Stratton/Liberty, Peetz battle for 6-Man crown in Colorado football

Video: Drake Engelking highlights
The Longmont running back in action earlier this season against Holy Family. Longmont meets top-ranked Mead in the top game in Class 3A this week.

Scott Sorenson isn't concerned about any additional hype affecting his football team as it approaches the 6-Man state championship game this weekend.

The longtime Peetz coach was asked about his players getting amped up for Saturday's title game against top-seeded Stratton/Liberty at 1 p.m. at Liberty High School in Joes. Sorenson replied that hype is an everyday thing for the Bulldogs.

"They're excited for every game," he said. "But we need to make this week at practice just like every other week. Nothing has changed; it's just another football game. They know there is a trophy to be had, but they know the kind of work they have to put in to give us the best shot at winning that game."

Peetz (9-1) advanced to its first 6-Man title game since 2007 with a 62-36 victory against Kit Carson last weekend. The third-seeded Bulldogs scored 46 points in the first half and have averaged 54 points in 10 games this fall. Sorenson attributed much of the team's success to depth, with players able to fill in when injuries have occurred.

"It's been probably our biggest benefit. We can give the kids more breaks, especially at the running back position, and we do that by committee," he said. "At this point we haven't got all the bumps and bruises like everyone else has."

Senior quarterback Tre Fehringer has passed for 23 touchdowns to only one interception, and junior Bryson Long has 14 rushing scores. Senior Logan Sircy has hauled in 10 touchdown passes, and intercepted eight more balls from the other side. Sircy also has a forced fumble, fumble recovery and has blocked two field-goal attempts.

"He just likes to catch the ball," Sorenson said. "He doesn't care if it comes from the other quarterback."

Stratton/Liberty (11-0) is back in the title game for the first time since winning it all in 2013. The Knighted Eagles dispatched Cheyenne Wells 46-14 in the semifinals.

Senior Jacob McCormick has rushed for more than 1,700 yards and scored 28 touchdowns. As a team, Stratton/Liberty has nearly 3,500 rushing yards and 57 scores. Senior Phillip Pickard owns 12 of the team's 19 sacks and the defense has forced 36 turnovers.

Sorenson said the Bulldogs will need to mix things up on defense in order to slow down Stratton/Liberty's rushing attack.

"They are very well-coached," he said. "Toby Kechter always has his teams prepared."

While the 6-Man battle will be the only one this weekend for a championship, the rest of the state is still in action. This is the quarterfinal round for Class 5A, 4A and 3A, while semifinals will take place in 2A, 1A and 8-Man.

Here is a look at each of those classifications, with a game to watch for each:

MaxPreps Colorado state playoff brackets

Class 5A
No. 8 Grandview at No. 1 Valor Christian, 7 p.m., Friday, Valor Stadium
No. 5 Fairview and No. 4 Pomona, 7 p.m., Friday, NAAC
No. 6 Regis Jesuit at No. 3 Columbine, 7 p.m., Friday, Jeffco Stadium
No. 7 Cherry Creek at No. 2 Eaglecrest, 1 p.m., Saturday, Legacy Stadium
Game to Watch: Eaglecrest vs. Cherry Creek
A year ago the Bruins were seeded seventh, just like now, and they upended No. 2 Mullen in the quarterfinals. Since falling by 12 points to Valor Christian on Sept. 29, Cherry Creek (9-2) has won six in a row, averaging 46.5 points a game in the process. Junior Alex Padilla has passed for 2,544 yards and 39 touchdowns, with 77 completions going to standout senior wide receiver Dimitri Stanley.
Eaglecrest (11-0) has had consecutive 11-win seasons but hasn't won a state title since 1993. The Raptors fell to Regis Jesuit in the quarterfinals a year ago but have only gotten better. Senior Jalen Mergerson has passed for 14 touchdowns and Kenny Wanting and Mergerson have a combined 28 TDs on the ground. Twelve players have at least one sack and the defense has forced 15 turnovers.

Class 4A
No. 8 Rampart at No. 1 Pine Creek, 7 p.m., Friday, District 20 Stadium
No. 5 Chatfield at No. 4 Pueblo West, 1 p.m., Saturday, Cyclone Stadium
No. 6 Pueblo South at No. 14 Vista Ridge, 1 p.m., Saturday
No. 7 Loveland at No. 15 Broomfield, 1 p.m., Saturday
Game to Watch: Pueblo West vs. Chatfield
Two one-loss teams square off in a can't-miss game. Pueblo West (10-1) dropped its only game to defending state champion Pine Creek on Oct. 12 by a touchdown, while Chatfield's loss came to out-of-state Braden River (Fla). in the season opener.
The Chargers have won 10 in a row since that contest, including an impressive 35-14 victory over 5A No. 3 Columbine back in September. Chatfield has topped 50 points in six games, with senior Ben Frenette leading the offensive attack with 1,329 yards on the ground and 20 touchdowns in nine games. The defense has forced 24 turnovers and has 16 sacks.
Pueblo West counters with its own dominating run game. The Cyclones have more 3,200 yards on the ground with 43 touchdowns, led by senior Pierre Taylor (1,290 yards and 17 touchdowns). The defense has allowed seven points or less in six of the 11 games.

Class 3A
No. 8 Longmont at No. 1 Mead, 1 p.m., Saturday
No. 5 Erie at No. 13 Durango, Noon, Saturday
No. 6 Palisade at No. 3 Roosevelt, 1 p.m., Saturday
No. 2 Palmer Ridge at No. 10 Rifle, 1 p.m., Saturday
Game to Watch: Mead vs. Longmont
The two teams have already met once this season, with the top-seeded Mavericks rolling to a 38-14 victory. Mead (11-0) went undefeated through the challenging Tri-Valley League and already has victories over two of the final eight remaining teams. The 1-2 punch of seniors Nathan Mackey (1,534 yards and 18 touchdowns) and Tyler Keys (1,267 yards, 20 touchdowns) has been a driving force in the Mavs' offense dominating opponents this season.
But Longmont has been on a roll since a three-game losing streak earlier in the season. The Trojans (8-3) have won seven in a row, and have already defeated two teams when they were ranked No. 1 earlier in the year. Quarterback Oakley Dehning has tossed 15 touchdown passes and junior Drake Engelking has rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Class 2A
No. 4 La Junta at No. 8 Eaton, 1 p.m., Saturday
No. 3 Bayfield at No. 15 Resurrection Christian, 1 p.m., Saturday, District 6 Stadium
Game to Watch: Bayfield vs. Resurrection Christian
On paper this would appear to be a mismatch, given that No. 3 Bayfield (11-0) has perhaps the most suffocating defense in the state. Bayfield has allowed only 49 points in 11 games and has shut out its past four opponents. Junior Hayden Farmer has thrown 25 touchdowns, and the defense had 46 going into last weekend's victory over Basalt. Ryan Phelps and Cole Wood are both in double-digits for the year, and a ball-hawking defense had three players with at least five interceptions.
But Resurrection Christian has already pulled two upsets in the postseason, including a victory over previously undefeated Kent Denver in the first round. The Cougars rallied to knock off No. 7 Faith Christian last weekend. An offense that scored only eight points in its first three games has 57 in the postseason.
It's also a long trip to Loveland for Bayfield, though that is nothing new for the Wolverines.

1A
No. 4 Strasburg at No. 1 Bennett, 1 p.m., Saturday
No. 10 Limon at No. 3 Centauri, 1 p.m., Saturday
Game to Watch: Centauri vs. Limon
Limon is one victory away from returning to the state championship game for the first time since 2007. The state's all-time leader in state titles with 16, the Badgers (9-2) upset previously undefeated Meeker 18-14 last Saturday. The team's two losses came by a combined three points, and the defense has allowed only 75 points this season.
Centauri (11-0) has been even better on defense, giving up only 53 points. Senior Brian Shawcroft and junior Bennie Chacon have led a relentless past rush, and senior Brandon Buhr and sophomore Taj Cornum have anchored the rushing attack. The Falcons haven't been to the title game since losing to Paonia in 2013.

8-Man
No. 1 Sedgwick County at No. 5 Holly, 1 p.m., Saturday
No. 2 West Grand at No. 14 Soroco, 1 p.m., Saturday
Game to Watch: West Grand vs. Soroco
Two upstart programs are vying to reach the title game and make a push for a state championship. West Grand has not won a title since claiming 1A in 1998, and Soroco has never won a championship.
West Grand (11-0) defeated Soroco 54-0 earlier in the year, though the Rams have been on a roll since that game. West Grand junior Luis Dominguez has 22 rushing touchdowns and junior Hugh Wheatley has 14 of his own, and the Mustangs had a streak of five consecutive shutouts earlier this season.
Soroco (8-3) upset No. 3 Merino 42-32 in the first round of the playoffs and blanked Mancos 40-0 last weekend. Junior Jace Logan has racked up 3,023 yards and 41 rushing touchdowns this season, including 430 yards and six scores in the victory over Mancos.