Broomfield has won three football state championships in program history, in 1981, 1983 and 1984. And under the direction of first-year coach Blair Hubbard, who won three 2A state titles at Faith Christian from 1999-2003, Broomfield is again knocking on the door of a championship.
Denver Post preps editor Kyle Newman caught up with Hubbard to discuss the Eagles’ semifinal showdown against Windsor on Saturday at 1 p.m., the play of sophomore quarterback Steven Croell, the legacy of this year’s senior class and much more.
:What are you keying in on against Windsor on Saturday, a team you guys beat 37-25 in Week 3?
:Windsor’s a lot different team than they were early in the year. They’ve got their quarterback Brad Peeples playing a lot more now, and they’re focusing a lot on the running game. Peeples is a very good athlete, and when you’ve got the ball in his hands every single snap, that causes strain on a defense. So we’ve got to make sure we keep an eye on where he is all the time.
Q: Your sophomore quarterback, Steven Croell, is having a great year. How have you seen him progress?
:Steve split the reps all summer long with our other quarterback, Mason Keeler. When Mason went down in Week 2 against Wheat Ridge, Steve stepped in and we didn’t miss a beat. He’s a sophomore but the kids trust him, and he’s a kid that doesn’t get too caught up in the hype. I don’t think any game’s too big for him, and he always keeps his head and he’s made great decisions all year long. Right now he’s at 20 touchdowns and four interceptions, and the two he threw on Saturday were both off tipped passes.
:And how has Keeler helped you guys after getting hurt early this season?
:After Mason’s high ankle sprain during Week 2, Steve went in and led us to a comeback victory. Then Mason was out for our game against Windsor, and Steve started and went in and had a great game. So with Mason’s ability to play defense, and the fact that he can be a big target for us at receiver, we decided to go with Steve at quarterback and Mason switched to defense.
He plays safety for us, and had an interception on Saturday in the win (over Ponderosa). We got better across the board by moving Steve to starting quarterback, because we can now use Mason in a variety of different ways, and he’s a total team player.
:What lessons did your team learn from that Week 3 win over Windsor?
A: We learned without a doubt that Steve could lead the varsity in a big game. Also, our guys didn’t get caught up in playing a big team on the road, so I think the kids came away with a lot of confidence.
:Senior Jalon Torres (1,317 yards and 12 rushing TD) is clearly your standout in the backfield, but who else has been crucial to your postseason run?
:Out on the edge at receiver, senior Ryan Mazzola had two touchdown receptions against Ponderosa and he does a great job in one-on-one situations where he can go up and get a 50/50 ball for us. He leads the teams in receptions, so if teams want to load the box against Jalon, that opens up plays for Ryan on the outside.
:And in your first year at Broomfield—and after taking for over a local legend in Gary Davies—have you been satisfied with the buy-in from your players?
:Our coaching staff saw in the summer when we were doing 7on7s and summer camps and weight room stuff that the kids were really buying in. I really have to credit the senior class for that, for being good leaders and embracing the coaching change. They were excited about some of the new and different things, and a there’s lot of respect for Coach Davies from those guys. But they were excited about new challenges this season, and they did a great job leading the entire program during the summer.
:You mention that senior class—what’s their legacy going to be, regardless of how the next couple weekends turn out?
A: Their legacy is they helped build a culture here. We talk a log about our ‘Eagle D.N.A.’—we always preach toughness, fearlessness and love. Those guys have really bought into that.
