4A Quarterfinals Takeaways: First Round Standouts

<span style="font-weight: 400;">With the entire state preparing for the second round of the 2020 Fall playoffs, it is imperative to recognize the effort of the players and programs that fought for this opportunity.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">We previously took a look at the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2020/11/5a-quarterfinals-takeaways-first-round-standouts/">5A standouts</a> from the first round, and now it is time to shine the spotlight on the 4A classification.</span> <b>Dakota Ridge vs Montrose</b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dakota Ridge entered the postseason as the number one seed, which matched them up against eighth-seeded Montrose. It was a tough-fought game that ended with Montrose falling 76-34 to the Eagles. [player_tooltip player_id="22578" first="Jason" last="Soderlin"] and the Eagles’ offensive line set the tone by establishing the line of scrimmage early. Quarterback Ben Gultig went 10-for-13 with 210 yards and three passing touchdowns, in addition to his eight carries for 101 yards and one rushing touchdown. [player_tooltip player_id="150210" first="Noah" last="Triplett"]’s three rushing touchdowns and [player_tooltip player_id="22632" first="Mason" last="Galbreath"]’s two receiving touchdowns helped ensure Dakota Ridge’s trip to the semifinals. Montrose senior running backs Trent Blundell and Eli Evans put on a spectacular show, but it was not enough to stave off a mighty Eagles team. Dakota Ridge will be facing off against Loveland for a shot at the state title. </span> <b>Palmer Ridge vs Pine Creek</b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This game between second seed Palmer Ridge and seventh seed Pine Creek was a matchup between two reigning state champions. After the Palmer Ridge Bears won their third consecutive 3A state title last year, they stepped up to 4A and have not seemed to miss a beat. The Bears bested the Eagles 32-7 in their quarterfinal matchup. Three-star offensive tackle Conner Jones and a solid core of linemen put in work to make CSU quarterback commit [player_tooltip player_id="22533" first="Luke" last="McAllister"]’s job much easier. McAllister threw for 367 yards and five touchdowns, four of which were caught by Pittsburg State commit [player_tooltip player_id="22560" first="Marcellus" last="Reed"]. The other was caught by [player_tooltip player_id="22673" first="Anthony" last="Costanzo"], who is a standout junior with multiple D1 offers. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id="22562" first="Saxon" last="Wright"] led the Bears in tackles with 16 total, 13 of which were solo, and he also accounted for two pass deflections. Unfortunately for Eagle’s quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="153895" first="Josiah" last="Roy"] and linebacker Braden Kramer, there seemed to be little their team could do to stop the Bears. Palmer Ridge will be facing a very tough Fountain-Fort Carson team for their chance to reach the state final in their 4A season debut.</span> [embed]https://twitter.com/mrwashingten/status/1330354221128896513?s=20[/embed] <b>Ponderosa vs Fountain-Fort Carson</b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Third seed Ponderosa Mustangs faced off against seventh seed Fountain-Fort Carson Trojans in a matchup that came down to the wire, ending with the Trojans pulling off a 41-38 victory. Mustangs quarterback Jack Hanenburg finished the game 21-of-31 for 256 yards and four touchdowns. While [player_tooltip player_id="56050" first="Cael" last="Porter"] and Ponderosa’s defense were able to come away with three interceptions, it was not enough to hold off Q. Jones and the Trojans. Jones, the second-leading rusher in the state, finished the game with 332 rushing yards and three touchdowns off of 28 carries with the help of offensive tackle Jayden Fuller and the line’s ability to create running lanes. With a game that came down to a fourth and short, [player_tooltip player_id="62220" first="Tai" last="Faavae"] and the Trojans defense were able to stand tall and force a turnover on downs that ultimately won them the game. Fountain-Fort Carson’s semifinal match will be against Palmer Ridge in what will undoubtedly be their most challenging contest of the season. </span> <b>Loveland vs Broomfield</b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Fourth seed Loveland and fifth seed Broomfield ended their quarterfinals matchup with a 28-7 victory for Loveland. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="58946" first="Zack" last="Rakowsky"] finished the game 4-for-6 with 25 yards but did most of his damage with his legs. Rakowsky carried the ball 26 times for 183 yards and two touchdowns. Jadyn Tafoya had six carries for 30 yards and one touchdown but really made his presence felt while playing on defense. Tafoya finished with a total of 10 tackles, two quarterback hurries, and one pass breakup. Joe Killian was also a factor defensively for Loveland, finishing with five tackles and an interception that was returned 69 yards for a score. [player_tooltip player_id="62055" first="Josh" last="Dunn"] finished with four catches for 70 yards and the sole touchdown for Broomfield, but the Eagles were unable to match their opponents’ firepower. Loveland will be taking on a dominant Dakota Ridge team as they fight for their chance to appear in the state championship game.</span>