{"id":30486,"date":"2021-11-28T00:36:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-28T07:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/mancos-drops-colorado-8-man-championship-game-to-haxtun\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T01:20:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T07:20:16","slug":"mancos-drops-colorado-8-man-championship-game-to-haxtun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/mancos-drops-colorado-8-man-championship-game-to-haxtun\/","title":{"rendered":"Mancos drops Colorado 8-man championship game to Haxtun"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Mancos
Mancos senior Chase Moore drives during the state A-8-Man championship game against Haxtun on Nov. 26. Moore, along with linemen Luika Cova and Andres Moreno, made the all-state first team. (Wendy Collison\/Special to the Journal)<\/span>Wendy Collison\/Special to the Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

PUEBLO \u2013 After a season with the loftiest achievements in program history, the high-flying Mancos Bluejays soared into Pueblo in search of their first-ever state title in football.<\/p>\n

Under the Friday night lights of the ThunderBowl in Pueblo, however, No. 1 Haxtun proved to be too much for Mancos, picking up their program\u2019s eighth state title, and first since 2004, in a 40-0 win over the Jays. In a matchup of two of the state\u2019s best offenses, No. 2 Mancos (11-1) and the Fightin\u2019 Bulldogs (13-0) would pit their strengths against one another. The Bluejays, led by the most prolific rusher in program history \u2013 senior Chase Moore \u2013 would test their mettle against a stout Haxtun defense, which has allowed only 10 points per contest this season.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a battle-tested Mancos defense, coming off one of its best games of the season in a semifinal win over Sanford, would look to contain the multipronged Bulldog attack, led by 1,500-yard rusher Isaac Andersen, a senior.<\/p>\n

Several hundred traveling fans welcomed the Bluejays to the turf field on the campus of Colorado State University-Pueblo, fired up by the program\u2019s maiden voyage to a state championship game. With an electric atmosphere, the Jays would see the football first, ready to set the tone.<\/p>\n

Junior quarterback Ayden Mathews completed his first pass of the night, a laser to senior receiver Kruiz Wagoner, setting up the Mancos offense with a fourth-and-short on their own side of midfield. Head coach Josh Gardner opted to go for the first down, but the Bulldogs stuffed the run to take over at the Mancos 42 for their first possession.<\/p>\n

From there, Haxtun seized the early momentum, marching down the short field using a mix of three different weapons, Andersen, junior Michael Gerk, and the savvy decision-making of fleet-footed quarterback Owen Knode. A two-minute drive saw the Bulldogs move into the red zone, before Andersen\u2019s 5-yard burst put the Bulldogs on the board. With Knode sneaking in on the conversion, Haxtun led 8-0 four minutes into the contest.<\/p>\n

Mancos sought to respond, and gained a first down on the ensuing drive, thanks to a 13-yard sweep from Moore. Working across midfield, Mancos\u2019 second drive eventually fizzled as well, forcing the Jays to punt.<\/p>\n

Senior Evan Sehnert belted a high punt inside the Haxtun 20, giving the Bulldogs a long field to face. For Haxtun head coach JD Stone, a player on the program\u2019s last title in 2004, the longer field gave his offense more time to showcase its arsenal of plays. The Bulldogs steadily churned out first downs en route to an 80-yard scoring drive, capped by Gerk\u2019s 3-yard run. Early in the second quarter, the Jays found themselves in unfamiliar territory, behind by two scores for the first time all season.<\/p>\n

From there, Haxtun capitalized on the first of four Mancos turnovers, as an interception set up a short field. One play later, Knode found junior wide receiver Kyle Fryrear from 38 yards out to make the score 22-0. Then after a pair of stalled drives, Haxtun added two more scores before the break, the second for Andersen and first for senior Ozzy Coss.<\/p>\n

Mancos emerged from the locker room, trailing 34-0, with ambition to turn the script. The Jays recovered an onside kick to begin the half and started to move the ball into Haxtun territory. However, a turnover on downs ended the threat. Knode and the Haxtun offense would waste little time in making the Jays pay, as the senior QB found Fryrear a second time, and the 40-0 score would put the game out of reach.<\/p>\n

Senior defensive linemen Mason Goodwin and Jesse Henry, so instrumental in the Bluejays dominance all season, battled well all night, and sophomores Chris Medina and Broc Imel seemed to be in the middle of every defensive stop. Sophomore Cole Dainty-Guilfoyle collected a couple of stops for a loss as the defense tried to slow down the high-powered Bulldogs.<\/p>\n

On the offensive line, seniors Andres Moreno and Luika Cova joined forces with junior Lane Greenlee to allow Moore lanes to operate, but Haxtun shut down all the Mancos threatening drives.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Haxtun would hoist the trophy, while Mancos would settle for the runner-up prize, received by the Bluejays\u2019 senior captains with their heads held high.<\/p>\n

Gardner, whose journey has coincided with the seniors\u2019 four years of success, was quick to praise their opposition. \u201cThey\u2019re a tough team,\u201d said Gardner. \u201cOur kids played hard, but the chips didn\u2019t fall the way we wanted them to tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleven Bluejays would see their high school football careers come to a close in a place that no other Jay had ever tread \u2013 in the state title game. Mancos posted a 32-6 record and a pair of Mountain League titles during that run, setting a high bar for upcoming classes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur leadership was tremendous this year,\u201d Gardner said about the senior players. \u201cWe\u2019ve really come together \u2013 and I couldn\u2019t be more proud of our boys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with this year\u2019s achievements, the Bluejays set a program best for wins in a season (11) and a win in their first ever state semifinal. They made a clear statement to the community that Mancos football was developing a tradition as one of the hardest-working teams in the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis whole season has been a perfect storm,\u201d Gardner said. \u201cThe kids have been buying into the program, the coaches are sending a unified message, and the support from the community has been awesome \u2013 they\u2019ve been buying into the program, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at the season as a whole, even with the tough state game loss, Gardner put the result into perspective. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to tell them now, but we know that one day, we\u2019ll look back and be extremely proud of this season.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Mancos
Mancos senior Chase Moore drives for yardage during the CHSAA state A-8-man championship game against Haxtun Friday at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl.<\/span>Wendy Collison\/Special to The Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mancos
Mancos senior Chase Moore drives for yardage during the CHSAA state 8-Man championship game against the Haxtun Bulldogs Friday.<\/span>Wendy Collison\/Special to The Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mancos
Mancos takes on Haxtun in the CHSAA 8-Man state championship game Friday at CSU Pueblo's ThunderBowl.<\/span>Wendy Collison\/Special to the Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mancos
Mancos takes on Haxtun in the CHSAA 8-Man state championship game Friday at CSU Pueblo\u2019s ThunderBowl.<\/span>Wendy Collison\/Special to the Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mancos
Mancos takes on Haxtun in the 8-man state championship game Friday at CSU Pueblo.<\/span>Wendy Collison\/Special to the Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mancos
Mancos takes on Haxtun in the CHSAA 8-Man state championship game Friday at CSU Pueblo.<\/span>Wendy Collison\/Special to the Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The
The Mancos Bluejays honor the National Anthem before the start of the Colorado 8-man state championship game Friday.<\/span>Wendy Collison\/Special to the Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mancos
Mancos Bluejays coaches watches as the championship game against Haxtun unfolds Friday at CSU Pueblo.<\/span>Wendy Collison\/Special to the Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mancos
Mancos fans made the five-hour drive to Pueblo to watch the Bluejays play Haxton for the Colorado 8-man football title.<\/span>Wendy Collison\/Special to the Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Chase
Chase Moore of the Mancos Bluejays holds the trophy for runner-up in the Colorado eight-man championship. Haxton won 40-0. Photo by Wendy Collison\/Special to the Journal<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

In a matchup of two of the state\u2019s best offenses, No. 2 Mancos (11-1) and the Fightin\u2019 Bulldogs (13-0) would pit their strengths against one another. The Bluejays, led by the most prolific rusher in program history \u2013 senior Chase Moore \u2013 would test their mettle against a stout Haxtun defense, which has allowed only 10 points per contest this season.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a battle-tested Mancos defense, coming off one of its best games of the season in a semifinal win over Sanford, would look to contain the multipronged Bulldog attack, led by 1,500-yard rusher Isaac Andersen, a senior.<\/p>\n

Several hundred traveling fans welcomed the Bluejays to the turf field on the campus of Colorado State University-Pueblo, fired up by the program\u2019s maiden voyage to a state championship game. With an electric atmosphere, the Jays would see the football first, ready to set the tone.<\/p>\n

Junior quarterback Ayden Mathews completed his first pass of the night, a laser to senior receiver Kruiz Wagoner, setting up the Mancos offense with a fourth-and-short on their own side of midfield. Head coach Josh Gardner opted to go for the first down, but the Bulldogs stuffed the run to take over at the Mancos 42 for their first possession.<\/p>\n

From there, Haxtun seized the early momentum, marching down the short field using a mix of three different weapons, Andersen, junior Michael Gerk, and the savvy decision-making of fleet-footed quarterback Owen Knode. A two-minute drive saw the Bulldogs move into the red zone, before Andersen\u2019s 5-yard burst put the Bulldogs on the board. With Knode sneaking in on the conversion, Haxtun led 8-0 four minutes into the contest.<\/p>\n

Mancos sought to respond, and gained a first down on the ensuing drive, thanks to a 13-yard sweep from Moore. Working across midfield, Mancos\u2019 second drive eventually fizzled as well, forcing the Jays to punt.<\/p>\n

Senior Evan Sehnert belted a high punt inside the Haxtun 20, giving the Bulldogs a long field to face. For Haxtun head coach JD Stone, a player on the program\u2019s last title in 2004, the longer field gave his offense more time to showcase its arsenal of plays. The Bulldogs steadily churned out first downs en route to an 80-yard scoring drive, capped by Gerk\u2019s 3-yard run. Early in the second quarter, the Jays found themselves in unfamiliar territory, behind by two scores for the first time all season.<\/p>\n

From there, Haxtun capitalized on the first of four Mancos turnovers, as an interception set up a short field. One play later, Knode found junior wide receiver Kyle Fryrear from 38 yards out to make the score 22-0. Then after a pair of stalled drives, Haxtun added two more scores before the break, the second for Andersen and first for senior Ozzy Coss.<\/p>\n

Mancos emerged from the locker room, trailing 34-0, with ambition to turn the script. The Jays recovered an onside kick to begin the half and started to move the ball into Haxtun territory. However, a turnover on downs ended the threat. Knode and the Haxtun offense would waste little time in making the Jays pay, as the senior QB found Fryrear a second time, and the 40-0 score would put the game out of reach.<\/p>\n

Senior defensive linemen Mason Goodwin and Jesse Henry, so instrumental in the Bluejays dominance all season, battled well all night, and sophomores Chris Medina and Broc Imel seemed to be in the middle of every defensive stop. Sophomore Cole Dainty-Guilfoyle collected a couple of stops for a loss as the defense tried to slow down the high-powered Bulldogs.<\/p>\n

On the offensive line, seniors Andres Moreno and Luika Cova joined forces with junior Lane Greenlee to allow Moore lanes to operate, but Haxtun shut down all the Mancos threatening drives.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Haxtun would hoist the trophy, while Mancos would settle for the runner-up prize, received by the Bluejays\u2019 senior captains with their heads held high.<\/p>\n

Gardner, whose journey has coincided with the seniors\u2019 four years of success, was quick to praise their opposition. \u201cThey\u2019re a tough team,\u201d said Gardner. \u201cOur kids played hard, but the chips didn\u2019t fall the way we wanted them to tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eleven Bluejays would see their high school football careers come to a close in a place that no other Jay had ever tread \u2013 in the state title game. Mancos posted a 32-6 record and a pair of Mountain League titles during that run, setting a high bar for upcoming classes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur leadership was tremendous this year,\u201d Gardner said about the senior players. \u201cWe\u2019ve really come together \u2013 and I couldn\u2019t be more proud of our boys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with this year\u2019s achievements, the Bluejays set a program best for wins in a season (11) and a win in their first ever state semifinal. They made a clear statement to the community that Mancos football was developing a tradition as one of the hardest-working teams in the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis whole season has been a perfect storm,\u201d Gardner said. \u201cThe kids have been buying into the program, the coaches are sending a unified message, and the support from the community has been awesome \u2013 they\u2019ve been buying into the program, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at the season as a whole, even with the tough state game loss, Gardner put the result into perspective. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to tell them now, but we know that one day, we\u2019ll look back and be extremely proud of this season.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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