Predictions for Colorado high school football state championship games

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We’re down to the final games of the 2025 Colorado high school football season.

Three state championships are still to be decided Dec. 6 at CSU’s Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins.

It’s a trio of titanic matchups, with two No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdowns and just one combined loss between the six title participants.

As I’ve done all season, I will predict Fort Collins-area high school football games (that means No. 1 Windsor in Class 3A here) plus other Northern Colorado games. In this case, it’s state titles.

Players, feel free to make this locker room bulletin-board material. Fans, I’m ready to hear from you when I get it wrong.

Last week: 2-0. A perfect week in the playoffs? We’ll take it for sure. Mildly undersold Wellington’s 2A title demolition of Elizabeth. Slightly overshot on No. 1 Windsor, which needed a fourth-quarter comeback for the semifinal win.

Season record: 72-10

Here are my predictions for the 2025 CHSAA state football championship games in Fort Collins.

3A state championship: No. 1 Windsor vs. No. 2 Pomona

The Wizards won’t have to go far here, so expect a big Windsor turnout with the game just 15 miles from the high school.

This is also a rematch of last year’s 3A quarterfinal, a tight 27-23 win for the Panthers.

These teams are near-mirrors of each other, physical and punishing teams who love to play smashmouth football and feature ferocious defense.

Don’t expect many points or passes in this one, so it’ll come down to who can create more openings in the trenches.

If that’s the case? I slightly lean Windsor, which has Oklahoma commit Deacon Schmitt, John Stephens and depth on both lines.

The Wizards will get another big day from running back Adrian Czyszczon and squeeze out a key turnover or special teams play that swings the game in the second half.

After 10 years, Windsor will be state champions again.

Abshire’s pick: No. 1 Windsor 16, No. 2 Pomona 14

4A state championship: No. 1 Dakota Ridge vs. No. 3 Palmer Ridge

Top-seeded Dakota Ridge is on a dominant run, winning every game by double digits this season and bludgeoning opponents with three-phase excellence.

Meanwhile, Palmer Ridge has major momentum, surviving a couple of playoff thrillers, including an impressive 31-29 road win out at No. 2 Montrose in the semifinals.

Both teams have firepower and great defenses to work with.

But I believe Dakota Ridge quarterback Kellen Behrendsen (3,104 pass yards, 42 total touchdowns) will be the ultimate difference maker here on the big stage.

I’ll take the Eagles to win the school’s first football state championship.

Abshire’s pick: No. 1 Dakota Ridge 34, No. 3 Palmer Ridge 26

5A state championship: No. 1 Cherry Creek vs. No. 2 Ralston Valley

It’s the reigning champs vs. the first-timers. The dynasty against the upstart.

Everybody knows the track record for Cherry Creek and legendary head coach Dave Logan: Seven straight title appearances, six state championships since 2014 and another uber-talented roster this year.

Ralston Valley and touted quarterback Zeke Andrews (3,367 total yards, 38 total TDs) won’t be an easy out here.

The Mustangs are fresh off a 31-28 thriller vs. No. 3 Mountain Vista in the semis, winning on a last-second field goal. They’ve rolled through one of the state’s toughest schedules, winning six games vs. top 10 seeds and scoring just shy of 40 points per game.

Even with some injuries, though, the Bruins are especially loaded, boasting eight of the top 20 senior recruits in Colorado (per 247Sports).

It’s just hard to pick against a Creek team that gets the job done time and time again at this level.

I’ll take Ralston Valley to keep it close before a Cherry Creek playmaker (take your pick: Brady Vodicka? Jayden Fox? Maxwell Lovett?) breaks the game open.

Abshire’s pick: No. 1 Cherry Creek 35, No. 2 Ralston Valley 24

Chris Abshire covers high school and community sports for the Coloradoan.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Predictions for Colorado high school football state championship games

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