In his first year starting at quarterback for the Highland Huskies, senior Tyler Varra has quietly produced an amazing season as a dual threat under center.
On Friday night, in helping guide the Huskies to one of the few upsets of the first round of playoffs among small school programs, Varra was at his absolute best.
Converting a couple of key fourth-down plays, showing poise in completing 5 of 7 passes for 139 yards and three touchdowns, and finding fellow senior Elijah Elder at the most opportune times, Varra helped offset a 300-yard game from Forge Christian’s Quentin Torres and pushed HHS to a 41-35 victory as a 12 seed over the 5 seed on the road.
It was a signature win for Highland, which had entered the Class 1A playoffs with a stretch of two losses (Denver West, Platte Valley) and a forfeit victory over the three prior weeks of play.
Varra was in a bit of a slump, having completed just 12 of 38 passes combined against the Cowboys and Broncos. But Elder was his go-to, particularly in the red zone, on Friday. He found Elder for two 4-yard touchdown tosses (Elder had three catches for 51 yards). While Elder also broke free for two TD runs, Varra also found paydirt on the ground for his eighth rushing touchdown of the season.
Daryan Shaw scored Highland’s other TD on a long catch and run, as the visiting Huskies led by as much as 41-21 in the third quarter.
After losing in the second round last season to Wray, Highland’s challenge this season is overcoming No. 4 seed Centauri (Saturday, 1 p.m.). The Falcons also have a senior quarterback who can run and pass, as evidenced by Sean Jarvies’ two TD passes and two TD runs in last week’s 35-21 victory against North Fork.
For the most part last weekend, the small school brackets played true. Some games were closer than others, but last Friday and Saturday was marked by the higher-seeded teams in 2A, 1A, 8-man and 6-man moving on to the second round of the postseason as expected.
Round two sets up with a few rematches.
Class 2A
Resurrection Christian at Wellington, Friday, 7 p.m.
Both teams buried their respective first-round opponents and will meet again just three weeks after the Eagles outlasted the Cougars 21-16 on their way to a league title. In that game, Wellington had 322 yards of offense and overcame two interceptions and a 172-yard game from RCS running back Britton Walston.
Class 1A
Burlington at Wray, Saturday, 1 p.m.
Jason Saucedo had 160 yards and two scores for Burlington against the Eagles on Oct. 10, but it was not enough as Wray’s Austin Collins accounted for three TDs (two passing, one rushing) in a 28-18 win. Of note, Burlington attempted just five passes vs. Wray in that game, and the Cougars did not attempt a single pass in their playoff win last week.
8-man
Sedgwick County at Haxtun, Saturday, 1 p.m.
The Cougars had a rough go Oct. 31 at the Bulldogs’ home venue, as Haxtun dominated every facet of the game in a 52-8 win. Zach Statz had 145 rushing yards and three touchdowns for the home team in that one. Haxtun again gets to host this matchup, but SCHS will be banking on continued success from junior Owen Harris, who had 226 yards and four scores on the ground in a first-round win against Clear Creek.
6-man
Otis at Peetz, Friday, 7 p.m.
Peetz put the clamps on what typically has been a high-scoring Otis team back on Oct. 25, and PHS also racked up 518 yards of offense in a 37-22 win. Tanner Wood (276 total yards) and Connor Schumacher (242 total yards), both juniors, were a wrecking crew. Otis showed balance on offense despite the loss, and the visiting Bulldogs look to build off last week’s 56-16 first round win in which Cambric Klinzmann and Mitchell Stiver ran for 200 and 156 yards, respectively.
Cheyenne Wells at Branson/Kim, Saturday, 1 p.m.
The Tigers blew the doors off the Bearcats on Nov. 1, 56-0, behind five rushing TDs from senior Trey Scheler. Branson/Kim had less than 100 yards of offense in the game, but were able to find extensive offensive rhythm in last week’s upset of Eads. Will Doherty (153 rush yards) and Acoya Bartlett (133 rush yards) had massive performances.
Caliche at Stratton, Saturday, 1 p.m.
The Buffs pulled off one of the season’s biggest early upsets Sept. 12 in beating the Eagles 34-24. Senior Zacahry Yost had a passing TD, a rushing TD (three of them, actually) and a receiving TD in that one, sparking CHS’ first win in the series during the MaxPreps era (since 2004). The Eagles held Flagler to just 71 yards last week, however.
