BAILEY — It’s the one thing a sheriff dreads.
On Sept. 27, 2006, at Platte Canyon High School, the dark side of society reared its ugly head in the small Park County town of Bailey. But when society was at its absolute worst, Sheriff Fred Wegener was at his very best.
“It has changed my life dramatically,” said Wegener, whose actions saved lives that day. “As sad as it was, it did make me thankful for the time that I have with each and every one of these young men and women and the pride that comes along with everything they accomplish.”
The spotlight is again on Bailey this week, and those aforementioned accomplishments could reach a new level. Wegener’s alma mater stands one victory away from its first football championship when it travels to Kersey to play Platte Valley in the Class 2A championship Saturday.
“I can tell you right now, a lot of the folks don’t mind this kind of attention,” said Wegener, who doubles as the Huskies’ public address announcer during home games. “It’s a close community that was brought even closer by that tragic event, but I think everyone is trying to continue on with life.”
The Platte Canyon players and coaches dedicated this season to Emily Keyes, the one student who died that day.
“I think about it every day when I go into school. I always think about it,” said star running back A.J. Melillo. “It’s hard, but you have to move on and make the best of it.”
Melillo was almost never a part of the Huskies’ plans. The senior has spent the past two years living in Bailey with assistant coach James Clark, after his father moved to Georgia and gave his son permission to stay in Colorado.
Clark has turned around Melillo’s life on the field and off. Clark expects nothing but the best both in the classroom and on the gridiron.
“He’s taught me a lot of football stuff,” said Melillo, who scored twice, once on the first play from scrimmage, in the Huskies’ upset of Holy Family last week.
Said head coach and principal Mike Schmidt: “He has really progressed since his freshman year. He was struggling academically, kind of lost and didn’t have a lot of direction. Between he and Coach Clark, they really have A.J.’s act straightened out.”
Melillo and quarterback Ben Wegener, Fred’s son, have made Schmidt’s double-wing offensive attack work. But it’s how they’ve made it work that is even more impressive.
Schmidt has gotten the most out of senior guards Patrick Murphy (5-foot-6, 150 pounds soaking wet) and Chris Reynolds (5-9, 165). Tackle Nolan Hansell, a little bit bigger at 6-foot-1, 190, is playing football for the first time this year and is a vital cog in the Huskies offense.
“It definitely favors the runners,” the younger Wegener said. “We’ve been playing together since we were sixth-graders, and we knew eventually we’d be good. How good? We didn’t know.”
Murphy and Reynolds have been outsized in every game, but no one player came close to matching Buena Vista’s Mason Finley. The reigning discus and shot put champion from Salida, who transferred to Buena Vista, stands a hulking 6-foot-8, 320 pounds.
“He shot-putted our guys a couple of times,” Schmidt recalls. “The key is not to make him too mad.”
Schmidt gives a lot of credit to defensive coordinator Lance Gunkel, whose squad didn’t allow a point until Week 3 and just 33 points in the first six weeks of the season.
“We’ve taken it up a notch this year in terms of just having better overall team speed,” Schmidt said. “All of these kids were pretty major players last year, and they have the experience and they know what we are trying to do.”
What they are trying to do is be the first boys team to win a state championship at the school, an accomplishment that would go a long way in a town that could use a dose of something good.
“It would be huge,” Melillo said.
Weekend games
Class 5A semifinals
Douglas County at Mullen, Friday, 7 p.m., Brother Bernard Kinneavy de La Salle Field, FSN
Bear Creek at Grandview, Saturday, 1 p.m., Legacy Stadium
Class 4A semifinals
Cherokee Trail at Monarch, Friday, 7 p.m., Warrior Field
Pueblo West at Broomfield, Friday, 7 p.m., Elizabeth Kennedy Stadium
Class 3A semifinals
Palisade at Falcon, Saturday, 1 p.m., Falcon Athletic Complex
Pueblo County at Berthoud, Saturday, 1 p.m., Max Marr Stadium
Class 2A championship
Platte Canyon at Platte Valley, Saturday, 1 p.m., Bronco Stadium
Class 1A championship
Limon at Akron, Saturday, 1 p.m.
Class A 8-man championship
Dayspring Christian at Merino, Saturday, 1 p.m.
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
Championship
(2) Limon (11-1) at (1) Akron (12-0)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
What’s up? Akron, on a 24-game winning streak, has won seven consecutive postseason games. The Rams, defending champions, last lost in the postseason to — who else? — Limon in 2005. The Badgers then were finishing a run of three consecutive state titles. Don’t discount Akron’s defensive run this season. The Rams have allowed only 38 points in 12 games, an average of barely more than a field goal per game. And this with a 5-foot-6, 140-pound nose tackle — Chris Gebauer, one of Class 1A’s best. Limon has scored more than 45 points in five games. The Badgers put up fewer than 25 points in just two games. Badgers sophomore quarterback Matt Brown is nearing 2,000 yards passing. Limon owns 71 playoff victories all time — by far the most in the state, at any level. Limon’s 17 state titles also are a record. Both teams are making their fourth title-game appearance in the past five years.
What’s next? Simply put, and without hyperbole, Limon and Akron are Colorado football’s two best small schools the past 10 years. One or both have played for the state title every year since 1999. After Saturday, they will have accounted for seven of the eight state titles this decade. In essence, this is the latest in an ongoing rubber match between the Badgers and Rams on the season’s biggest stage. The state’s Eastern Plains will buzz. Nick Groke
Championship
(12) Platte Valley (10-2) vs. (11) Platte Canyon (10-2)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m., Bronco Stadium
What’s up? Connected by the South Platte River and divided over the 2A state title — Platte Canyon is in uncharted waters after reaching the state semis for the first time, while Platte Valley rode a similar wave to the championship game last season. The Platte Valley Broncos are riding high on confidence. The defense will play tough in the trenches or light it up with big plays in the secondary, and the offense is loaded with options. The first option is quarterback Parker Gutter- sen, and Everardo De La Cruz is the lightning to David Devitt’s thunder in the backfield. The Platte Canyon Huskies have recorded five defensive shutouts and only allowed one opponent more than two scores in the regular season. As they have been all season, running backs A.J. Melillo and Ben Wegener were tough to stop in an upset of Holy Family in the semifinals.
What’s next? For one team, celebration time. No matter who wins, it will be the first football title for either school. And no matter what, these bottom-feeder seeds shook up the 2A postseason. Brady Delander
Championship
Dayspring Christian (10-1) at Merino (11-0)
When: 1 p.m., Saturday
What’s up? The Plains League rules. If you need proof — this is the sixth time since 1990 that two Plains teams have met to decide the title. Starting with Merino, the Rams are playing in their 12th state title game, seventh in the past nine seasons. Merino won the regular season’s Week 7 matchup 22-7 in Logan County. The Rams ran the ball last week in Hoehne, threw it just once and then ran it some more. Senior quarterback Ethan Kurtzer had 133 yards and three touchdowns in the semifinal win over the Farmers. Healthy backs abound for coach John Barber, including Chase Chesterman, Bryan DeSanti, Ozz Amen and Wyatt Barber. As well-oiled as the offense is, the defense may be even better. The Rams have allowed 14 points or more just twice, and the 22 against Dove Creek was mostly against the second team. Dayspring, playing in its first title game, has a different offensive approach. Fourth-year starting quarterback Luke Greener, whose offensive weapons have speed to burn, tossed four touchdown passes last week in the victory over defending champion Granada. Running back Dan Baer, the reigning 2A 110-meter hurdles champion, rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown against the Bobcats last week, in addition to two touchdown receptions.
What’s next? The onus is on the Rams’ defense to do what it has done all year and shut down the Dayspring speedsters. If they do that, the Rams could hoist the gold ball for the sixth time. Jon E. Yunt
