Tigers ready to stake claim on first Colorado 6-Man state football title

A state championship game appearance has been long overdue for the Cheyenne Wells football team.

The last time the Tigers were playing for a title, the year was 2003 and Cheyenne Wells was in 8-Man. The team lost to Merino that year, but since that time the Tigers have endured a rough stretch. Cheyenne Wells hasn't won a playoff game since 2004 and before this fall hadn't reach the postseason since 2010.

Needless to say, last weekend's 64-30 6-Man semifinal victory over Stratton/Liberty was a reason to celebrate. The ninth-seeded Tigers (8-3) will contend for their first championship at 1 p.m. Saturday at No. 3 Hi-Plains (Seibert).

"I think they appreciate the moment," first-year coach Garrett Smith said. "The fans and the families have been so supportive. It has the whole town excited – it's been pretty awesome."

Smith, a 2010 graduate of Eads who was a defensive assistant with Cheyenne Wells last year, will lead his team against a Hi-Plains program that won championships in 2004 and 2008 and was the state runner-up in 2009 and 2013.

The two teams met in the season opener – a 60-34 Cheyenne Wells victory – but Smith said both teams have changed a lot since then. The Patriots (9-2) didn't have standout senior Landon McCaffrey in that game.
Hi-Plains has won six in a row, including last weekend's 38-32 victory over Fleming in the semifinals.

"Both teams have changed so much over the year," Smith said. "I'm excited for this game. I think it will be a high-scoring game, and it's going to be who has the big defensive stop at the end of the game who wins it."

Tigers senior quarterback Jaime Huerta, who played for Granada as a junior, has tossed 11 touchdowns in three postseason games. Cheyenne Wells started strong two weeks ago and used a big first-half to take down top-seeded Kit Carson, and Huerta had five touchdown passes in the victory over Stratton/Liberty.

"I think it was just kind of our mindset. The first few games we lost in the regular season we would get a lead and kind of try and stall it out," Smith said. "Once we got in the playoffs we stayed aggressive. We said we're going full speed and we'll see what happens."

Senior Riley Marzolf threw a pair of touchdown passes for Hi-Plains against Fleming and senior Cameron Klann rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns.

While the 6-Man classification will decide its champion Saturday, teams in 2A, 1A and 8-Man are entering the semifinal round. Here is a look at each of the six semis slated for this weekend:

MaxPreps Colorado state football brackets

Class 2A
No. 5 Bayfield (9-2) at No. 1 La Junta (11-0), 1 p.m., Saturday
In a rematch of last year's semifinals, the roles are reversed for both sides. A year ago Bayfield was the top seed and hosted La Junta on its way to the state title. But the Tigers have proven nearly unstoppable this year and have outscored their two playoff opponents 81-7. Sophomore Jon Nuschy tossed four TD passes in a quarterfinal victory over D'Evelyn last weekend and also rushed for 118 yards and a score.
Bayfield is on just as impressive a roll in recent weeks. The Wolverines have shut out their last three opponents – and have five overall – and put up 41 points against both Florence and Sterling. Bayfield rushed for 355 yards in the victory over Sterling and had 10 tackles for losses.

No. 10 Delta (8-3) at No. 6 Kent Denver (Englewood) (10-1), 1 p.m., Saturday
The other semifinal pits a newcomer to the 2A ranks against an established program that has long been a dominant force in the classification. Delta made the semis a year ago in 3A and handed No. 2 Resurrection Christian (Loveland) its first loss of the season last Saturday. Senior Damon Jensen has rushed for 1,857 yards and 14 touchdowns and fellow senior Tristan Brown has 11 rushing scores of his own. The Panthers' only 2A loss this season came to Bayfield.
Kent Denver is coming off a 27-24 overtime victory over No. 3 The Classical Academy (Colorado Springs). The Sun Devils rushed for 285 yards in the victory and have won seven in a row since La Junta handed them its only setback of the season. Kent Denver has one of the state's most balanced rushing attack, and sophomore quarterback Joey Licht has 14 touchdown passes to only two interceptions. Juniors Noah Vansickle and T.J. Love have combined for 13 sacks.

Class 1A
No. 4 Bennett (10-1) at No. 1 Meeker (11-0), 1 p.m., Saturday
Bennett's offense should provide quite the test for top-seeded Meeker. The Tigers average more than 50 points a game, and put up 44 points on No. 2 Strasburg in the team's only loss of the season. Bennett put the clamps down on previously undefeated Peyton in the quarterfinals with a 63-27 victory after dropping down from 2A a year ago. Junior Rocky Lechman has topped the 1,000-yard mark.
Meeker has played its share of grind-it-out games, including last weekend's 28-15 victory over Platte Canyon (Bailey). The Cowboys received four touchdown passes from Logan Hughes, and senior Chase Rule had 24 tackles and a forced fumble. Meeker has never won a state title in football.

No. 3 Paonia (10-1) at No. 2 Strasburg (11-0), 1 p.m., Saturday
Can Paonia make it back to a fourth 1A title game in a row? Only Strasburg is currently standing in the way, though the Eagles will have to do it on the road. The team's only loss this season came to Meeker, and Paonia is coming off a hard-fought 22-20 victory over Burlington. Senior Dagan Rienks and junior Jaden Miller have enjoyed strong seasons on both sides of the ball.
Like Bennett, Strasburg is a newcomer to the 1A scene. The Indians have yet to really be challenged this fall, though Cedaredge did hold Strasburg to a season-low 29 points in the quarterfinals. Senior Conner Martin still tossed three touchdown passes, though, giving him 20 on the season. Hunter Bergstrom, Jeremy Ladd and Chase Starman each have 11 rushing scores.

8-Man
No. 4 Hoehne (9-2) at No. 1 Sedgwick County (Julesburg) (10-1), 1 p.m., Saturday
Since dropping two of its first four games, Hoehne has reeled off seven consecutive victories. The Farmers have their work cut out for themselves against Sedgwick County, but the team has topped 50 points in eight of its past nine games. Senior Hunter Robins had a monster 191-yard, four-touchdown performance in a rout of Norwood in the quarterfinals. Robins and Jacob Yates have combined for 35 rushing touchdowns and 2,500 yards on the ground.
Sedgwick County is the defending state champion and hasn't lost to an in-state team this season. The Cougars have allowed a total of only six points over their past four games, and the team took down Merino 42-6 in the quarterfinals.

No. 2 Sargent (Monte Vista) (11-0) at No. 3 Akron (9-2), 1 p.m., Saturday
The only undefeated team remaining in 8-Man, Sargent is pursuing its first trip to a title game since 1974. The Farmers are doing it behind an offense that has averaged nearly 62 points over their previous five games, including a 63-30 victory over West Grand (Kremmling) last weekend. Esteban Aguilera rushed for more than 200 yards in the victory.
Akron is attempting to get back to the title game after falling to Sedgwick County a year ago. The Rams feature a three-headed monster at running back in Levi Basler, Derrick Poss and Tyler Wylie, each of whom has more than 900 yards on the ground. Wylie has 16 touchdowns, and Basler rushed for three scores and threw for another in a quarterfinal victory over Haxtun.