MEAD — Led by its physical defense and bruising ground game, Mead football is headed to its first state championship game in three years.
Longtime head coach Jason Klattap second-seeded Mavericks punched their ticket to Fort Collins’ Canvas Stadium, site of the big-school championship games next week, on Saturday afternoon thanks to a monumental 21-19 home win over No. 3 Pomona in the Class 3A semifinals.
“Itap a lot of excitement, and I’m super happy for the whole team,” said Mead running back Edison Burke, who scored two rushing touchdowns. “The offense, I got to give all the credit to the O-line, they really shoved it down there. The defense, they were non-stop lockdown.”
While Burke and other individuals stepped up throughout Saturday’s win, the Mavericks’ team-first approach is the ultimate reason they’re one win away from history.
“It goes to show you what you can do when nobody cares who gets the credit,” head coach Jason Klatt said. “We got a bunch of no-names, thatap what we got. And I mean that with all the respect of our guys. Nobody knows who’s gonna get the ball, nobody knows who’s gonna make the tackle. Itap been a total team effort in all phases of the game. I’m really proud of the fight that our guys have.”
Mead’s current group of seniors were freshmen when the Mavericks fell to Fort Morgan in the 2021 state title game. That memory is still fresh for Burke and other seniors looking to close their high school careers on top.
“We talk about it (losing in 2021) a lot,” Burke said. “This year, we’re really pushing our momentum to finishing the job.”
Saturday’s victory over Pomona sets Mead up for a Dec. 7 championship game bout with top-seeded Thompson Valley, which beat No. 5 Green Mountain in its semifinal game, 31-3. Kickoff between the Mavericks and Eagles at Canvas is set for 10 a.m.
The old Mead High School won the 6-man state championship in 1949. The new school, which brought football back in 2010, has now secured its second state title-game appearance.
After falling behind 6-0 to Pomona midway through the first quarter, Mead’s offense answered early in the second quarter when Burke scored on a 5-yard pitch play. The Mavericks scored again about six minutes later, when quarterback Christian Hiner connected with Ryan St. Aubin for a 59-yard touchdown, giving them a 14-6 lead following the extra point.
With about 15 seconds remaining in the first half, Pomona held possession on Mead’s 7-yard line and was threatening to score. There, Mead cornerback Cale Hansen came up with the biggest defensive play of the first half when he intercepted a fade pass in the corner of the end zone.
“I lined up inside thinking that he was gonna run a slant, and I saw the quarterback give a fade ball call, and I knew right away,” Hansen said. “I said, ‘I’m not gonna budge inside and I’m gonna go straight for that fade ball.’ Thatap exactly what happened.”
Up 21-6 following another Burke touchdown, Mead recorded its second interception early in the fourth quarter courtesy of Caleb “Big Country” Gough. The defensive tackle was in the right spot when an off-target slant pass deflected into his arms.
“It was the biggest thing ever,” Hansen said of Gough’s interception. “To be able to have a lineman get a pick was even bigger, and it changed the momentum.”
Aided by a pair of Mead fumbles, Pomona made things interesting late by scoring two touchdowns within about four minutes midway through the final quarter. However, the Mavericks put the game away when running back Ethan Elmore converted a fourth-and-short on their own 21-yard line, sending Mead into victory formation.
“Itap so fun to be a part of this community and to be a small part of what has happened here,” Klatt said. “With all the support we have, the assistant coaches are amazing, the community is awesome, the kids are awesome. I’m just really lucky.”
