Demons, Eagles ready for Round 2 in Colorado football playoffs

Video: Keegan Wentz (Buena Vista) highlights vs. Crowley County

When Paonia took down Buena Vista to capture its second consecutive Class 1A state championship last November, a 2015 rematch didn't seem very far-fetched.

After all, all-state quarterbacks Taylor Walters and Keegan Wentz, respectively, were back for their senior seasons. Both players have lived up to the expectations, and that second go-round has to come to fruition.

Top-seeded and undefeated Buena Vista (12-0) hosts third-seeded Paonia (11-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday with the 1A crown on the line at Buena Vista High School.

"I think definitely, first and foremost, they're just excited to be back in a position of being able to play for a state title," Demons coach Matt Flavin said. "Being able to play Paonia is, I think, up there as well, but they're just glad to have an opportunity to play."

Paonia denied Buena Vista the title in 2014 with a 21-7 victory in Paonia. The Demons regrouped and came back that much stronger this fall, steamrolling opponents to the tune of more than 49 points per game.

The Demons have outscored their three playoff opponents 140-12, most recently shutting out Crowley County (Ordway) 42-0 in the semifinals behind 169 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Wentz, two more scores from Keenan Barr and six forced turnovers.

Defensive pressure has been the name of the game for Buena Vista all season. Cooper Eggleston leads the squad with 11 interceptions and Denver Hargrove has seven, which Flavin attributed to the front line getting to the quarterback.

Buena Vista had its own struggles last weekend, though, with five turnovers and the first two interceptions thrown by Wentz this season.

"We usually have a lot of big plays happen, and when they didn't, we just kept playing and grinding it out," Flavin said. "I'm happy with the whole team and the way they reacted to some things that haven't ever happened."

Paonia has won eight in a row since getting shut out by 2A state finalist Bayfield. The Eagles rallied to edge previously undefeated Resurrection Christian (Loveland) 21-15 in the semifinals, with Walters throwing for 127 yards and two scores and rushing for 107 more and a TD.

"Hopefully we can slow him down a little bit and capitalize on that," Flavin said of Walters. "You hope to stop a player like that, but he's been successful for three years. I feel like if we can just catch a break here and there, I like our chances."

Class 2A
Bayfield (12-0) at Platte Valley (Kersey) (11-1), 1 p.m., Saturday
Each team has taken a turn knocking out last year's finalists, with Bayfield eliminating defending champion Brush in the quarterfinals and Platte Valley upsetting previously undefeated Kent Denver (Cherry Hills Village) 29-23 in the semifinals.

The Broncos, who won it all in 2013, rallied from a 23-7 halftime deficit to score 22 unanswered points in the second half. Senior Tanner Schwindt passed for 228 yards and three players rushed for scores.

Since dropping its opener to Resurrection Christian, Platte Valley has won 11 in a row. Schwindt has nearly 1,700 yards passing and 16 touchdowns to go along with 713 yards on the ground and 13 more scores.

Bayfield, which lost to Florence in the 2011 title game and last won a championship in 1996, rolled past La Junta 47-7 in the semis. Kelton McCoy tossed three touchdown passes and rushed for two more.

"They have great memories of being in eighth grade and going to the state final, and great memories as freshmen going to the semifinals," Bayfield coach Gary Heide said before the semifinal round. "That gives them confidence too. When Bayfield has a good team, Bayfield can compete with anybody."

8-Man
Akron (10-2) at Sedgwick County (Julesburg) (12-0), 1 p.m., Saturday
The 8-Man title game is a clash between a state-tested Akron squad and a newcomer in Sedgwick County.

"The kids have been pretty excited and the community has been pretty excited," Sedgwick County coach Chris Michel said. "The kids have been working for this all year long. To get there felt really good."

The Rams went to five consecutive 1A title games from 2005-09, winning three championships. The team blanked Norwood 16-0 in the 8-Man semis, with Levi Basler scoring a pair of touchdowns.

Akron fell to the Cougars 22-3 back on Oct. 30 but held Sedgwick County to a season low in points scored. Three players have rushed for more than 1,000 yards this season: Senior Darrion Gibbs has 1,179 yards and 15 TDs, Basler has rushed for 1,123 and 15 touchdowns and senior Austin Couch has piled up 1,077 yards and 10 scores.

"It's always hard to beat a good team twice. They run the ball well and the defense is very, very good," Michel said. "Coach (Jerome) Weers does a good job with that running game."

Sedgwick County is no offensive slouch itself, averaging more than 55 points a game. The squad took down Sargent 50-8 in the semifinals as Trey Walter threw for 81 yards and two touchdowns and Cole McKinley rushed for 139 yards and a score.

Walter owns 24 touchdown passes on the season and McKinley has more than 1,300 yards on the ground and 24 scores. Junior Cade Rober has 12 sacks to his credit – Michel said the success on both sides of the ball starts with the line.

The Cougars were just 5-5 a year ago and won a combined eight games in the three seasons prior to 2014.

"They came together. They play really well as a team," Michel said. "It was just a change in attitude and mindset of the kids that we were not going to be beat and we were going to set a goal and reach that goal no matter what."