League overview: With the shuffling of leagues, the Class 5A Jeffco League underwent only one change. Mullen was moved out of the league, and in its place comes defending 4A state champion Chatfield. The Chargers return to the 5A ranks looking to build off a strong 2021 campaign, but will have to do it against the likes of Columbine, Pomona and Ralston Valley. A pair of new head coaches join the league in Chatfield’s Kris Rosholt and Ralston Valley’s Jared Yannacito.
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Arvada West
Head coach: Brad Pyatt
2021 Record: 8-3 (4-1 Jeffco)
Returning All-State Players: Drew Martinez (Honorable Mention)
The Wildcats enjoyed a renaissance season in 2021, finishing tied with Pomona for first place in league play and earning a first-round postseason bye. Arvada West’s run ended with a loss to league foe Columbine in the second round. Ethan Cook passed for more than 1,800 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior, with all-state wideout Drew Martinez (38 catches, 709 yards and 12 touchdowns) one of his top targets. Brady Witherspoon was another top receiver as a junior, giving the team some offensive firepower returning. The defense lost a number of key standouts, though senior Charlie Smith figures to help anchor the unit this fall.
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Chatfield
Head coach: Kris Rosholt
2021 Record: 11-3 4A state champion (3-2 4A Metro 1)
Returning All-State Players: None
Chatfield climbed all the way to the top in Class 4A a year ago, winning the state championship as the No. 7 seed with a 41-34 victory over Erie in the title game. Longtime coach Bret McGatlin moved to Valor Christian, with Kris Rosholt taking over the Chargers’ program. The team moved up a classification and joins 5A Jeffco, where they’ll move on without a number of key starters, including 5A Player of the Year Jake Marschall (1,944 rushing yards, 28 touchdowns). Brock Narva was third on the team in all-purpose yards as a freshman, and Jake Jones threw for 767 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore.
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Columbine
Head Coach: Andy Lowry
2021 Record: 9-4 (3-2 Jeffco)
Returning All-State Players: Rocky Shields (Second Team)
Columbine and Ralston Valley were the only two Jeffco teams to reach the 5A state quarterfinals last fall, with the Rebels eliminated 17-7 by top-seeded Valor Christian. Columbine graduated all-state running back Seth Cromwell, who rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and scored 20 touchdowns, but all-state defensive end Rocky Shields – who had five sacks as a junior – is among the standouts returning.
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Lakewood
Head coach: Rich Martinez
2021 Record: 3-7 (0-5 Jeffco)
Returning All-State Players: None
Lakewood struggled in the always-challenging Jeffco League after a 3-1 start to the season. The Tigers lost a number of key starters to graduation, but did have a young nucleus on defense in 2021. Nico Mancha saw some time at quarterback as a junior.
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Pomona
Head coach: Nate Johnson
2021 Record: 7-5 (4-1 Jeffco)
Returning All-State Players: Ian Frye (Honorable Mention)
Pomona finished tied for first in league play a year ago, Johnson’s first as head coach. The Panthers reached the second round of the 5A state playoffs before falling 28-21 to Regis Jesuit. The team graduated a number of seniors, but returns all-state lineman Ian Frye, along with Fletcher Gleeson, Christian McCombs, Marcus Talbert and Alex Trejo. The offense will feature a number of new starters, though Talbert did rush for more than 400 yards as a sophomore. The program is the smallest in the 5A ranks, but Johnson said he plans to continue the school’s rich football tradition, even with declining numbers.
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Ralston Valley
Head coach: Jared Yannacito
2021 Record: 9-3 (3-2 Jeffco)
Returning All-State Players: None
Yannacito comes to the Mustangs from Golden High School, taking over for longtime coach Matt Loyd (the only head coach the program has had). Ralston Valley tied for third in league play in 2021, reaching the quarterfinals of the postseason where the team fell 20-16 to Grandview. There are a number of key returners though, including quarterbacks James Wochner (now a senior) and Logan Madden (now a junior), who split signal-calling duties with Zach Friedman. Diano Benallo led the team in rushing as a junior, and he and Wochner each rushed for five scores. Benallo also led Ralston Valley with 30 catches and four receiving TDs. Brayden Schatz was second on the team in all-purpose yards. Middle linebacker Eli Keith had six sacks as a junior, and safety Jason Thome led the team with three interceptions.
