Three games, three state football champions to be crowned in Fort Collins

All the excitement and drama of another prep football season is concluding Saturday.

The curtain will drop on the 2024 campaign when the Class 5A, 4A and 3A state championship games will happen Saturday, Dec. 7 at Colorado State University’s Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.

State championship hardware will be given out Saturday and below are the last teams standing fighting for ultimate championship glory.

Class 5A

No. 6 Legend (12-1) vs. No. 1 Cherry Creek (12-1), 6 p.m., Saturday, Canvas Stadium

Well, Cherry Creek was seeded No. 1 in the state playoffs and the Bruins have lived up to that billing.

Creek has mowed through the postseason with wins over Grandview (38-10), Erie (34-14) and Valor Christian (42-17).

Junior QB Brady Vodicka directs Creek’s attack passing for 2,653 yards, 24 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He also has another 186 yards rushing and eight more scores.

Junior Jayden Fox is the team’s marquee rusher, gaining 1,725 yards while scoring 17 times. He has 10 100-yard rushing games this season.

Vodicka’s favorite targets are Jeremiah Hoffman (42 catches, 831 yards, and 7 TDs) and

Maxwell Lovett (37 catches, 601 yards and 7 TDs). Alijah Landrum-Hamilton (55 catches, 595 yards, 4 TDs) also is a force in the passing game.

Defensively, safety Aiden Knapke sets the pace for the Bruins with 106 total tackles. Creek has not lost to a team from Colorado this season and comes into this game with a 12-game winning streak.

Creek won four state 5A football titles in a row from 2019-22 before having that streak snapped with a 28-14 loss to Columbine in last year’s state championship game.

Legend is certainly a surprise foe for Creek Saturday, this talented squad has put itself in state championship contention with playoff wins over Arapahoe (24-20), Raltson Valley (35-16), and Fairview (35-16).

Since losing to Columbine 16-14 on Sept. 6, the Titans have won 10 games in a row.

This is an historic opportunity for Legend as it is trying to capture the school’s first boys state championship of any kind in the school’s history.
QB Nicholas Farley has had a solid season for Legend. The senior has thrown for 1,155 yards and 11 TDs. He has also rushed for 395 yards and nine scores.

The Titans have a 1-2 punch at running back with Jaden Lawrence (991 yards and 12 TDs) and Ryken Banks (824 yards and 8 TDs). Legend’s leading receiver – yardage-size is Kellen Marchand with 339 yards on 17 receptions for four scores.

Defensively, John Niedringhaus and Aaron Olson lead the team with 106 and 103 total tackles, respectively.

There’s no question Creek is the resounding favorite in this game – but shocking upsets always happen in sports and Legend has an opportunity to shock the Bruins if the Titans can have everything fall into place.

Class 4A

No. 5 Broomfield (12-1) vs. No. 2 Montrose (13-0), 2 p.m., Saturday, Canvas Stadium

The Eagles – as in Broomfield – have been soaring. This ultra-talented team has won eight games in a row since losing to 5A Erie (13-3) on Sept. 27.

The Eagles have rolled through the postseason with wins over Vista Ridge (49-7), Palmer Ridge (32-23) and Dakota Ridge (45-7).

Broomfield has dynamic senior QB Darien Jackson (1,648 yards passing for 20 TDs). He also has run for 115 yards and four scores.

Helping carrying the offense load – in addition to Jackson – is senior RB Colin Torres (1,123 yards rushing and 13 TDs).

Fellow senior Mikhail Benner (23 receptions, 551 yards, 9 TDs) is Jackson’s favorite target.

The Eagles have an aggressive defense led by seniors Brendan Fritch (70 tackles) and Maverick Scarpella (61 tackles).

Broomfield is aiming to win its sixth state football title in school history and first since 2022.

Montrose has won plenty of boys’ state titles in school history – 19 to be exact – but only one of those came in football and that was in 1950. That’s when Montrose claimed a 20-7 win over Lakewood.

The Red Hawks will try and add another line of state glory now some 75 years later. This was Montrose’s first trip to the state finals in 11 years when it lost 49-14 to Pine Creek in the 2013 state title game.

Montrose beat Pueblo West 18-7 in the semifinals, thanks to a pair of Elijah Womack touchdown runs. The Red Hawks will trot out sophomore quarterback Cade Saunders, who took over when senior Chris Mock was injured in their first-round playoff game against Frederick.

Now, will Broomfield keep its victory train rolling or will Montrose achieve state championship glory for the first time since 1950.

Class 3A

No. 2 Mead (11-1) at No. 1 Thompson Valley (13-0), 10 a.m., Saturday, Canvas Stadium

Sometimes follow the script and that was the case in Class 3A as No. 1 seed Thompson Valley will square off against Mead in the 3A state title game.

Thompson Valley is trying to make school history in what has been a dream season. Thompson Valley has never won a state championship in football and last made an appearance in the title game in 1989.

The Eagles gave themselves a chance for this state glory when it hammered Green Mountain (31-3) in the semifinals.

Thompson Valley has a pretty vanilla offense, but it has been quite impactful. Freshman QB Finley

Lucas has thrown for 639 yards and five TDs. The running game is paced by senior Joseph Urrutia who has 724 yards rushing. Urrutia also has 22 receptions for 331 yards and one score.

Defensively, TV is led by Landry Suarez with 84 tackles.

Mead will counter with a stout offense fueled by QB Christian Hiner who has thrown for 1,035 yards and 15 TDs.

Ethan Elmore (690 yards and six TDs) and Noah Chapala (666 yards and nine TDs).

Senior Noah Vroman has 401 yards receiving on 17 receptions and four TDs.

The Mavericks top defense player has been junior Josh Gonsalves, who has 94 total tackles. Carter Woods is right behind Gonsalves with 92 total tackles.

Mead, which edged Pomona (21-19) in the semifinals, has one state football championship and that came in 1949.

Based on these teams and their football state championship history this game should be epic.