Two local teams remain alive in the final weeks of the high school football season.
One will play for a state title this weekend.
The other will compete in the state semifinals with hopes of ultimately winning its first state championship in program history.
Here's a look at a pair of big playoff games taking place this weekend for Class 2A's Eaton and 3A's Roosevelt.
No. 1 Eaton Reds (12-0) vs. No. 7 Brush Beetdiggers (10-2), 2A finals, 6 p.m. Saturday in Pueblo
For the second consecutive year, Eaton is playing in the 2A finals at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl on the Colorado State University-Pueblo campus.
The Reds are the defending state champion, defeating Lamar 28-21 in the finals a year ago.
Eaton is gunning for its third state title in program history. Brush is in pursuit of its sixth state championship, last winning one in 2014.
EATON, CO - NOVEMBER 20:Eaton's Walker Martin (2) looks for a receiver as Eaton's Phillip Lawrence (72) fends off University's Kian Baxley (2) during the Eaton Reds class 2A state semifinal football game against the University Bulldogs at Eaton High School in Eaton Nov. 20, 2021. The Reds defeated the Bulldogs 39-24 and will advance to the state final next week at CSU-Pueblo. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
The Reds are 2-6 all-time in football title games, according to ColoradoPreps.com. The Beetdiggers are 5-7 in title games.
A week ago, Eaton defeated 12th-seeded rival University 39-24 in the semifinals in Eaton. Brush advanced with a 35-18 win against sixth-seeded Severance, in Severance.
Junior quarterback Walker Martin ignited the Reds' passing game with big play after big play against University. He connected on 5 of 8 passes for 261 yards, five touchdowns and one interception.
Junior receiver Zac Grable caught three passes — all touchdowns — for 144 yards. He had touchdown grabs of 64, 45 and 35 yards.
On the season, Martin has completed 86 of 155 passes for 1,288 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
EATON, CO - NOVEMBER 20:Eaton's Zac Grable (15) reels in a pass before running in for a touchdown during the Eaton Reds class 2A state semifinal football game against the University Bulldogs at Eaton High School in Eaton Nov. 20, 2021. The Reds defeated the Bulldogs 39-24 and will advance to the state final next week at CSU-Pueblo. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
Eaton averages 112.3 passing yards and 235.2 rushing yards per game. Senior Ethan Florez is the Reds' leading rusher with 883 yards and seven touchdowns on 124 carries.
Fellow senior Ryan Dirksen has carried the ball 127 times for 851 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Dirksen and Florez are also two of Eaton's leaders on defense. Dirksen has a team-high 102 tackles, 16 for losses, including 11.5 sacks. Florez has 82 tackles. Junior Ryder True has 101 tackles.
A week ago against Severance, senior Cesar Hinojos had 204 of Brush's 289 rushing yards. He also scored three times.
On the season, he's carried the ball 132 times for 1,073 yard and 13 touchdowns.
The Beetdiggers average 229.8 rushing yards and 75.2 passing yards per game.
EATON, CO - NOVEMBER 20:University's Kanon Padilla (11) struggles to bring down Eaton's Ryan Dirksen (45) as Dirksen runs during the Eaton Reds class 2A state semifinal football game against the University Bulldogs at Eaton High School in Eaton Nov. 20, 2021. The Reds defeated the Bulldogs 39-24 and will advance to the state final next week at CSU-Pueblo. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
On defense, senior Kaden Moriarty is Brush's leading tackler with 98 tackles, 54 solo. Hinojos has six sacks.
Even though the Beetdiggers and Reds are both Patriot League teams, they didn't play during the regular season, as they belong to different divisions. The last time they played, Eaton defeated Brush 28-0 on Oct. 31, 2020.
No. 1 Roosevelt Rough Riders (12-0) at Mead Mavericks (9-2), 3A semifinals, 1 p.m. Saturday in Mead
Roosevelt is trying to get back to the 3A finals after being the state runner-up a season ago. The Rough Riders fell to Durango 21-14 in the finals this past season and have clearly been on a mission ever since.
Mead has been to one state championship game, winning the title in 6-man in 1949, according to ColoradoPreps.com.
Roosevelt advanced to the semifinals with a 51-33 win against No. 8 Holy Family a week ago in Johnstown.
JOHNSTOWN, CO - OCTOBER 08:Roosevelt's Tucker Peterson (20) celebrates after his touchdown during the Roosevelt Rough Riders football game against the Mead Mavericks at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown Oct. 8, 2021. The Rough Riders lead the Mavericks 9-7 at halftime. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
The Rough Riders senior quarterback Brock Saya completed 18 of 28 passes for 244 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Junior Tucker Peterson caught five passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Xavier Ramirez paced Roosevelt's run game with 130 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.
On the season, Ramirez is actually the Rough Riders' second leading rusher with 778 yards and 10 touchdowns on 99 carries. Junior Ryan Doucette has 800 yards and 13 touchdowns on 78 carries.
Peterson is Roosevelt's top receiver with 1,060 yards and 16 touchdowns on 49 receptions.
Saya has completed 137 of 190 passes for 2,228 yards, 30 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
The Rough Riders average 208.5 passing yards and 203.2 rushing yards per game.
Roosevelt senior Clayton Robinson celebrates after a turnover, while playing Thomas Jefferson on Saturday, Nov. 13, in Johnstown. (Jim Rydbom/For the Greeley Tribune)
Senior Cooper Walton leads Roosevelt's talented defense with 82 tackles, 17 for loss, including five sacks.
A week ago, Mead advanced to the semifinals with a 14-13 win on the road against No. 4 Durango, the 3A champion a year ago. Senior Evan Morris had 120 of the Mavericks 259 rushing yards.
Morris is Mead's leading rusher on the season with 1,097 yards and 14 touchdowns on 168 carries.
The Mavericks average 141.3 passing yards and 224.5 rushing yards per game.
Senior Jeremiah Strizki is Mead's leading tackler with 98 tackles, 70 solo and six for losses.
JOHNSTOWN, CO - OCTOBER 08:Roosevelt's Austin Schultz (64) lifts Roosevelt's Brock Saya (17) to celebrate Saya's touchdown during the Roosevelt Rough Riders football game against the Mead Mavericks at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown Oct. 8, 2021. The Rough Riders defeated the Mavericks 37-7. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
Roosevelt is outscoring opponents 562-94 this season, compared to a 365-175 advantage for Mead.
These two teams — both members of the North Central 2 conference — met in the regular season with the Rough Riders earning a 37-7 win on Oct. 8 in Johnstown.
The winner of this game advances to the state finals next week in Pueblo and will face either No. 2 Lutheran (12-0) or No. 3 Fort Morgan (10-1).
Bobby Fernandez covers high school sports for the Greeley Tribune. Reach him at (970) 392-4478, by email at bfernandez@greeleytribune.com or on Twitter @BobbyDFernandez.
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