and resilience as they never gave up even going down into the 4th. Columbine ended up winning 35-14, with stellar performances on each team. Let's dive into some of those top performances.    Balistreri was the leading receiver for Arvada West, with 9 receptions for 130 yards and 1 touchdown. The 6'1 160-pound junior was consistently making big plays for his team. Balistreri used his good athletic ability to get open, and used his big body to create mismatches against the defense. He has very good ball tracking skills. He had a contested catch within 2 defenders, the ball got tipped and he caught it. His very good body control and adjustment was on full display. He was a reliable target all night. Balistreri adjusted to a low throw, and put his hand underneath to secure the catch. On 4th and 1, he plucked the ball, brought it into his body and extended for a first down. Exactly what you want to see out of a wide receiver. On his touchdown play, the DB had pass interference, and Keegan still came down with the catch. Phenomenal performance from the junior!     Snyder had a massive game for Columbine. The 6'2 195-pound junior carried the ball 14 times for 174 yards and 3 touchdowns. Snyder used his athleticism to run around and juke defenders out. He has very good acceleration, speed, and good change of direction. He would use his change of direction to juke out defenders either at the line of scrimmage or out in space. He used his good mental processing in the read option game. He'd read the defender and either hand it to Basinger for a big gain, or run it himself. His longest rush was 80 yards. Snyder also has very good vision. He would identify the correct holes, and then use his elusiveness to slip through the offensive line. Great rushing performance from Snyder.     Pyatt is continuing his domination streak against opposing offenses. The 6'2 215-pound junior had 17 total tackles (10 solo, 7 assisted), 3 TFL, and 1 sack. He was all over the field, making big plays for his defense. Pyatt used his very good athletic ability to chase down the ball carriers. He has very competitive toughness, by assisting his teammates in tackles or playing through the whistle. Pyatt identified which gaps to rush, meeting the RB in the backfield. He tackles towards the center of gravity, wrapping up the ball carrier and pulling down. I'm continued to be impressed with Pyatt's performances, week in and week out. He's one of the top linebackers in Colorado, and the tape speaks for itself. Colleges need to be looking his way.     Basinger had a dominating night against A.W. The 5'10 195-pound senior had 20 carries for 163 yards and 2 touchdowns. First thing I notice with Basinger is his strength. He's compact and strong making it tough for defenders to tackle him. He has very good balance. Basinger got ankle tackled, stayed up, spun and got the touchdown. He uses his powerful legs to drive through defenders, or drag them on his back. Basinger also has a powerful stiff arm. He threw down 2 guys in the same play. Basinger has very good vision to identify the holes. Prototypical bruising running back to punish the defense.     Symalla still had a nice game against Columbine. Symalla had 10 carries for 43 yards, paired with 6 receptions for 33 yard and 1 touchdown. His athletic ability was on full display throughout the game. He has very good change of direction, and used it to create dynamic cuts making defenders miss. Symalla has very good balance, and would regain composure each time he'd start to stumble. Even though he had a fumble, he bounced back and didn't let that stop him showing his good competitive toughness. Him and [player_tooltip player_id='777538' first='Jaiden' last='Green'] make an exciting duo, and they'll bounce back next week.     [player_tooltip player_id='777538' first='Jaiden' last='Green'] made the most of each opportunity against Columbine. The 6'0 165-pound running back made an impact through the ground and air. He had 5 carries for 43 yards, and 2 receptions for 30 yards. He looked like a bowling ball out on the field. A mixture of speed and strength. His strength is evident, as he was trucking through defenders. He used his powerful legs to drive forward dragging defenders with him. He has very good vision and paired it with a dynamic cut at the LOS to achieve a 20-yard gain. He's a great compliment to Symalla's elusive game.     Emmot was the leading tackler for Columbine. The 5'9 155-pound OLB had 13 total tackles (8 solo, 5 assisted). Emmot used his good athletic ability to be all over the field. If the ball carrier was on one side, Emmot would use his very good speed to rush over there. Emmot is a good tackler. He wraps up the ball carrier towards their center of gravity, and pulls them down. Good run stopper too. He showed his good mental processing by following the QB's eyes, leading him to the ball carrier. He has good competitive toughness, consistently helping his teammates finish tackles. Great performance by the senior, I'm excited to see more.     Vialpondo was the leading interceptor for Columbine. The 6'1 170-pound sophomore linebacker had 11 total tackles (7 solo, 4 assisted), 2 INT, and 1 FR. He has very good athletic ability due to very good acceleration, and change of direction. He has the athleticism to match TEs in coverage. Vialpondo used his good mental processing to follow the QB's eyes, putting himself in good position to make the tackle and intercept the ball. Vialpondo used his lengthy arms to pluck the ball out of the air. He's a good run stopper, stopping the running back in their tracks. He's only a sophomore and is making this type of impact on his team. I'm very excited for what the future holds for Lijah.

Over this past weekend, I had the pleasure of watching the defending champs get pitted up against a young and rising team in Arvada West. The game started off tied at the end of the first quarter, 7-7. However, Columbine pulled ahead scoring 14 unanswered points in the 2^nd quarter. Arvada West demonstrated grit and resilience as they never gave up even going down into the 4^th. Columbine ended up winning 35-14, with stellar performances on each team. Let's dive into some of those top performances.