3A Football: Thompson Valley Claims First-Ever Football State Title

FORT COLLINS – Clichès win championships. 

The 3A CHSAA State Championship, an undefeated season and the first title in Thompson Valley school history boiled down to one final play. The Thompson Valley defense versus the Mead offense. 

And like they had done all day — and really all season long, the Eagles’ defense came through picking up the stop and a 16-14 victory in Canvas Stadium. 

“I’ve told this team all year that defense wins championships, and offense sells tickets,” coach Jamie Steele said. “We sold some tickets, and the defense won the championship and they’ve been doing it all year long.”

Thompson Valley finished the season with a perfect 14-0 record, the first time an Eagles squad finished unblemished in school history. 

Although it will be the first time the Eagles leave a State Championship game with title, it wasn’t the first time they’ve left with hardware. Back in 1989, Thompson Valley had a shot against Longmont, but ultimately dropped the game 20-14. 

That just so happens to be just long enough ago that some of the players’ parents remembered playing in that game, making this one worth just that much more. While a parent will always be in their child’s corner, the chance for a different fate than 35 years ago made them push their kids that much harder. 

“I’ve had the parents as guest speakers throughout the season,” Steele said. “When we win a game and then another game, they come and talk to the team and told them it really hurts them in their heart that they lost, but they’re proud that they did get there. They just wanted these guys to make sure they pushed it a little further.” 

A two-point victory doesn’t happen without the play of punter Eli Metzger. On the very first drive of the game on a fourth down deep in his own territory Metzger made the play of his career. 

On the snap the ball sailed high, Metzger was able to extend an arm and just barely get a paw on the ball. This kept the ball within arms reach, and so when he picked it up off the ground, one of two things was going to happen: Mead takes over with incredible starting field position, or Metzger makes a play. 

Metzger ensured the latter happened, tossing it to Westin Bebo, who was able to get past the sticks for a first down. 

“In that moment I was thinking that I had to make a play, because we can’t lose the ball on the first drive,” Metzger said. “I went on autopilot, just ran, saw my running back and tossed it to him. Glad we got that first down.”

The first down proved to be the most crucial one of the game. Just a few plays later, quarterback Finley Lucas scampered 59 yards into the endzone for the Eagles’ lone offensive touchdown of the game. 

The Eagles’ other touchdown came on a pick-6 with less than a minute left in the second quarter from defensive lineman Dane Gray. 

Gray’s score gave the Eagles their 16th point after Metzger knocked in the extra point, the last score that Thompson Valley would have all game long.

“I’d be very worried,” Gray said, on how he would’ve felt if he was told pregame that he would score the last points of the game for Thompson Valley. “My offense, we’ve stood out all year and scored points regularly. … I’ve got to go out there and do it somehow. If I’m the one that’s got to do it, I’ll do it for the team, because if it wins us the game, I don’t care, I’ll do anything.”

After that second quarter the game turned into a battle of field position. It was clear from the jump that the Thompson Valley defense was going to stand stout all game long. But the question begged: Could the Eagles special teams force Mead into a long field? 

For most of the game Metzger was the answer to that question, averaging 50.3 yards a boot. And even when he shanked a punt just 18 yards, putting the Mavericks in prime scoring position, the defense delivered again, forcing fourth down. 

Mead lined up for a 54-yard field goal that if hit it would have brought the game within six. Instead of the long try Mead went for a fake, trying to pick up the first down instead, but the Eagles sniffed it out, allowing Metzger to breathe a sigh of relief. 

“I was just hoping that my team could bail me out again,” Metzger said. “We bailed each other out multiple times during this game. We’re very connected and we’re brothers and we made it happen. We believed in each other, we trusted each other and that was what made it happen.”

Mead made it interesting at the start of the fourth, when quarterback Christian Hiner found Noah Vroman for a 30-yard touchdown, an effort that notched Hiner the National Football Foundation Player of the Game. 

That score gave Mead 10:25 to score two points, but as Steele put it: offense sells tickets, defense wins championships.

“I’m still in shock,” Metzger said. “Obviously I’m very grateful and happy that we won, but I don’t really think it’s hit yet that we’re the first team in school history to win a state championship. I’m glad to be here and I’m grateful for the opportunity and we won it by two points because of one of my field goals, so I’m grateful for that as well.”