Erie’s quest to get back to the Class 4A football championship game was stopped a foot short. Literally. On the final play of the Tigers’ semifinal loss to eventual state champion Broomfield, quarterback Blake Barnett was stopped just shy of the goal line.
The goal for Barnett and the Tigers in 2023 is that nothing comes down to a single play. This is a team that aims to win and to win big.
Barnett was a force last year, throwing for 2,420 yards and 26 touchdowns while running for 1,077 yards and 18 touchdowns. If the Tigers had won state, he likely would have been named 4A player of the year over Broomfield quarterback Cole LaCrue.
But such is life.
The key for Erie this season is to avoid the slow start that it experienced in 2022. The Tigers lost three of their first four games before winning seven straight to advance to the state semifinals.
On top of Barnett returning, junior running back Gavin Lusk rushed for 751 and his 11 touchdowns were only outdone by Barnett. He’ll be the primary back for 2023 and will be a good complement to Barnett’s dual-threat style of play.
The Tigers bring back a lot of bodies on defense as well and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them give up less than the 24.3 points per game they gave up last year.
Broomfield graduated a lot from its state championship team and that’s before factoring in LaCrue. Junior CT Worley will take over at quarterback, but perhaps the biggest story is that Robert O’Brien takes over as head coach of the program.
The Eagles will get tested early as they’ll see Holy Family in Week 2 and then head to Erie in Week 3.
Loveland did its best to replicate its state championship run from 2020, but couldn’t quite control the ground game in the championship showdown with Broomfield the way it did against Palmer Ridge. Gone is Garrett Harstad and his 1,832 rushing yards. Trey Olsen returns as the team’s leading rusher. He ran for 556 yards and seven touchdowns last year.
Palmer Ridge is another team under the guide of a new coach as Zach Carlton takes over this fall. He gets quarterback Derek Hester back and the Bears will be tested right out of the gate as Montrose comes to Don Breese Stadium in Week 1.
Speaking of the Red Hawks, they should make another solid playoff run considering Blake Griffin, a 2,000-yard rusher last season, is back for his senior year. Palmer Ridge made the trip to Montrose in Week 1 last year and got a 35-28 win and the Red Hawks would love to return the favor to start the season.
The only thing that kept Ponderosa out of the state semifinals was a bad second half against Erie. Quarterback Zach Stryker is gone, but the Mustangs bring back some genuine athletes, including junior Max Mervin who is a proven difference maker on the field.
The parity of 4A might be dialed up a bit this year as several teams continue to improve and compete at a high level. Mesa Ridge should have another solid season, Fruita Monument played at a very high level at moments during the 2022 campaign and Pueblo West should also put together another solid season.
**
4A football
Returning All-State Players:
- Blake Barnett, Erie (First Team)
- Jackson Cowgill, Erie (First Team)
- Landen Davidson, Broomfield (First Team)
- Blake Griffin, Montrose (First Team)
- Max Mervin, Ponderosa (Second Team)
- Caden Standbury, Loveland (Second Team)
- Mikhail Benner, Broomfield (Honorable Mention)
- Landon Deal, Widefield (Honorable Mention)
- Daniel Desmond, Rampart (Honorable Mention)
- Cole Gaddis, Longmont (Honorable Mention)
- Alex Garcia-Debaca, Thornton (Honorable Mention)
- Brent Harris, Broomfield (Honorable Mention)
- Chris Hunter, Liberty (Honorable Mention
- Trayveon Johnson, Thomas Jefferson (Honorable Mention)
- Isaiah Jones, Mesa Ridge (Honorable Mention)
- Nick Long, Heritage (Honorable Mention)
- TJ Mabe, Palmer Ridge (Honorable Mention)
- Chance Mohrenweiser, Mesa Ridge (Honorable Mention)
- Montrey Strickland, Golden (Honorable Mention)
- Tanner Widic, Mesa Ridge (Honorable Mention)
**
League 1
| Team | Overall | League | ||
| Win | Loss | Win | Loss | |
| Loveland | 12 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Windsor | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Skyline | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Grand Junction Central | 3 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
| Greeley Central | 1 | 9 | 0 | 4 |
League champion: Loveland
Additional playoff teams: Windsor, Skyline, Grand Junction Central
Projected 2023 league champion: Loveland
Additional 2023 playoff contenders: Windsor, Skyline
**
League 2
| Team | Overall | League | ||
| Win | Loss | Win | Loss | |
| Erie | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Longmont | 4 | 7 | 3 | 1 |
| Monarch | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| Silver Creek | 4 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| Greeley West | 2 | 8 | 0 | 4 |
League champion: Erie
Additional playoff teams: Longmont, Monarch
Projected 2023 league champion: Erie
Additional 2023 playoff contenders: Longmont, Monarch, Silver Creek
**
League 3
| Team | Overall | League | ||
| Win | Loss | Win | Loss | |
| Palmer Ridge | 12 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Vista Ridge | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Rampart | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Air Academy | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Cheyenne Mountain | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
League champion: Palmer Ridge
Additional playoff teams: Vista Ridge, Rampart
Projected 2023 league champion: Palmer Ridge
Additional 2023 playoff contenders: Vista Ridge, Rampart
**
League 4
| Team | Overall | League | ||
| Win | Loss | Win | Loss | |
| Montrose | 9 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Mesa Ridge | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Pueblo West | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Falcon | 2 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
| Coronado | 0 | 10 | 0 | 4 |
League champion: Montrose
Additional playoff teams: Mesa Ridge, Pueblo West
Projected 2023 league champion: Mesa Ridge
Additional 2023 playoff contenders: Montrose, Pueblo West
**
League 5
| Team | Overall | League | ||
| Win | Loss | Win | Loss | |
| Denver South | 9 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Ponderosa | 9 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Far Northeast Warriors | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Thomas Jefferson | 4 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| Vista PEAK Prep | 2 | 8 | 0 | 4 |
League champion: Denver South
Additional playoff teams: Ponderosa
Projected 2023 league champion: Ponderosa
Additional 2023 playoff contenders: Denver South, Thomas Jefferson
**
League 6
| Team | Overall | League | ||
| Win | Loss | Win | Loss | |
| Golden | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Dakota Ridge | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Bear Creek | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Standley Lake | 5 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| Grand Junction | 1 | 9 | 0 | 4 |
League champion: Golden
Additional playoff teams: Dakota Ridge, Bear Creek, Standley Lake
Projected 2023 league champion: Dakota Ridge
Additional 2023 playoff contenders: Golden, Bear Creek, Standley Lake
**
League 7
| Team | Overall | League | ||
| Win | Loss | Win | Loss | |
| Broomfield | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Heritage | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Fruita Monument | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Adams City | 3 | 7 | 1 | 3 |
| Aurora Central | 3 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
League champion: Broomfield
Additional playoff teams: Heritage, Fruita Monument
Projected 2023 league champion: Broomfield
Additional 2023 playoff contenders: Heritage, Fruita Monument
**
League 8
| Team | Overall | League | ||
| Win | Loss | Win | Loss | |
| Widefield | 9 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Liberty | 6 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| Centaurus | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Thornton | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Palmer | 2 | 8 | 2 | 4 |
| Gateway | 1 | 9 | 1 | 5 |
| Hinkley | 0 | 10 | 0 | 6 |
League champion: Widefield
Additional playoff teams: None
Projected 2023 league champion: Widefield (NOTE: Only the league champion from League 8 makes the postseason.)
Additional 2023 playoff contenders: None
