ARVADA — No one saw it coming. Last school year, Pomona, about three decades and a couple of generations removed from references as Jefferson County’s answer to Cherry Creek, inexplicably dominated when it came to having individual standouts.
The Panthers had nine individual champions over six sports in Class 5A. In the fall, Grant Olinger won the golf title. Marcelo Laguera won cross country. And Kelsey Boychuk finished first in all-around in gymnastics.
Into the winter, Dayton Marvel, Tomas Gutierrez, Travis Torres and Deyaun Trueblood won individual weight-class championships in wrestling. And in the spring, Laguera won the 3,200 meters in track, and Keegan Foulke took top honors in the 200-yard medley relay.
With fall practice opening this week for all nine sports, the Panthers were at it again. The football team sports junior offensive tackle Jake Moretti, who has already committed to play for national champion Ohio State.
Now regarded as being in an older neighborhood and boxed in, Pomona, despite having one of 5A’s lower enrollments (1,448 students) last school year, continues to surprise.
“When you think of success in 5A, you think of the private (schools), money and bigger schools,” Panthers football coach Jay Madden said. “We’re old, poor and small.”
Said principal Andy Geise: “It’s pretty cool. You know, the blue-collar thing is important to us, it gives us that edge. And it shows you what type of attitude we have.”
All of it appeals to Moretti, a 6-foot-5, 285-pound athletic freak of nature, who’s also intelligent (4.3 grade-point average), humble and appreciative.
“It’s crazy at school,” he said, “because we’re kind of a smaller school and whenever someone does something big, it’s known. We’re doing so well.”
It’s Moretti’s turn, Madden said. Named all-Colorado a year ago by The Denver Post as Pomona finished 9-3, Moretti’s workload will increase. In addition to being the pillar at the front of Pomona’s running game, he’ll play defense.
“We’re asking him to just be even more dominant,” Madden said. “We need him to be a great leader. He’s a special dude.”
Said Dave Logan, coach of defending 5A champion Cherry Creek: “He’s very, very talented. He’s got exceptional feet for a young guy his size. It’s rare to see at this level somebody who has that kind of size and the ability to move his feet the way he does.”
Said Moretti: “I’m just trying to get bigger and stronger, and working on technique so I can do as much as I can for my team.”
And when recruiters continue to ask him about his commitment to Ohio State, Moretti has a set answer. He will be a Buckeye.
“It’s a major relief that I don’t have to worry about the recruiting process,” he said.
Neil H. Devlin: ndevlin@denverpost.com or
