The Broncos will host their 14th annual salute to high school football Jan. 3 at halftime of the Broncos-Chiefs game at Invesco Field. The honorees:
Broncos high school coaches of the week
Manzanola’s James Lopez, Eaglecrest’s Tom Doherty, Liberty’s Jaron Cohen, Chatfield’s Bret McGatlin, Castle View’s Ryan Hollingshead, Rock Canyon’s Tom Lynch, Durango’s Greg Wyatt, Yuma’s Keith Gille, Edison’s Jeff Jordahl and Faith Christian’s Blair Hubbard were selected as Broncos high school coaches of the week from the regular season in overseeing an array of significant comebacks, milestones, thrillers and upsets.
Each will receive $1,000 for his program through National Football League Charities. Heritage’s Mike Griebel, whose program won the school’s first football championship, in Class 4A, is the Broncos’ 14th high school coach of the year and will receive $2,000 for the Eagles.
2009 classification champions
Class 5A: In five years of neutral-site championship games at Invesco Field at Mile High, Mullen has been there four times and won its second consecutive title by downing Pomona 27-24 after rallying from a 16-0 deficit. Previously, no one had come close to the Mustangs, who finished 14-0, take a 19-game winning streak into 2010 and had the best defensive unit in recent history. Junior tailback Adonis Ameen-Moore was named MVP by The Denver Post in back-to-back title games.
Class 4A: After a first half in which there was a tie score, 56 points and zero punts, Heritage outlasted Longmont 42-28 for its charter championship in football. The Eagles opened 2009 by losing to 5A Columbine, then reeled off 13 straight victories. Along the way, they ended the 22-game winning streak of defending champion Wheat Ridge.
Class 3A: Not only did the class produce semifinalists with undefeated records, but the champion was second-year Valor Christian. The Eagles, 4-6 in 2008, had just eight seniors, but won the Metro League and finished with consecutive victories over unbeatens Mountain View and Steamboat Springs. They began the regular season with a one- point victory over D’Evelyn and ended it with a two-point victory over D’Evelyn. They whipped Steamboat Springs and top-flight quarterback Austin Hinder 41-14 in the title game.
Class 2A: Parochial power Faith Christian finished 14-0 in convincing and historic style. The Eagles capped 2009 by shutting out longtime rival Kent Denver, allowed only 84 points (34 in the playoffs), won their first title since 2006 and improved to 112-18 under coach Blair Hubbard. They have four titles since 1998, three this decade.
Class 1A: It was as feel-good as it gets — former longtime Denver-area assistant Keith Gille led Yuma to the championship in glorious style. The Indians, titlists for the first time since 1962, ended the 46-game winning streak of three-time defending champion Akron during the regular season by scoring in the final seconds, held off traditional 1A power Limon in the semifinals, then won at Akron again in the final, 14-12, stopping the Rams on the 1-yard line with less than a minute remaining.
Class A 8-man: A year ago, Dayspring Christian interrupted the extended reign of Merino, but the Rams restored order in 2009. Along with a 34-29 decision of Dayspring Christian during the regular season that ended its 20-game winning streak, Merino (13-0) blasted the Eagles 60-14 in the final. It was Merino’s fourth title this decade.
Class A 6-man: More payback — in 2008, Hi-Plains was undefeated and crushed Idalia 74-24 in the championship. But in 2009, Idalia halted Hi-Plains’ winning streak at 17 games with a 35-26 victory in the regular season, then topped the season with a 68-22 whipping in the title game. It was Idalia’s sixth championship of the decade, seventh since 1998.
