Columbine lineman Andrew Gentry is the winner of the 2019 Denver Post Gold Helmet Award, edging five other worthy senior finalists. Here’s a look at each of them:
Aidan Keanaaina
School: Mullen
On the field: Colorado’s fourth-ranked Class of 2020 recruit, according to 247Sports.com, Keanaaina is Notre Dame-bound after earning a second straight CHSAANow 5A all-state selection at defensive tackle with 77 tackles, including 13 for loss, and four sacks.
Off the field: Keanaaina carries a 4.12 cumulative grade-point average and has served 57 hours of community service. He volunteered as a youth football coach in Brighton the past two years, coached at Mullen’s youth football camps, worked with special-needs children at a Bear Creek rec center and helped his grandmother make blankets for the homeless.
Caleb Rillos
School: Ralston Valley
On the field: A 5A first-team all-state selection at receiver with 766 yards and 12 touchdowns on 57 receptions, Rillos is the son of 1995 Gold Helmet Award winner Matt Rillos (Golden). Like his father, the 6-foot-5, 205-pound receiver is headed to the Air Force Academy next fall.
Off the field: Rillos hasn’t received one “B” as a high school student, compiling a 4.5 cumulative GPA while also scoring 1400 on the SAT. He volunteers at his church, does bell ringing for the Salvation Army, serves as a Mustang Mentor for incoming RV freshmen and was a Hoops for Hope volunteer working with physically disabled children.
Trey Towndrow
School: Green Mountain
On the field: A 3A all-state pick at quarterback as a junior (second team) and senior (first team), Towndrow passed and ran for over 1,000 yards each of last two seasons. That included 1,903 yards passing and 1,287 rushing as he led the Rams to the 3A semifinals as a senior.
Off the field: Towndrow was first-team Academic All-State for the second year in a row. He has a 3.85 GPA and has done numerous community service projects, including volunteering at various schools’ field days, helping box canned goods at The Action Center in Lakewood and setting up Christmas gifts for families as part of Faith on the Mountain.
Reece Atteberry
School: Eaglecrest
On the field: A three-time 5A all-state selection, Tom Lemming All-American and Polynesian All-American Bowl invitee on the offensive line, the 6-foot-5, 280-pound Atteberry signed a letter of intent to play football for Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines next fall.
Off the field: Atteberry, who carries a 3.61 cumulative GPA, set up the “Atte-Kids” foundation to help single parents provide sports equipment and fees for children who might not otherwise participate. He also spoke at the 2019 National Student Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., on “Social media and branding of the student athlete.”
Obasanjo Sanni
School: Smoky Hill
On the field: A two-time Metro 10 Conference offensive player of the year and a 5A all-state selection, Sanni ran for 4,004 yards and 49 touchdowns in a three-year varsity career. As a senior, the 5-foot-9, 185-pound back churned out 1,603 yards and 29 TDs in helping lead the Buffs to their first playoff win since 1991.
Off the field: Sanni carries a 3.9 cumulative GPA as a National Honors Society member. He’s also served as a partner for Smoky Hill’s unified basketball team, volunteered at a men’s alcohol and drug treatment center (STEP Denver), pitched in at a senior citizens assisted living facility and assisted in Cherry Creek Schools’ Cardboard Challenge.
