Examining the Top 10 QBs in Colorado

With the football playoffs in full swing, what better time than now to take a look at the Top 10 quarterbacks in the state?

Now, keep in mind this is a subjective list – and judging from the amount of e-mails after the Top 10 softball players list was unveiled, here's guessing some of you will take this to heart. But here is one reporter's view, with a slight twist.

Now, the consensus is that Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) quarterback Brock Berglund, bound for the University of Colorado, is the state's top blue-chipper at the position. So, since that is common knowledge, let's take a look at the Top 10 with Berglund out of the equation so there is some suspense as you traverse toward the bottom.

Click here to view MaxPreps' Colorado football playoff brackets.



10. C.J Leonard, Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins)
The SaberCats were a meager 4-6 this season, but it wasn't because of their 6-foot-4 signal caller. After a rough start in which he threw three interceptions in an opening 28-0 loss to Fountain-Fort Carson, Leonard was lights out. He had two 400-plus-yard passing efforts and six more of at least 225. Overall, the senior threw for 2,563 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

9. Austin Apodaca, Silver Creek (Longmont)
The junior has guided the Raptors to the 3A quarterfinals by racking up 25 touchdowns to go with only nine interceptions while completing an efficient 65 percent of his passes. Silver Creek takes on Vista Ridge in the semis (7 p.m., Friday, Everly-Montgomery Field), a Wolves squad that added fuel to the fire this week with players telling the Colorado Springs Gazette that they believe they can score 40 on every 3A team.

8. Caleb Flack, D'Evelyn (Denver)
A true drop-back bomber, Flack threw for a state-best 29 touchdowns this season, including two games of six touchdowns. Now, he did become a bit interception-prone at times (four in one game and 14 overall) and the 3A Jaguars endured a pedestrian 5-5 season that didn't yield a playoff berth. But keep an eye on this junior, who averaged 308.1 yards passing per contest.

7. Bolton Howes, Dakota Ridge (Littleton)
He's a three-year starter, he guides the most pass-happy team in 4A (which is still alive entering the quarterfinals) and he possesses perhaps the coolest full beard in the state (perhaps the only?). Oh, and he has one of the finest receivers in the state to throw to in Derek Vander Velde. Add it all up and it's a 21-touchdown, 10-interception season to go with a gritty 8-3 record.

6. Cyler Miles, Mullen (Denver)
When you think about the two-time defending champion Mustangs, you picture bruising running back Adonis Ameen-Moore and a defense that put together a near-record shutout streak. But Miles, a junior signal caller, has done everything the Mustangs have asked while running the offense. Sure, he threw an interception in the opener against Chaparral – but that was his only one. As Mullen faces Chaparral again Friday in the 5A quarterfinals, Miles enters with 15 touchdowns to go with the one interception.

5. Sean Rubalcaba, Grand Junction
When you look at the junior's passing numbers, you think "good, but maybe not top-10 good." There's the 1,390 yards, the nice ratio of 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. But then you notice the rushing numbers – 1,198 yards, 14 touchdowns and 9.3 yards a carry – and you couple that with the fact that the Tigers are 10-0 after losing their opener, and you have a top-10 QB on your hands. Grand Junction hosts Regis Jesuit in the 5A quarterfinals (6 p.m., Friday).

4. Andrew Loudenback, Chaparral (Parker)
A well-publicized transfer-rule stipulation caused Loudenback to miss the first five games of the season, but he hasn't wasted time since. He's tossed 15 touchdowns and three interceptions to go with 1,126 yards since returning – multiply those numbers by two to simulate a full season and you get the idea – and will be under center when the Wolverines travel to Mullen for the 5A quarterfinals (7 p.m., Friday). Backup Christian Gann was solid in Loudenback's absence with 13 TDs and only three interceptions.

3. Taylor Connors, Arvada West
The Wildcats had a peaks-and-valleys season and were eliminated by Rangeview in the second round of the 5A playoffs, but Connors was their shining beacon. In addition to throwing 24 touchdown passes against only seven interceptions, the fleet-footed senior also ran for 668 yards and nine scores. He surpassed the 100-yard mark on the ground in each Wildcats playoff game.

2. Nick Ossello, Wheat Ridge
Unlike many on this list, Ossello is a run-first quarterback. But he is one of the best because he has more than 1,300 yards on the ground and has been proficient when he needs to throw. Also a standout defensive back, the senior has guided the Farmers to a 10-1 record entering the 4A quarterfinals against Ponderosa (7 p.m., Friday, Jefferson County Stadium). But here's the catch: He has given a verbal commitment to play lacrosse at powerhouse Maryland, although a verbal is nonbinding and schools such as Air Force have shown interest in him as a football player.



1. Jaleel Awini, Rangeview (Aurora)
Hard to argue with this dual-threat, especially considering he's guided the Raiders to an 11-0 mark entering the 5A quarterfinals against Grandview. The numbers are outrageous: he's thrown 21 touchdowns and only one interception (1,119 yards through the air) while adding 988 on the ground and 16 trips to the end zone. Never mind that many of the Raiders' league opponents were weak. Awini excelled against quality nonleague opponents and continued to do so in the first two weeks of the postseason.

Paul Willis is a regular sports freelancer for The Denver Post and covered high school, college and pro sports for the Rocky Mountain News from 2000-09. You can reach him at gdpdub@aol.com.