Defending state champion Pine Creek will likely again be the pre-season number one team in Class 4A this year and considered the team to beat, but several other squads have enough big names returning to make a state championship push. Leading that charge are traditional powers Pueblo South, Ponderosa, Windsor and Chatfield.
Ponderosa actually tops the list of players with either first or second team honors with four while Pine Creek, Windsor and Pueblo South each have two representatives back on their roster.
Below is a quick list and breakdown of the players in Class 4A that return after being named either first or second team all-state in 2016.
FIRST TEAM
Marcell Barbee — Pueblo South
- Leads all returning players in Class 4A with 976 yards receiving
- Topped Colts with 51 catches and 12 touchdowns
- Caught season high 11 passes for 198 yards in loss to Ponderosa last year
Maxwell Bruner — Ponderosa
- Offensive guard for a unit that scored 542 points in 12 games last season
Griffin Moss — Chatfield
- Second on team with seven tackles for loss
- Tied for second on club with three sacks
- Involved in 23 tackles as a junior
Brandon Ramirez — Windsor
- Second on the Wizards with 856 yards rushing
- Second on team with nine rushing touchdowns
- Ran for at least 100 yards in a game only once — 122 yards vs Skyline
Isaak Rolfe — Pine Creek
- Top returning tackler for Eagles with 77 stops — fifth best last year
- Second on team with 10 tackles for loss
- Led Eagles with 10.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries
SECOND TEAM
Jesse Bridge — Sand Creek
- Made both field goal attempts on the season including 50-yarder
- Hit four of five extra point attempts for team that scored only 12 touchdowns all season
Steve Brock — Pueblo South
- Led Colts with 1,557 yards rushing
- Rushed for at least 100 yards in nine games including 272 in win over Grand Junction Central
- Scored 15 touchdowns overall including at least two in six games
Payton Dietrich — Wheat Ridge
- Ran for a team high 1,144 yard and 11 touchdowns
- Led Farmers with 18 catches for 308 yards
- Second on team with 101 tackles
- Tied for team lead with three fumble recoveries
Mason Knighton — Ponderosa
- Earned 39 tackles as a junior
- Tied for second on team with three sacks
Christion Louis — Pine Creek
- Was seventh on state championship club with 69 tackles
- Tied for second on club with six sacks
- Recorded seven tackles for loss
Jayden Manu — Loveland
- Key offensive line member that helped the Indians rush for 3,181 yard and 32 touchdowns
Devyn Morgan — Pueblo West
- Top returning rusher in the division after gaining 1,709 yards as a junior
- Scored team high 15 touchdowns
- Ran for at least 200 yards in a game and set career high with 304 yards in win over Widefield
Quinton Ostdahl — Ponderosa
- Led Mustangs with 13 rushing touchdowns on only 75 attempts
- Third on team with 361 yards rushing
- Led defense with 93 tackles and 15 tackles for loss
- Tied for team lead with five sacks
Sterling Ostdahl — Ponderosa
- Top returning passer in the division with 2,484 yards last season
- Threw for at least 219 yards in each of his last four games
- Completed 199 of 293 attempts with 24 touchdowns
- Second on team with 602 yards rushing with 12 touchdowns
Zach Watts — Windsor
- Sixth on the team with 56 tackles — third best among returnees
- Second on club with 17.5 tackles for loNoass
- Fourth on the team with 4.5 sacks
