If Legend was going to survive a tough playoff game against Valor Christian, Jaden Lawrence needed to have a big game. Knowing that, he went bigger than big.

The standout back rushed for 196 yards as No. 10 Legend got a 20-13 win over No. 7 Valor Christian in the second round of the Class 5A football playoffs.

Just after a Valor Christian score in the second half, Lawrence broke for a long run that made the difference in the game.

“I think Jaden took it 75 or 80 yards and that’s kind of his MO,” coach Monte Thelen said on the Scoreboard Show. “We can get him to the second level and he has some wiggle and he definitely has the afterburners. That was a critical play because it gave us some breathing room and it made them have to go for a touchdown as opposed to a field goal there are the end.”

Valor Christian had appeared in three straight 5A state title game appearances heading into this season and this loss marks the first time since 2019 that the Eagles won’t play on the final weekend of the year. They lost to Columbine in the quarterfinals that year.

Ryken Banks got the Titans up early on a 1-yard touchdown run. The Eagles tied the game in big part thanks to a strip-sack by Garrett Dial in the second quarter.

The Eagles took a 10-7 lead at halftime, but the ground game for the Titans got them back in it and helped lock down the playoff win. Legend heads to Columbine next week in the 5A quarterfinals.

3A: (11) Northfield 56, (6) Pueblo Central 36

Northfield made history on Friday as it won the first playoff game in its program history. To do it on the road was also a big deal as Central had looked like a solid football team all year.

Even Nighthawks coach Ben Startzer was impressed with the way his guys were able to go into hostile territory against a good team and emerge victorious.

“Kudos to [Central],” Startzer said on the Scoreboard Show. “That’s a really tough and gritty team and we knew we’d have our hands full coming into Pueblo. Those kids are tough as nails.”

Next week Northfield will face No. 3 Thompson Valley who is coming off a tough win against Discovery Canyon.

4A: (11) Windsor 38, (6) Ponderosa 21

(Dan Mohrmann/ColoradoPreps.com)

With the help of a trick play or two, Windsor jumped out to a 14-0 lead early. Just when it looked like Ponderosa was finding some momentum as it scored its first touchdown of the night, Mikey Munn returned the ensuing kickoff for the Wizards third score of the game.

The Mustangs did battle back to tie the game at 21, but the Wizards regained their composure and held on to get the upset win. Windsor advances to the 4A quarterfinals where it will play the winner of Montrose and Pueblo West.

5A: (14) Chatfield 28, (3) Arapahoe 21 (OT)

Some had Arapahoe pegged as the team that could give Cherry Creek a run for its money in the postseason. But the Warriors won’t get the chance as Chatfield pulled off perhaps the upset of the week.

Arapahoe had built a 14-0 lead going into halftime, but using the idea that in the playoffs there are only 48 more guaranteed minutes of play remaining, coach Kris Rosholt asked his guys what they were going to do with the final 24.

“At halftime I challenged them and said there are only 24 minutes left,” Rosholt said on the Scoreboard Show. “Little did I know that overtime would be a part of that, so I guess it was a little more than 24 minutes. The boys came out and bought into all our adjustments for the second half and executed at a really high level.

Chatfield advances to face Grandview, who snagged an upset of its own as it beat No. 6 Regis Jesuit 25-23

For a rundown of full playoff scores, find them on the Colorado Preps Scoreboard.