Find out what some of the elite players in the state are saying about how football now!

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Q&A with Vista Peak quarterback Canaan Barthlow
What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“In the offseason I’ve been doing high intensity interval training, heavy weight lifting and working with my QB coach Aran Lee.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“Since last season I have improved my deep ball range by ten yards and my deep ball accuracy is on point.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“Our football team has great potential and great talent around the board. I think we will experience great success due to the amount of returning varsity starters and young talent.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Grandview will be a tough team to beat.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Week one we play against DJ Crowe from Denver East and he will give us some good competition.”

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Q&A with Pine Creek inside linebacker Caleb Petree
How did the high school football season go overall?
“The football season went good considering we ranked 4th in the state with a 9-2 record. We played well as a team considering it was our second year in 5a football. As a player I feel I’ve grown a considerable amount playing at this level of competition at my position.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“My plans this offseason are to strengthen my weaknesses involving getting stronger, learning the game more and putting on good weight to better compete.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“We’re excited about this upcoming season considering we have a whole new coaching staff and obviously we will have our struggles throughout the season with our tough schedule but nothing we can’t prepare for.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Cherry Creek has a legacy in 5a so we know they’ll always be tough to plan and play against.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I grew up playing with T.I who is now with Cherry Creek and he’s one of the toughest players in the state.”

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Q&A with Erie offensive tackle Cole Powell
What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“During the offseason we have been grinding in the weight room at school and I have had some additional training from Gabe Knapton (Different Breed) up north. Other than that I’ve been mainly focusing on flexibility and moving as smoothly as I can for being a large athlete.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“I feel since last football season I have mainly improved on my overall size and strength. Finally gaining the weight that I always wanted where I can still move efficiently and be at that 265LB mark.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I believe as a team if we truly connect and be the full player lead team we were last year we could find success from within, although it will take a lot of work.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I believe Mountain Vista will be a tough opponent but I believe if we are together we will be fine matched up against them.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I think that the toughest individual player we will play this year is probably Austyn Modrzewski, he’s a great guy and a really good player.”

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Q&A with Chatfield athlete Jude Smith
What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“Lifting 5-6 times a week as well as speed/ mobility training. As of last week our team started up spring practice 1 day a week.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“Speed for sure.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I think our team has a lot of upside and is definitely a state contender.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Ralston Valley.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“DJ Crowe.”

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Q&A with Arvada West inside linebacker Kevin Sanchez
What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“What I’ve been doing is lifting 4 days a week, as well as having Mile high prep practice Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“What I have improved most on coming in to season is definitely getting faster and getting better footwork.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I expect my team to do very big things this coming season. We've been working in silence.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“The toughest team I think we’re going to match up against is Chatfield, they’re young and still building like us.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“The toughest individual we will play against next season is DJ Crowe, DE from Denver East.”

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What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“What I’ve been doing is lifting 4 days a week, as well as having Mile high prep practice Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“What I have improved most on coming in to season is definitely getting faster and getting better footwork.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I expect my team to do very big things this coming season. We've been working in silence.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“The toughest team I think we’re going to match up against is Chatfield, they’re young and still building like us.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“The toughest individual we will play against next season is DJ Crowe, DE from Denver East.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“In college the sport I’m hoping to compete in is football of course, it’s been my dream to make it to the next level.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I haven’t been getting recruited lately, I’m hoping it starts after camps this summer.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“The school I have been getting the most noticed by is UNCO.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I’ve made 1 trip to CSU and 3 trips to UNCO.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“The trips I plan to make are to Wyoming NDSU, SDSU, UNCO and getting to schools that take notice of me.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“See above.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college growing up was probably Oregon or Boise State.”

What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“Lifting 5-6 times a week as well as speed/ mobility training. As of last week our team started up spring practice 1 day a week.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“Speed for sure.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I think our team has a lot of upside and is definitely a state contender.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Ralston Valley.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“DJ Crowe.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I would love to play at Colorado Mesa/Black Hills, really any RMAC school.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Carnegie Mellon, Fort Lewis, Chadron State.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Carnegie Mellon.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“No.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“Planning to look at some RMAC schools soon.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“UNC mega camp/ Wyoming/ CSU.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Oregon University.”

What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“During the offseason we have been grinding in the weight room at school and I have had some additional training from Gabe Knapton (Different Breed) up north. Other than that I’ve been mainly focusing on flexibility and moving as smoothly as I can for being a large athlete.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“I feel since last football season I have mainly improved on my overall size and strength. Finally gaining the weight that I always wanted where I can still move efficiently and be at that 265LB mark.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I believe as a team if we truly connect and be the full player lead team we were last year we could find success from within, although it will take a lot of work.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I believe Mountain Vista will be a tough opponent but I believe if we are together we will be fine matched up against them.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I think that the toughest individual player we will play this year is probably Austyn Modrzewski, he’s a great guy and a really good player.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would love to play college football, the atmosphere seems to be so fun.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Colleges I have been recruited by are Wyoming, Air Force, Colorado, Colorado State, Arkansas, North Carolina State, South Dakota State, South Dakota, North Dakota State, Sioux Falls, Northern Colorado, North Dakota, Princeton, Cornell, Columbia, Northern State, Colorado State Pueblo, Fort Lewis, Army, Linden Wood, Harvard, and Utah State.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“I would say the schools recruiting me the hardest currently are Wyoming, NDSU, and SDSU.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I have made a couple college trips out to Wyoming, Utah State, NC State, CSU, Colorado, NDSU, and SDSU.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“I do not plan on any other trips currently.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“For sure I plan on going to Wyoming’s camp, NDSU and Iowa state. My family and I have been discussing figuring out dates for SDSU, Utah State, and NC State.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“I didn’t really have one favorite college growing up but my family has always followed along with Alabama.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“The football season went good considering we ranked 4th in the state with a 9-2 record. We played well as a team considering it was our second year in 5a football. As a player I feel I’ve grown a considerable amount playing at this level of competition at my position.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“My plans this offseason are to strengthen my weaknesses involving getting stronger, learning the game more and putting on good weight to better compete.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“We’re excited about this upcoming season considering we have a whole new coaching staff and obviously we will have our struggles throughout the season with our tough schedule but nothing we can’t prepare for.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Cherry Creek has a legacy in 5a so we know they’ll always be tough to plan and play against.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I grew up playing with T.I who is now with Cherry Creek and he’s one of the toughest players in the state.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes. I want to continue playing at the next level and I’m open to any opportunities presented to me from colleges to play. I know how important this next year will be regarding recruiting and I’m working towards putting myself in the best position to be successful.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I’ve had camp invites but no serious discussions.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“N/A.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“N/A.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“I’m still seeking opportunities for camps and plans this summer to travel and visit the college campuses.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“No.”

What have you been doing as of late with off-season workouts?
“In the offseason I’ve been doing high intensity interval training, heavy weight lifting and working with my QB coach Aran Lee.”

What do you feel you have improved on most since last football season?
“Since last season I have improved my deep ball range by ten yards and my deep ball accuracy is on point.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“Our football team has great potential and great talent around the board. I think we will experience great success due to the amount of returning varsity starters and young talent.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Grandview will be a tough team to beat.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Week one we play against DJ Crowe from Denver East and he will give us some good competition.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would like to play college football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I’ve been recruited by the School of Mines and Southeast Louisiana.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“I’ve been pretty evenly recruited.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I’ve made some unofficial visits in state but none out of state.”

Do you have plans for more trips soon?
“I don’t currently have any trips planned.”

What camps are you planning to do this summer?
“This summer I will be attending CSU, UNC, Colorado School of Mines and Wheaton College.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college growing up was the University of Michigan.”

Updates from Aerik Ross, Carson Hageman, Connor Craver, Cooper Nider, and Jesse Wolf. Find out who are recruiting these elite athletes right now!


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Q&A with Frederick middle linebacker Aerik Ross​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I want to play football in college.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“No colleges yet.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“No.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Western State University team camp.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Full pads team camp at CSU.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“CU Boulder.”


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Q&A with Erie middle linebacker Carson Hageman​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I want to play football at the next level. I want to play at a school that wants me to be a part of their program the most, along with great academics. My dream school would be the Air Force Academy.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I’ve been talking with a few coaches but nothing major yet unfortunately. Air Force, Harvard, Brown, Columbia, Wyoming, North Dakota State, CSU Pueblo, Western, Colorado Mesa, Jamestown.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“The school that has been talking to me the most would be Harvard and Columbia.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Yes, I went on a couple game day visits last year to Wyoming and Air Force. Last summer I went to Princeton and Yale’s football camp. I went to Wyoming’s Junior day.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“This summer I am going to Harvard, Brown, Princeton, Wyoming, Air Force, and West Point football camps this summer.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Growing up I really liked West Point because my dad is a West Point alum and played football there.”


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Q&A with Pomona fullback/linebacker Connor Craver​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“College football has been a goal I have been striving for since beginning [playing] the sport a short 3 years ago.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Due to NCAA I have not been directly recruited by any schools, but have received camp invitations from a few.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“N/A.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“N/A.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“No.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college growing up was CU, with my dad having graduated from there, I grew up going to CU tailgates and games. As I got older I grew my own love for the school and regardless of athletics, CU has always been a dream school to go to for me.”


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Q&A with Eaton running back Cooper Nider​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes I want to play sports in college. I haven’t really decided what I want to play but it is between baseball and football. Baseball is the number one choice but you never know what could happen.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I haven't really been recruited for sports yet but this summer with camps and games this fall. I hope to show off what I am really about and get a scholarship somewhere to be a student athlete.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“I haven’t been recruited yet but I hope I will soon be as I showcase my skills during the summer and send film around to different coaches and colleges.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“No, I have not been on any college visits yet.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“This summer I want to go on visits to see what would fit my interests the most for the team, location, and feeling of campus.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college growing up was University of Nebraska Lincoln as my family lived in Nebraska before moving to Colorado.”


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Q&A with Chatfield right guard Jesse Wolf​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would like to play football in college.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I have talked to School of Mines, Montana Tech, and Chadron State.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“The one that is recruiting me the most is School of Mines.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I have not made any college trips yet.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“I have plans to look at School of Mines and maybe CSU Pueblo.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college growing up was CU.”


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Find out what some of the elite players in the state are saying about how football now!

......................................................................................................


Q&A with Frederick middle linebacker Aerik Ross
How did the high school football season go overall?
“The season went well but I’m always looking to improve.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“My plans now are track and field, and 7on7.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I think we can go all the way, we just have to work hard and stay consistent.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Broomfield, the first game of the season is always a learning curve, but I think we can push through with good work.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Honestly not sure, I don’t focus on individuals, my biggest competition is always going to be myself.”

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Q&A with Erie middle linebacker Carson Hageman
How did the high school football season go overall?
“This past football season was awesome! We finished the season as state champs. Winning the state title is always the end goal for the season here at Erie. We dominated on all sides of the ball the whole season.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“My plans as of right now is to keep working out with this next group of guys every morning. Building the relationships with all my teammates in the weight room is key to an effective season. I am running track this spring to get faster for this upcoming season.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“This coming up football season is going to surprise everyone. This season we are moving up a classification, which means tougher competition. This class of 2025 is up for the challenge and will shock the state. The class of 2024 group was a special and talented group of young men no doubt, but this upcoming season we will have a target on our back and we have the chance to be just as good if not better than last year. People are going to underestimate this team given that people think we were “senior heavy” last season and all the D1 talent we had. This next season is no different.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Mountain Vista.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Defensively, the hardest person we will have to stop is Adrian Modrzewski. This young man has a cannon and his decision making on the field is special.”

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Q&A with Pomona fullback/linebacker Connor Craver
How did the high school football season go overall?
“We faced a tough schedule, with half of our schedule going deep in the playoffs as well as almost all teams at least making the first round. With a mixture of having a young team and an abundance of injuries, as well as having a major disadvantage with our school size. We played very competitively for the adversity we faced. In games like FFC and Grandview [we went] into half tied or in the lead. Or Chatfield, holding them to 6 point lead until the fourth, our team played very competitively and showed what we are capable of at times through the season.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“In terms of off-season training, I, as well as my team, hit the ground running hard with intense team lifts in the weight room 3-4 times a week, as well as my own personal lifts 4 times a week. Training speed and agility mixed with power and strength, my ability to translate to the field next year will be a major advantage.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I am very confident in my team this upcoming season. With our HC Nate Johnson bringing on even more coaches for better training, major team and position improvements, as well as the team’s overall strength in the weight room will become a major advantage to move forward with. Having a very heavy junior and senior class with lots of varsity experience will be extremely beneficial now playing against schools similar to our size.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“The hardest team on our schedule is looking to be between Pueblo West, Dakota Ridge, or Roosevelt. But this is all on paper, there is no knowing what happens once the season begins.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“There is no “toughest individual”; football is a team sport and having one star player who can have a major impact can never dictate the outcome of any game.”

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Q&A with Eaton running back Cooper Nider
How did the high school football season go overall?
“The 2023 high school football season went pretty well this year as a team and for myself as well. We had a tough conference and made playoffs where we beat #2 seed Kent Denver in the first round and then #10 seed Pagosa Springs in quarters. Then we traveled to Rifle for a hard fought loss in the semifinals and ended with a record of 8-4 as a team. My season was really good with 145 tackles, 4 sacks, and 4 interceptions as an outside linebacker.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“My plans during the off season are that I am playing baseball and working out to get stronger and stay fast. I have put on 15 lbs since the 2023 football season and am looking towards getting bigger as well as staying fast.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“Next year for football we will lose a lot of senior starters but I have belief that our young guys last year will step up and help us a lot. As a senior this coming up football season I want this season to go very well and want to push the younger guys as hard as I can to be the best they can be. So we will be a tough football team just like in the past.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Next year I think that Resurrection Christian will be the hardest competition we will have since they will be coming down from 3A to 2A, they will be pretty tough as their offense is pretty hard to read.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“The toughest player we will face will be Brandon Callie as he is a 6’1” 230lbs G and DE. With his size he will be pretty hard to keep contained and hard to have the run game work on the outside.”

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Q&A with Chatfield right guard Jesse Wolf
How did the high school football season go overall?
“I thought the football season went very well. Our team made it to the semifinals and was led by a great coach. I also think our football team as a whole had great teamwork and leadership to get us that far in the playoffs.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“I was wrestling during winter and enjoyed doing well in that and going to state. My plan now is to lift as much as possible before the season comes around.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I feel we will do just as good this next season. We did lose a couple of skill players but the kids filling in their spots are just as talented. We have most of our d-line, o-line, and linebackers returning.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I think our toughest opponent next season will be Columbine because of how aggressive of a team they are.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I think the toughest player we will face is DJ Crowe.”

......................................................................................................

How did the high school football season go overall?
“I thought the football season went very well. Our team made it to the semifinals and was led by a great coach. I also think our football team as a whole had great teamwork and leadership to get us that far in the playoffs.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“I was wrestling during winter and enjoyed doing well in that and going to state. My plan now is to lift as much as possible before the season comes around.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I feel we will do just as good this next season. We did lose a couple of skill players but the kids filling in their spots are just as talented. We have most of our d-line, o-line, and linebackers returning.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I think our toughest opponent next season will be Columbine because of how aggressive of a team they are.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I think the toughest player we will face is DJ Crowe.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would like to play football in college.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I have talked to School of Mines, Montana Tech, and Chadron State.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“The one that is recruiting me the most is School of Mines.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I have not made any college trips yet.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“I have plans to look at School of Mines and maybe CSU Pueblo.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college growing up was CU.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“The 2023 high school football season went pretty well this year as a team and for myself as well. We had a tough conference and made playoffs where we beat #2 seed Kent Denver in the first round and then #10 seed Pagosa Springs in quarters. Then we traveled to Rifle for a hard fought loss in the semifinals and ended with a record of 8-4 as a team. My season was really good with 145 tackles, 4 sacks, and 4 interceptions as an outside linebacker.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“My plans during the off season are that I am playing baseball and working out to get stronger and stay fast. I have put on 15 lbs since the 2023 football season and am looking towards getting bigger as well as staying fast.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“Next year for football we will lose a lot of senior starters but I have belief that our young guys last year will step up and help us a lot. As a senior this coming up football season I want this season to go very well and want to push the younger guys as hard as I can to be the best they can be. So we will be a tough football team just like in the past.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Next year I think that Resurrection Christian will be the hardest competition we will have since they will be coming down from 3A to 2A, they will be pretty tough as their offense is pretty hard to read.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“The toughest player we will face will be Brandon Callie as he is a 6’1” 230lbs G and DE. With his size he will be pretty hard to keep contained and hard to have the run game work on the outside.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes I want to play sports in college. I haven’t really decided what I want to play but it is between baseball and football. Baseball is the number one choice but you never know what could happen.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I haven't really been recruited for sports yet but this summer with camps and games this fall. I hope to show off what I am really about and get a scholarship somewhere to be a student athlete.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“I haven’t been recruited yet but I hope I will soon be as I showcase my skills during the summer and send film around to different coaches and colleges.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“No, I have not been on any college visits yet.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“This summer I want to go on visits to see what would fit my interests the most for the team, location, and feeling of campus.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college growing up was University of Nebraska Lincoln as my family lived in Nebraska before moving to Colorado.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“We faced a tough schedule, with half of our schedule going deep in the playoffs as well as almost all teams at least making the first round. With a mixture of having a young team and an abundance of injuries, as well as having a major disadvantage with our school size. We played very competitively for the adversity we faced. In games like FFC and Grandview [we went] into half tied or in the lead. Or Chatfield, holding them to 6 point lead until the fourth, our team played very competitively and showed what we are capable of at times through the season.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“In terms of off-season training, I, as well as my team, hit the ground running hard with intense team lifts in the weight room 3-4 times a week, as well as my own personal lifts 4 times a week. Training speed and agility mixed with power and strength, my ability to translate to the field next year will be a major advantage.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I am very confident in my team this upcoming season. With our HC Nate Johnson bringing on even more coaches for better training, major team and position improvements, as well as the team’s overall strength in the weight room will become a major advantage to move forward with. Having a very heavy junior and senior class with lots of varsity experience will be extremely beneficial now playing against schools similar to our size.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“The hardest team on our schedule is looking to be between Pueblo West, Dakota Ridge, or Roosevelt. But this is all on paper, there is no knowing what happens once the season begins.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“There is no “toughest individual”; football is a team sport and having one star player who can have a major impact can never dictate the outcome of any game.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“College football has been a goal I have been striving for since beginning [playing] the sport a short 3 years ago.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Due to NCAA I have not been directly recruited by any schools, but have received camp invitations from a few.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“N/A.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“N/A.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“No.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college growing up was CU, with my dad having graduated from there, I grew up going to CU tailgates and games. As I got older I grew my own love for the school and regardless of athletics, CU has always been a dream school to go to for me.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“This past football season was awesome! We finished the season as state champs. Winning the state title is always the end goal for the season here at Erie. We dominated on all sides of the ball the whole season.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“My plans as of right now is to keep working out with this next group of guys every morning. Building the relationships with all my teammates in the weight room is key to an effective season. I am running track this spring to get faster for this upcoming season.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“This coming up football season is going to surprise everyone. This season we are moving up a classification, which means tougher competition. This class of 2025 is up for the challenge and will shock the state. The class of 2024 group was a special and talented group of young men no doubt, but this upcoming season we will have a target on our back and we have the chance to be just as good if not better than last year. People are going to underestimate this team given that people think we were “senior heavy” last season and all the D1 talent we had. This next season is no different.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Mountain Vista.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Defensively, the hardest person we will have to stop is Adrian Modrzewski. This young man has a cannon and his decision making on the field is special.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I want to play football at the next level. I want to play at a school that wants me to be a part of their program the most, along with great academics. My dream school would be the Air Force Academy.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I’ve been talking with a few coaches but nothing major yet unfortunately. Air Force, Harvard, Brown, Columbia, Wyoming, North Dakota State, CSU Pueblo, Western, Colorado Mesa, Jamestown.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“The school that has been talking to me the most would be Harvard and Columbia.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Yes, I went on a couple game day visits last year to Wyoming and Air Force. Last summer I went to Princeton and Yale’s football camp. I went to Wyoming’s Junior day.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“This summer I am going to Harvard, Brown, Princeton, Wyoming, Air Force, and West Point football camps this summer.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Growing up I really liked West Point because my dad is a West Point alum and played football there.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“The season went well but I’m always looking to improve.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“My plans now are track and field, and 7on7.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I think we can go all the way, we just have to work hard and stay consistent.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Broomfield, the first game of the season is always a learning curve, but I think we can push through with good work.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Honestly not sure, I don’t focus on individuals, my biggest competition is always going to be myself.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I want to play football in college.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“No colleges yet.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“No.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Western State University team camp.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Full pads team camp at CSU.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“CU Boulder.”

Updates from Maverick Scarpella, Cody Wittig, Camden Austin, Cade Geist, and Austin Scheich. Find out who are recruiting these elite athletes right now!


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Q&A with Broomfield left handed pitcher Maverick Scarpella​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes I would love to go play college baseball.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“So far I have not been in contact with any coaches at the college level.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“None.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I have taken a few campus tours at schools but have not been to any camps or visits.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“As far as unofficial visits go, I do not have any trips planned. But I will be playing in a tournament in San Diego next week with Broomfield High School. Over the summer I will be in East Cobb Georgia for the WWBA from June 21st to the 29th. Then in Indianapolis for a Bullpen Tournament from July 10th to 15th. Then in Cincinnati for the Cincy Flames tournament from July 30th to August 4th with Slammers Loseke.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“I always loved watching Ole Miss because of their cool jersey colors.”


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Q&A with Chatfield defensive tackle Cody Wittig​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I want to play football in college for sure.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“A few division twos have been talking to me like Pueblo Sioux Falls and Northern state.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“I would say CSU Pueblo has had the most consistent contact with me.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“No, not yet because the weather that we had last week canceled some plans.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Yes, [I’ll] get out to some junior days in April to some schools.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Ohio State has always been my favorite college for sure because of the fans and the community around the team.”


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Q&A with Holy Family defensive lineman Camden Austin​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“My brother plays at Colorado Mesa and it would be an honor to play for them.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I’ve gotten a few coach DMs but no offers as of yet. I hope to show off my ability this year as a team leader and on the stat sheet.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“This was my 3rd year in a row at a new position and I’ve shown my versatility on film. I’ve gotten a few Twitter DMs but no offers yet.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Not yet, I’m planning on going to camps and visits over the summer however.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“N/A.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college growing up was Penn State.”


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Q&A with Timnath defensive tackle Cade Geist​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would like to hopefully pursue college football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Not yet, have been starting to receive a little interest here and there due to me heading into my junior season.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“N/A.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Not yet, hopefully some this summer.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Not that is planned currently.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My family have always been big Buffs fans, some of my family members have played football for the Buffs.”


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Q&A with Mountain Vista safety Austin Scheich​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yea I want to play football in college.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I’ve been talking to Minot State, Sioux Falls, Jamestown, and a couple others briefly.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Sioux Falls.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Yes I’ve gone to Arizona, both Dakotas, and am going to Minnesota soon.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Going to North Dakota and Minnesota in a couple weeks.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“I always loved Oregon growing up, that was my dream school.”


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Find out what some of the elite players in the state are saying about how football now!

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Q&A with Broomfield left handed pitcher Maverick Scarpella
How did the high school football season go overall?
“Our season was a great success overall as we were able to make it to the semifinals with our first-year head coach. Also our only losses were to teams that played in championship games.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“The plan is to continue to stay consistent in the gym during the baseball season and hopefully bring home a state championship for the baseball program.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I can see us going even further into the playoffs than last year and that we have a good chance at another state title.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Out of everyone on our schedule I feel Erie will be the toughest competition because it is always a good rivalry game when we play.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Gavin Lusk, the running back from Erie.”

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Q&A with Chatfield defensive tackle Cody Wittig
How did the high school football season go overall?
“This season was definitely something super special with our team. Obviously a lot of adversity was faced at the beginning to the middle of the season but In all honesty that made us really come together and build an incredible season off of that.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“Now with sports I don’t do anything competitive until next season I just golf over the summer and train and lift for football.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“Next season I definitely feel like we will be the top dogs again and make an even bigger run than we did last year. We return a lot of great players and get to introduce some younger guys that have a lot of talent.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“The toughest team that we will play next season in my opinion is RV but you can never count out Columbine.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“N/A.”

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Q&A with Holy Family defensive lineman Camden Austin
How did the high school football season go overall?
“We were an extremely strong team with great chemistry, over the course of the season we only got better and closer which eventually helped us accomplish our goal to win state.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“We work out as a team a few times a week, and I’m working too with my trainer @Gabe_Knapton.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“We are going to be a very strong team. The standard has not changed. We hope to bring home another state championship.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I personally want to beat Roosevelt.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“We are going to prepare for everyone equally.”

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Q&A with Timnath defensive tackle Cade Geist
How did the high school football season go overall?
“I felt the season overall went pretty good, the season had its ups but it also definitely could have been better.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“As of right now I am trying to get as strong and as big as possible.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I feel like we will do a lot better due to some coaching changes, and us as a team have gotten a lot bigger.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I feel like Windsor will be a tough game.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I think our toughest opponent will be Tanner Gray just because he runs Wellington’s offense and is harder for the smaller guys to tackle.”

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Q&A with Mountain Vista safety Austin Scheich
How did the high school football season go overall?
“Pretty good, we made it to quarterfinals and need to win state next year.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“I have been working since November working out 6 times a week trying to get to be the best I can before next season.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“Excellent, we start in Hawaii and I think we have a great chance to win state.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“We’ll have some tough games like Erie and Valor but we’ll see if there are any surprises.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I know Erie has a good defensive end and the Hawaii team we’ll play is going to have some dudes.”


......................................................................................................

How did the high school football season go overall?
“Pretty good, we made it to quarterfinals and need to win state next year.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“I have been working since November working out 6 times a week trying to get to be the best I can before next season.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“Excellent, we start in Hawaii and I think we have a great chance to win state.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“We’ll have some tough games like Erie and Valor but we’ll see if there are any surprises.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I know Erie has a good defensive end and the Hawaii team we’ll play is going to have some dudes.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yea I want to play football in college.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I’ve been talking to Minot State, Sioux Falls, Jamestown, and a couple others briefly.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Sioux Falls.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Yes I’ve gone to Arizona, both Dakotas, and am going to Minnesota soon.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Going to North Dakota and Minnesota in a couple weeks.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“I always loved Oregon growing up, that was my dream school.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“I felt the season overall went pretty good, the season had its ups but it also definitely could have been better.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“As of right now I am trying to get as strong and as big as possible.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I feel like we will do a lot better due to some coaching changes, and us as a team have gotten a lot bigger.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I feel like Windsor will be a tough game.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I think our toughest opponent will be Tanner Gray just because he runs Wellington’s offense and is harder for the smaller guys to tackle.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would like to hopefully pursue college football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Not yet, have been starting to receive a little interest here and there due to me heading into my junior season.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“N/A.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Not yet, hopefully some this summer.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Not that is planned currently.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My family have always been big Buffs fans, some of my family members have played football for the Buffs.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“We were an extremely strong team with great chemistry, over the course of the season we only got better and closer which eventually helped us accomplish our goal to win state.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“We work out as a team a few times a week, and I’m working too with my trainer @Gabe_Knapton.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“We are going to be a very strong team. The standard has not changed. We hope to bring home another state championship.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I personally want to beat Roosevelt.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“We are going to prepare for everyone equally.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“My brother plays at Colorado Mesa and it would be an honor to play for them.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I’ve gotten a few coach DMs but no offers as of yet. I hope to show off my ability this year as a team leader and on the stat sheet.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“This was my 3rd year in a row at a new position and I’ve shown my versatility on film. I’ve gotten a few Twitter DMs but no offers yet.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Not yet, I’m planning on going to camps and visits over the summer however.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“N/A.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college growing up was Penn State.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“This season was definitely something super special with our team. Obviously a lot of adversity was faced at the beginning to the middle of the season but In all honesty that made us really come together and build an incredible season off of that.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“Now with sports I don’t do anything competitive until next season I just golf over the summer and train and lift for football.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“Next season I definitely feel like we will be the top dogs again and make an even bigger run than we did last year. We return a lot of great players and get to introduce some younger guys that have a lot of talent.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“The toughest team that we will play next season in my opinion is RV but you can never count out Columbine.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“N/A.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I want to play football in college for sure.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“A few division twos have been talking to me like Pueblo Sioux Falls and Northern state.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“I would say CSU Pueblo has had the most consistent contact with me.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“No, not yet because the weather that we had last week canceled some plans.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Yes, [I’ll] get out to some junior days in April to some schools.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Ohio State has always been my favorite college for sure because of the fans and the community around the team.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“Our season was a great success overall as we were able to make it to the semifinals with our first-year head coach. Also our only losses were to teams that played in championship games.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“The plan is to continue to stay consistent in the gym during the baseball season and hopefully bring home a state championship for the baseball program.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I can see us going even further into the playoffs than last year and that we have a good chance at another state title.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Out of everyone on our schedule I feel Erie will be the toughest competition because it is always a good rivalry game when we play.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Gavin Lusk, the running back from Erie.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes I would love to go play college baseball.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“So far I have not been in contact with any coaches at the college level.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“None.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I have taken a few campus tours at schools but have not been to any camps or visits.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“As far as unofficial visits go, I do not have any trips planned. But I will be playing in a tournament in San Diego next week with Broomfield High School. Over the summer I will be in East Cobb Georgia for the WWBA from June 21st to the 29th. Then in Indianapolis for a Bullpen Tournament from July 10th to 15th. Then in Cincinnati for the Cincy Flames tournament from July 30th to August 4th with Slammers Loseke.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“I always loved watching Ole Miss because of their cool jersey colors.”

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How did the high school football season go overall?
“I believe this season went really well. We had a couple things we had to face this season but we bounced back and got better throughout the season. As a team we also bonded more and I think that showed on the field.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“This spring I am doing track, I am doing sprints and jumping as well. Ever since the season ended I as well as the rest of the team have been hitting the weight room hard and getting better for next season.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I have a strong feeling that we are going to be really good next season. If we as a team keep growing and bonding the way we are, I think we have a good chance. The team is really dedicated for next year and are ready to make it far.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I think Pueblo East is going to be our toughest game next year but every team is going to be good competition for us, but as long as we play the way Thunder knows how to play I think we can beat any one of them.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I think Jayden Pagano is going to be tough next year. I've seen him play before and he is a good running back.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would love to play football in college. I have always dreamt of playing at the next level as soon as I fell in love with the sport. It has always been a goal of mine and it always will be.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“So far I haven't had any schools reach out.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“N/A.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Last summer I made a trip up to Western Colorado University for their football camp.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Yes, I have plans to visit a few schools this summer.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Growing up I have been a fan of both University of Nebraska and University of Michigan.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“I think it went well, ups and down but we definitely got through it.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“Playing another sport while still getting that extra work in it.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“I think we’ll be a successful team, we have to overcome a lot of adversity next year.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I think we’re going to have a lot of good fights but I think Riverdale Ridge will be our hardest one.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“I don’t know, [there’s] a lot of dawgs we’ll play next year.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I do want to play football at the next level.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I haven’t really had any colleges recruit me yet.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Don’t really have one yet.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I haven’t made any trips yet.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“Yes I plan on making a few trips.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Didn’t really have one growing up.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“Our season went really well! I think we surprised a lot of teams with the way we performed and our winning record. We beat some really good teams, like Legend. I had a lot of fun playing with this group of guys.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“I immediately went back to baseball-focused training as soon as the football season ended. This includes weight training, speed and agility drills, conditioning, arm care and batting.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“We are always looking to improve and build on last year’s success. We had some really strong seniors that are going to be missed, but I think my class will step in and lead our team further in the playoffs.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“I think Mountain Vista will probably be our toughest competition again. They were a very solid team last year and have a lot of players returning.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Austyn Modrzewski will probably be the toughest individual our team will face next season. I have played against him since I was ten and he has always been one of the best players on the field.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I am planning to continue my athletic career at the next level. My recruiting efforts have focused on baseball so far, but I am open to football opportunities.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“For football, I haven’t had any direct conversations with coaches yet, but some have started to reach out. For baseball, I have offers from Air Force and College of Charleston and conversations with several other D1 programs.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Football coaches are just starting to follow and DM me on X. Air Force has been very persistent and recruited me the hardest.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I have taken unofficial visits to Air Force, Oregon, College of Charleston, Gonzaga and Dallas.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“We are getting ready to start the Spring high school season so I don’t have any college trips planned.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“I liked Clemson football when I was younger.”

How did the high school football season go overall?
“My last season went very well, I was coming back from a season ending injury that happened my freshman year and I feel that I was able to come back to make a positive impact on our team. We ended 6-5 and although I’m not satisfied I’m definitely proud of how my team progressed throughout the season.”

What are your plans now with sports and workouts?
“I just finished up my wrestling season. I qualified for the state tournament and I didn’t do as well as I wanted to do but my team won the 3A wrestling state championship. Right now I’m just focusing on getting faster and stronger for next season while doing 7s with Phenom Phactory.”

How do you feel your team will do next football season?
“My team next year will be very solid, we’re a very young team and we have a lot of maturing to do as football players before next year but we’ll come back next year as a better team overall.”

What team do you feel will be the toughest competition on your schedule?
“Our schedule still isn’t fully set so I’m not sure of all the teams we’ll play. With that said, a team in our league we consistently have a tough game with is Legacy but I’m confident that we’ll be able to come out of that game with a win this year if we stay disciplined and focused this offseason.”

Who is the toughest individual player your team will face off against?
“Honestly there’s no individual player that I’m really worried about since Blake Barnett left. All I know is that we need to keep working and focusing on doing our best and we’ll be alright.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes I’ve wanted to play football in college since I was a kid.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I haven't been able to talk to any colleges because I'm just a sophomore but I’ve been getting looks from multiple schools.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“None have been able to give me any serious recruiting yet.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“No I haven’t.”

Do you have plans for any trips soon?
“I’m planning to go to some with my 7s team to visit some colleges as a team and hopefully I’ll be able to go on some by myself this summer.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite colleges growing up were always the University of Oregon and the University of Colorado.”