The Class 5A, 4A and 3A football state champions set to be crowned this weekend

It all comes down to three more games at CSU’s Canvas Stadium.

The final weekend of the football season is in full swing as the Class 5A, 4A and 3A state title games will kick off Saturday. All six teams have battled through their various roads to state and the culmination will come in Fort Collins with the 3A games kicking things off at 10 a.m.

Here is a look at each of the three matchups.

Class 3A

Windsor (13-0) vs. Pomona (12-1), Dec. 6, 10 a.m., Canvas Stadium, CSU-Fort Collins

The battle is on for state supremacy in Class 3A.

Windsor, which has been a force near or at the top of the rankings all season, has posted a 13-0 record.

The Wizards also proved they could step up in crunch time as they were facing a 14-7 deficit to Holy Family a week ago in the semifinals and rallied with 14 fourth-quarter points to claim the victory 21-14.

The key for Wizard all season has been its ground and pound attack led by running backs Adrian Czyszcon who has 1,554 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns. The senior has eight 100-plus yard games this season.

Fellow senior Mason Moore has added 1,034 yards rushing and 11 scores. Defensively, senior Cade Pohlen has recorded 70 total tackles, including a team-best 19 tackles for a loss.

The Wizards are returning to the state championship game for the first time since winning the 2015 Class 4A championship.

Windsor has won state football crowns in 1981, 1993, 2011 and 2015.

Pomona used a scoring outburst to defeat Palisade 42-29 in the semis. The Panthers were tied at 14-all at one point before pulling away late in the first half.

Pomona’s offense is led by junior QB Tucker Ingersoll who has thrown for 1,800 yards and 26 TDs. He has also run for 475 yards and seven TDs.

Senior RB Luis Santana has run for 1,025 yards and eight scores. Defensively, Emmitt Munson had 85 tackles with nine tackles for a loss.

Pomona has run nine games in a row since losing to Dakota Ridge 45-14 on Sept. 19.

The Panthers have won two state championships in 1988 over Montbello (24-21) and 2017 over Eaglecrest 56-49.

Class 4A

Dakota Ridge (13-0) vs. Palmer Ridge (13-0), Dec. 6, 1:30 p.m., Canvas Stadium, CSU-Fort Collins

Dakota Ridge has been the real deal all season. That trend continued in the semifinals at DR rushed out to 28-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 31-14 win over Heritage.
DR is paced by Kellen Behrendsen. The QB has thrown for 3,104 yards and 38 TDs. He also has run for 354 yards and four TDs.

Landon Kalsbeck has 967 yards and 15 TDs. Nathan Rodriguez is the top receiver with 1,076 yards and 11 TDs. Defensively, Kalsbeck has had a team-best 96 tackles and 15 for a loss.

Dakota Ridge advances to its second championship, which DR lost in 2004 in the Class 4A title game.

Palmer Ridge has been a dominant force in football and claimed a dramatic 31-29 over Montrose in the semifinals on the road.

The Bears are trying to win their fourth state championship in school history to go with ones they claimed in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Palmer Ridge is led by senior QB Cole Harris has thrown for 1,820 yards and 22 TDs. He has also added 529 yards rushing and 5 TDs. Jackson Mabe has added 1003 yards rushing and 17 TDs. PR’s top receiver is junior Zak Crisler who has 58 receptions for 895 yards and six TDs.

Class 5A

Cherry Creek (13-0) vs. Ralston Valley (13-0), 5 p.m., Canvas Stadium, CSU-Fort Collins

Cherry Creek got its first real scare of the season and nearly saw its season come to an end before edging Valor Christian 21-13.

It was an uncharacteristic sloppy game for the Bruins as they committed a season-high four turnovers.

The Bruins rallied behind star running back Jayden Fox’s two scores to win and move on to its eight straight state championship game.

Senior QB Brady Vodicka 2,671 yards and 36 TDs. Fox has added 1,517 yards rushing and 22 TDs. Creek’s top receiver is Maxwell Lovett who has 39 catches for 771 yards and eight scores.

Creek returning for another state title game is no surprise, but Ralston Valley has been quite the surprise.

The Mustangs are coming off a dramatic 31-28 win over Mountain Vista, thanks to a Landon Plichta’s 25-yard field goal with less than a minute left in the game. This is the first appearance in a state championship football game in RV’s school history.

Offensively, senior QB Zeke Andrews has thrown for 2,618 yards and 25 TDs. He has also run for 749 yards and 13 scores. Receiver Ethan Shirazi has 1,027 yards in receptions and 12 TDs and Nico Benallo has 901 yards on 81 receptions and he has eight scores.

RV has a chance to make lasting memories as a first-time state winner against the perennial power Creek.