League overview: Take three Denver Prep League schools and add in a sprinkle of Aurora and Parker and this is what comes out of the oven. All of these teams have seen levels of success in recent years which should make this a fun league to track through the course of the season. In fact all five teams made the postseason in the respective classes that they played in last year. Ponderosa and Denver South were the only ones to win playoff games, but the taste of the postseason should make this group hungry for wins on a weekly basis.
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Denver South
Head coach: Ryan Marini
2021 Record: 9-3 (4-1 Metro 1)
Returning All-State Players: Rashad Caldwell (First Team), Joseph Capra (Honorable Mention)
The Ravens offense is going to be Must See TV this fall. Rashad Caldwell is one of the best receivers in the state and Joseph Capra proved himself to be a (much) better than average passer. He went for 2,464 yards and 33 touchdowns, with Caldwell being the recipient of 1,193 of those yards and 15 of those touchdowns. Additionally, they are both getting interest from Ivy League programs with GPAs north of 4.0. “It’s cool they are doing this in DPS, not a place we typically think of for Ivy league athletes,” Marini said. Jonah Buerk brings back some moxie on defense after leading the team in tackles with 61, picking off two passes and recovering three fumbles. After not playing a single DPS team last year, the Ravens are excited to have East, Thomas Jefferson and Far Northeast on the schedule.
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Far Northeast
Head coach: Tony Lindsay Sr.
2021 Record: 5-6 (4-1 5A Metro 2)
Returning All-State Players: None
While playing under the banner of Far Northeast, everyone in the state knows the Warriors as Montbello. After claiming the Class 5A Season C title in 2021, Montbello made the 5A postseason the strength a league championship last fall. This year, the Warriors play down in 4A which should put them with more teams on a similarly competitive plain. Dre’monti Jackson will be the focal point of the running game after going for 703 yards last season. He also had 552 receiving yards and will be a big threat when lining up against any defense that he sees. Emmit Anderson led the team with 68 tackles and recovered a fumble and will be a senior leader for the defense.
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Ponderosa
Head coach: Jaron Cohen
2021 Record: 7-5 (2-3 Southern 1)
Returning All-State Players: None
Finishing fourth in the Southern 1 League last year was probably good for a top-two finish in any other league in the state. The Mustangs faced Palmer Ride, Montrose and Vista Ridge in league play and were rewarded with a second-round playoff game against Chatfield. But for those players coming back, that tough slate should make them a better overall squad. Sophomore quarterback Andrew Heidel won’t be back with the team after moving to Florida so senior Zach Stryker takes over. Styker is already sporting an offer from CSU-Pueblo and Cohen is excited to see how the kid leads the offense this year. He’ll have some good targets to throw out as Dylan Karsteter and Carson Keach should have breakout seasons as wide receivers. Ethan Rodriguez will set the tone on defense and a 97-tackle season in 2021. He also recorded five sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. “We have a very fast team and need to utilize our team speed on defense and at skill positions,” Cohen said. “Our o-line will need to gel as a unit to give our playmakers opportunities.”
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Thomas Jefferson
Head coach: Mike Griebel
2021 Record: 7-4 (5-0 3A Denver Prep)
Returning All-State Players: Dimitri Haralambopoulos, Dedrick Payne, Jake Tapia (Honorable Mention)
The Spartans make the jump to 4A after claiming a Season C state championship during the 2020-21 season then cracking the 3A playoff field in the fall of 2021. They have plenty of talent returning as Dimitri Haralambopoulos and Jake Tapia each rushed for over 600. Haralambopoulos found the end zone 15 times, second only to Austin Lindgren, who graduated last spring. Tapia tied with Makur Abram for second on the team in total tackles last year with 54. Abram recorded a team-high six sacks in the process, double the number of anyone else on the team. Haralambopoulos also stood out a bit defensively as he was one of two players on the roster to grab two interceptions. The Spartans have anything but an easy start as they see Pomona in Week 1.
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Vista Peak
Head coach: DaVaughn Thornton
2021 Record: 7-4 (4-1 Metro 2)
Returning All-State Players: None
A strong start and a strong finish to the regular season got the Bison into the 4A playoffs. They hope to get back there again and will have to battle through a tough league to get there. The problem is going to be replacing a lot of production on the offensive side of the ball. Ezekiel Taylor is the leading returning rusher from 2021 and he totaled 281 yards on 52 carries. Youth will be a big factor on that side of the ball and coach DaVaughn Thornton knows that he needs to rely on his big guys in the trenches to establish an offensive flow. Safety Calem Moore will be responsible for establishing the tone on defense. He totaled 19 tackles last year, picked off one pass and recovered two fumbles. While the Bison lost a good senior group, they return a squadron of juniors that were heavily involved in last year’s success which will certainly be an asset in 2022.
