A matchup of The Classical Academy and Eaton to begin the 2022 season certainly put everyone on notice about the Titans’ potential in Colorado’s Class 2A ranks. Yet it was Eaton who emerged from that game with a refusal to ever lose again, winning 12 straight games to capture the state championship after a 19-16 opening-week setback.

Fast forward to 2023, and last weekend’s 14-7 road win for TCA over the Reds to start the new campaign makes one wonder if the scripts will change a bit. Only time will tell.

Once again, the game between the two powers was a defensive tussle, and TCA overcame three turnovers to pull out the victory thanks to its defense that allowed just one first-quarter touchdown to the host Reds.

And as could be expected, a game between two great teams came down to the wire. What proved to be the game-winning touchdown came with about 2 minutes to go, as quarterback Andrew Brown found Will Schipfer for an 11-yard score — Schipfer’s second touchdown of the game. In the second quarter, Schipfer, a senior, barreled in from 2 yards out to tie the score.

Eaton (0-1) will look to avange the loss and get back on a path to greatness this week against rival University (0-1). The Classical Academy (1-0) will ride the momentum into a road game against Harrison (0-1).

North Fork’s Moreno eating

Hayden Moreno does have the luxury of his team having played two games so far this season, but there’s no doubt he’s already established himself as having a nose for the end zone. The 1A Miners are 1-1 and are coming off a one-point loss to Meeker last week, but Moreno has vaulted all the way to the top of the scoring rankings state-wide with 38 total points so far this season. In each week so far, the senior has found the end zone three times, and he’s also notched a two-point conversion.

With Moreno already looking in midseason form, the Miners next will face a Center Vikings team that will be making its season debut.

For starters

Five 8-man teams pitched shutouts in their Week 1 games, including Lyons — a team looking to take the next step after long-awaited success last season. The Lions surrendered less than 200 yards to Walsenburg in a 50-0 blanking, while also producing 434 yards of offense itself. Malik Sigg-Brown secured three touchdown runs to go along with 204 yards to lead LHS.

Other 8-man teams to post shutouts in their openers included Vail Christian (46-0 over Dolores Huerta Prep), West Grand (46-0 over Gilpin County), Sargent (38-0 over South Park) and Custer County (30-0 over St. Mary’s).

Smith airing it out … again

Genoa-Hugo’s Trey Smith finished with more than 2,200 passing yards last year in leading his team to an 8-3 mark.

And, he’s back at it again.

In one of 6-man’s marquee matchups of last week, Smith led the Pirates to victory over Eads, 28-14, behind 12-of-17 passing and 257 yards. The senior found five different receivers, but Konner Rowden-Stum was his favorite with five connections for 67 yards. Rowden-Stum stunned the Eagles with a 57-yard passing TD of his own — his first of his career.