Colorado crowns final three state football champions; Valor Christian wins fourth in a row

The end of the 2012 Colorado football season was punctuated Saturday by championship games in the state's three largest classifications.

In Class 5A, Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) won its fourth consecutive state title (the Eagles won the past two at 4A and one at 3A), while Monarch (Louisville) claimed the 4A title in a game that will be talked about for years to come. Meanwhile, Silver Creek (Longmont) won the 3A championship a year after finishing as the runner-up.

MaxPreps Colorado state football brackets

Class 5A
Go ahead and admit it. This wasn't what you had expected, was it? No one-sided wipeout. No running up and down the field. No points until the fourth quarter. No cries of a super team.

Ultimately, in one of the lowest-scoring big-school finals on record, heavily favored Valor Christian slipped past Cherokee Trail 9-0 on Saturday to win the Class 5A title at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in unusual fashion.

Click here to read the full story by Neil H. Devlin of The Denver Post.

Check back for the Class 5A photo gallery.

Class 4A
Monarch, masters of the power running game, stand as the 2012 Class 4A state champions.

The Coyotes rushed for 332 yards and hung on to beat the inspired and emotional Denver South, 17-14, on Saturday afternoon at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Monarch (13-1) and captured its first state title since 2002.

Click here to read the full story by Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post.

Check back for the Class 4A photo gallery.

Class 3A
It was just human nature to forget about Silver Creek football when the season began.

After all the Raptors did lose several key contributors including an All-Colorado quarterback from their state runner-up team.

Click here to read the full story by Jon E. Yunt of The Denver Post.

Check back for the Class 3A photo gallery.