CHSAA state football playoffs: How the semifinals in Class 5A, 4A and 3A played out

: Creek senior Tyson Mauck broke a long reverse run late in the fourth quarter, and sophomore QB Brady Vodicka punched it in from a yard out on fourth down as the Bruins (13-0) advanced to their sixth straight 5A title game. Ralston Valley (10-3) took a 14-7 lead in the second quarter following consecutive TD runs from Brady Weldon, but Creek answered with a Jordan Herron scoring run not long after, and the Bruins defense shut out the Mustangs the rest of the way. The loss marked the second straight year Ralston Valley was eliminated in the semifinal round, and third time in the last five seasons.

: Seniors Josh Snyder (31 carries, 180 yards) and Mason Moreno (21-108) both topped 100 yards rushing, with Snyder scoring three touchdowns, and QB Reeve Holliday found James Cillessen for a TD as the Rebels (13-0) clinched their seventh 5A title game appearance under coach Andy Lowry. Senior QB Jake Jones and RB Landon Mueller both ran in a pair of TDs for Chatfield (8-6), but the Columbine run game proved too much. : Palmer Ridge senior QB Derek Hester scored four times, including three rushing TDs in the second half, as the Bears (13-0) eliminated defending 4A champion Broomfield (10-3) and advanced to the state final for the first time since 2020.

Holden Wright added a 10-yard scoring run for the Palmer Ridge. Broomfield’s Brody Judd hauled in a TD pass to knot the game at 7-all in the first quarter, but Palmer Ridge scored the next 24 points to take a 31-7 lead with 11:20 left in the fourth quarter. Gio Toledo returned the ensuing kickoff 80-plus yards for a score, but it was too little, too late for the Eagles.

: Erie senior QB Blake Barnett threw TD passes to Kaveh Meredith and Gavin Lusk to give Erie a 15-0 halftime lead, then the Tigers (12-1) held on for dear life to eliminate Montrose (10-3) in the 4A semifinals for the second time in three years. Barnett had a QB sneak TD to put the Tigers ahead 25-16 with 4:28 left, but the Red Hawks marched right back the other way for their third rushing TD of the second half to pull within three. The ensuing onside kick was recovered by Erie, however, and the Tigers held on from there.

: Lutheran senior RB Cole Johnson powered in a touchdown from 2 yards out with 39. 4 seconds left to complete a rally from 14 points down and send Lutheran (11-2) back to the 3A championship game for the second year in a row. Rams senior QB Blake Weslin threw a pair of TD passes in the first half, the last giving Green Mountain (12-1) a 21-7 lead with 4:30 left in the first half.

But Lutheran answered with a TD before the half, and senior QB Ryken Daugaard hooked up with junior Jack Wesolowski for a 66-yard scoring pass that tied the score at 21-all with 6:53 to play. After a Lutheran stop on defense, Johnson sealed it with his late score. : Holy Family senior QB Rylan Cooney ran in a pair of touchdowns and Dom Gabriel added a 13-yard score to clinch the Tigers’ (12-1) first title game appearance in 18 years.

Riley Suarez found Garet Hendrickson for a 6-yard touchdown pass to pull Thompson Valley (10-3) within seven points with 24. 9 seconds left in the first half. But the Holy Family defense shut out the Eagles the rest of the way, denying them their first championship game trip since 1989.

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