Now it’s time for Montrose, Olathe and Delta to unleash their efforts statewide.
With the 2009 playoff pairings now widely distributed, each program finds itself thick into their respective 16-team hunts for a state crown.
  
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For the second straight year, the Indians have garnered the No. 4 seed. Having matched its best start through 10 games in the Todd Casebier-coaching era, Montrose is set to host a Front Range school that has flew largely under the radar this season.
The only common opponent for the two teams was, well … Adams City (0-10). Montrose prevailed over the Eagles 59-0; Standley Lake followed suit to a 55-0 count.
“You don’t learn much about each other through games like that,” Casebier said. “But everyone left alive now is for real.
“That’s what is known.”
As much as Casebier was pleased with the Indians’ seeding, his entire program was still in full celebration mode over the weekend from Friday’s rousing 30-14 romp past Durango. That sealed a fourth straight Southwestern League title, impressive, considering how competitive the league was this fall.
“This has been a truly special time for this whole program to enjoy,” Casebier said. “But I don’t have to remind anyone that it’s time to get down to business again.”
3A
Delta, winners of seven straight, finds itself in tall cotton these days, as well.
It’s been exactly 10 years since the Panthers have advanced to the postseason.
“It’s really charged up the whole student body,” said sixth-year Delta High athletic director Bruce Keith, who is more accustomed to collecting the football gear and rolling out the basketballs this time of year. “We’re seeing how much interest there is in taking students over to Denver for the game.
“It may take several buses, with how sign-ups are going right now.”
A former head football coach himself at Delta from 1995-97, Keith is proud of how first-year Panthers coach Ben Johnson has handled his new responsibilities.
“He’s done a wonderful job,” Keith said of Johnson, as assistant coach on Olathe’s state title team of last year. “And that goes for both on and off the field with these kids.”
2A
About the only unknown for the defending state-champion Pirates until mid-Tuesday was just exactly when they will actually host heavy underdog Salida.
The matchup was deemed close enough mileage-wise by statewide officials that it could be played on either Friday night or Saturday afternoon.
Olathe head coach Ryan Corn quickly made his request known that he wanted the game under the lights on Friday. Salida countered with a game request for 1 p.m. Saturday.
Salida won the game-date-and-time challenge. The visitors may not want to demand much more before kickoff, however: Olathe owns the state’s longest active winning streak at 24 games.
Either way, Corn has been proud of how his 14 returning seniors have handled themselves with a defending state champion bulls-eye on their backs since August.
“It’s not easy for high schoolers to play with pressure like that from week to week,” said Corn, in his sixth season of leading the Pirates. “Now, they want to make their own statement on this program.”
Area Prep Football Playoff Pairings
4A: No. 13 Standley Lake-Westminster (8-2) at No. 4 Montrose (9-1), Sat., 1 p.m.
3A: No. 9 Delta (8-2) at No. 8 D’Evelyn-Denver (8-2), Sat., 2 p.m.
At Trailblazer Stadium, Lakewood
2A: No. 15 Salida (5-5) at No. 2 Olathe (10-0), Sat., 1 p.m.
wrote on Nov 12, 2009 8:30 PM:
pirate fan wrote on Nov 11, 2009 5:53 PM:
Olathe they are giving you any easier bracket hoping you will get soft and relaxed. Remember any team on a good day can beat any team on a bad day. Stay tough work hard, stay together as a team. God Bless
Delta Congratulation on doing great this year. Hope you take it all the way to State!!
Montrose let bring all 3 " State Championship back to the Westernslope!!!
Good luck to all of you! "