The Bears will travel to Colorado Springs to take on 9-1 Coronado High School Cougars in the first round of the 2013 CHSAA 3A State Football playoffs. The game starts at 1:00 on Saturday at Garry Berry Stadium.

Coronado is a 4A team that is playing down a level. With a student enrollment of 1367, Coronado is, by far, the largest high school in Colorado 3A football and has more than twice the number of students as Rifle High School. Factor in their 9-1 season record and it is clear that the Bears will have their work cut out for them on Saturday.

Like Rifle, Coronado spent some time atop the 3A rankings this year. The Cougars held down the top spot for a week before they fell to Discovery Canyon last Saturday. Although they are a #6 seed in the playoff bracket, Coronado was actually #3 in the final CHSAA 3A wildcard rankings.

The Cougars average 264 yards on the ground with most of the carries going to junior tailback Isaah Duvall (#42). Duvall has 996 total rushing yards on the year on 125 carries and 10 touchdowns. Splitting time in the backfield with Duvall at the tailback spot, Junior Austin Micci (#33) is another key player for Coronado. Micci has rushed for 870 yards on the season on 98 carries with 9 touchdowns. Leading the way for Duvall and Micci is junior Zeb Foster (#44) at the fullback position. Foster has rushed for 289 yards on 57 carries.

Quarterback Joah Smith attempts 12 passes a game and has thrown for 1117 yards on the season. His leading receiver is (#3) Sam Smith. The senior has caught 26 passes for 417 yards and two touchdowns.

The Cougars like to run the ball out of the I-Formation with Sam Smith lined up as an H-Back, but will also show some four wide receiver looks as well.

Defensively the Cougars are led by Foster with 56 tackles, Sam Smith with 55 tackles and Ryan Strabala (#56) with 45 tackles. With 5.5 sacks, senior Corbin Bender (#32) looks to be the biggest threat when Leyton Stutsman drops back to pass. Stutsman should also keep an eye on junior (#10) Devon Baker. With 5 interceptions on the year, Baker leads the Cougars in picks.

Directions to the Game

Click here for directions to Saturday’s game at Garry Berry Stadium.