Starting in the quarterfinals, last week’s opening round of the Class 3A state playoffs had a little bit of everything, including two blowouts, a one-point victory and a forfeit caused by COVID-19 exposure. PHOTO BY BILL GRAY
What we have arrived at now is a pair of high-powered semifinal games that feature teams squaring off in the postseason for the first time ever. Roosevelt will take on Pueblo South and Holy Family will host Durango with the rights to play in the state title game at Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl on the line.
Pueblo South (5-0) at Roosevelt (7-0) 1 p.m.
Last week’s quarterfinal round provided very different experiences for Roosevelt and Pueblo South.
As the top overall seed, Roosevelt was forced to endure a significant amount of stress while taking Fort Morgan’s best shots before eventually eking out a 17-16 win to avoid a potentially devastating upset. Pueblo South, on the other hand, sat at home watching the postseason play out after the Colts’ first-round game against Mead was cancelled because the Mead football team had to quarantine because of COVID-19 exposure.
Both teams are ready to roll now, though, and Pueblo South, which has played just five games in 2020, is certainly eager to kick off its bid to return to the state championship game after finishing runner-up in 2019.
“I think our mindset has been the same throughout the year,” Colts head coach Ryan Goddard said. “Our guys just want to play football. They’re grateful for the opportunity and they missed that opportunity last week. They’re just grateful and looking forward to taking the field with their brothers and trying to get back to the championship game.”
Goddard said the Colts put together their best game of the season during a 35-28 win over Vista Ridge, their last game of the regular season two weeks ago. Quarterback Jace Bellah went 7 of 12 for 125 yards and senior running back George Longoria rushed for 180 yards and four scores in the game.
The Pueblo South defense has allowed just 11.2 points per game.
The Colts had better be as ready as they say, however, because Roosevelt is solid up and down a roster that is worthy of the No. 1 overall seed. With an advantage up front in terms of size and strength, the Roughriders feature a trio of ball-carriers in Keegan Sterkel (449 yards), quarterback Brig Hartson (251) and Cooper Walton (243) who have combined to rush for 943 yards and 11 touchdowns. Hartson has also thrown for 926 yards and 13 scores.
Defensively, junior Cooper Walton’s 55 tackles lead a defense that has allowed an average of only 7.7 yards a game.
“Roosevelt is a very, very good football team,” Goddard said. “They’re rightfully ranked number one because of what they’ve done this. Year, they’ve got good size and good speed. They have good players on both sides of the ball and so do we, so I think it’s going to be a good game.”
Durango (6-0) at Holy Family (7-0) 12 p.m.
For both of these teams, it has been a while since their last semifinals appearance.
Holy Family, the No. 2 overall seed, last reached the penultimate round of the postseason in 2007. For third-seeded Durango, it has been even longer, as the Demons last played a semifinal game in 1997. But the past is the past and both teams are ready to battle it out on Saturday for a spot in the title game.
“First and foremost, we’re thrilled to still be playing,” Holy Family head coach Mike Gabriel said. “As far as this game, Durango is a great team. We’ve seen them on film for the past couple years and we’ve seen Woolverton and Finneseth grow up in that program. They’re great players so we’ve got our work cut out for us with those two.”
Gabriel is spot on in his estimation that Durango’s success begins with quarterback Jordan Woolverton and dynamic two-way threat Ben Finneseth. In the Demons’ 47-6 win over Lutheran last week, Woolverton completed nine of 13 pass attempts for 154 yards and three touchdowns, while Finneseth ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns on just five carries. Finneseth also caught five passes from Woolverton for 72 yards and a touchdown.
On top of the Demons’ potent offense, the Durango defense has allowed an average of just 11.3 points per game through six games.
Statistically, the Holy Family defense has been even better, giving up just 9.4 points a week and holding Evergreen to just one touchdown in its quarterfinals matchup last week. Jared Delgado led the way with 14 tackles and Oscar Sena had two interceptions, while quarterback Michael White threw four touchdowns passes.
In an unusual season, it’s somewhat fitting that Holy Family is a running and defensive team rather than relying on an aerial attack like in years past. But it has been working for the unbeaten Tigers and Gabriel said this Saturday, his team intends to rely on what got it there.
“We’ve had a great season and we have a great group of kids so I think we’re up for the challenge of a great game,” Gabriel said. “We’re just focusing on what we’ve done week in and week out. We’ve leaned on the run a lot more than we have in the past couple years and our defense is really improved over recent seasons, so we’re just going to try to execute what we do well.”
