Following a tough loss against Durango on Saturday, November 11, it’s time to reflect on this past season. Despite early struggles and a challenging schedule, the Mavs bounced back to receive a 13 seed.
Week 1:
On August 25th, the team faced a tough matchup against 4A #11 Windsor. The Mavs fell just short of the win, losing a defensive battle 10-7. Throughout the game, the Mavs struggled with turnovers, with Christian Hiner (’25) throwing two picks. Despite the struggles, the Mavs were able to punch the ball into the end zone with a pass from Hiner (’25) to Edison Burke (’25). Hiner (’25) completed 15 of 26 passes for 161 yards. Mead was unable to establish the run game, only totaling 26 yards on 17 attempts.
Week 2:
In week 2, the Mavs faced 3A number three Lutheran, another tough matchup for the young squad. This one was, once again, decided by turnovers. Christian Hiner (’25) totaled three picks in the loss. Hiner had a rough day, only completing 12 of 26 passes for 176 yards and a 62-yard touchdown to Ethan Scallon (’24). Ryan St. Aubin (’26) added a seven-yard touchdown run as well. Despite the score on the ground, the Mavs struggled to run the ball, with just 39 yards on 24 attempts. With the defense spending so much time on the field due to turnovers, they struggled to stop the high-powered Lions offense. They allowed 308 yards through the air and 184 yards on the ground. The final score was 35-15.
Week 3:
The Mavs finally got their first win in their week three homecoming matchup against Severance. The biggest improvement for the team in this game was the establishment of the run game. Christian Hiner (’25) ran eight times for 53 yards and a touchdown, and the team totaled 169 yards on 34 attempts. Angel Johnson (’24) had a big stiff arm, hyping up the crowd and scored a touchdown as well.
Week 4:
Up next was 3A number four Durango. The Mavs fought tough in this one but fell 30-16 to their eventual playoff opponents. In this game, they stuck with the air attack. Christian Hiner (’25) threw 41 passes and completed 22 for a total of 259 yards. Once again, Hiner struggled with turnovers, throwing two picks in their loss to Durango. Hiner was able to add a touchdown to Ethan Scallon (’24) as well as a touchdown run. Edison Burke (’25) was huge out of the backfield, catching six passes for 86 yards. Despite some production on offense, turnovers got the best of the Mavs, leading to their 14-point loss to Durango.
Week 5:
Next came Green Mountain, 3A’s number one squad. The Mavs simply struggled against their bigger opponents, putting up seven points to Green Mountain’s 44. With a lone pick-six coming from Angel Johnson (’24), the offense couldn’t punch it in. This defensive play, however, could have hinted at the Mavs’ defensive prowess to come.
Then came the multi-week run that defined the season for the Mavs. After week six, the Mavs began a multi-game win streak that would help push them into their future playoff spot. The combination of the young defense stepping up and the offense establishing the run was what powered the change. As for that shift, Jeremie Palko, the defensive coordinator, stated, “I think it was just coming back to fundamentals. Lining up, tackling, running to the football, and then trying to make our scheme match our kids once we found out what they were good at.”
Week 6:
Starting with George Washington High School, those fundamentals came into play for the Mavs. The Mavs defense held the offense to just seven points. Cole Michaelis (’24) was a huge component of the Mavs’ success in this game, totaling 24 runs for 111 yards and a touchdown. Other contributors include Angel Johnson (’24), who had seven carries for 45 yards and a touchdown run, and Christian Hiner (’25), who had six carries for 45 yards and a touchdown. The young defense had a massive game, with players Carter Woods (’26), Josh Gonsalves (’26), Dresden Spendlove (’25), and Hagen Williams (’25) each having a sack in the game. The game finished 21-7.
Week 7:
Then came another conference matchup against a playoff qualifier, Denver North. The Mavs relied almost exclusively on the run game, rushing 53 times for 197 yards. Cole Michaelis (’24) bore the brunt of the carries, with 21 carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Christian Hiner (’25) scored once again on the ground while adding 35 rushing yards and 44 passing yards. The defense showed up again, holding North to just 14 points. Griffin Kratchovil (’26) and Nico Valdez (’24) each had a sack, and Carter Woods (’26) added half a sack. Joshua Gonsalves (’26) had an interception as well. The final score was 21-14, with the Mavs securing another win to move to 3-4.
Week 8:
Next up was Niwot. With a final score of 14-3, the defense showed up once again, further proving they were a force to be reckoned with. The Mavs relied heavily on the run once again, totaling 36 carries for 141 yards. Cole Michaelis (’24) was the lead back, totaling 13 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown. Through the air, Christian Hiner (’25) had 127 yards and a touchdown. Ty Olson (’24) had a nice receiving touchdown, going 41 yards in the process. The defense had two sacks on the night, with Nico Valdez (’24) and Joshua Gonsalves (’26) each getting one.
Week 9:
Next up was a huge rivalry game against Frederick. The Mavs ended up losing the game 23-17. With 29 carries for 124 yards, the run game wasn’t as productive as in previous games. Ethan Elmore (’27) had the lone rushing score, while also adding 38 yards. Leading the team in yards, Cole Michaelis (’24) only tallied 64 rushing yards. Through the air, Christian Hiner (’25) completed 3 of 12 passes for 25 yards and an 11-yard touchdown to Ryan St. Aubin (’26). Adding to the Mavs score, Jordan Lohr (’24) made a singular field goal. Defensively, the Mavs played quite well to hold the Frederick offense to 23 points. Carter Woods (’26) had an excellent game with 2.5 sacks. Dresden Spendlove (’25) had a sack also. Joshua Gonsalves (’26) and Griffin Kratchovil (’26) each added half a sack as well. Angel Johnson (’24) had an interception as well.
Week 10:
A lot of pressure was placed on the Mavericks in this matchup, as it could put them in a playoff spot if they did so. In an unexpected move, the team benched Christian Hiner (’25). Despite benching their starting quarterback, MHS came away with the win in a defensive battle of 6-3. Ethan Elmore (’27) started at QB but mostly ran the ball, only totaling 38 yards through the air. Edison Burke (’25) had a nice catch, a 30-yard pass that continued a drive for the Mavs. On the ground, Elmore (’27) eclipsed 100 yards, running it 28 times for 109 yards. Cole Michaelis (’24) was another primary force, adding 66 yards on the ground. The only person to score for MHS was their kicker, Jordan Lohr (’24), who booted in two field goals for six total points. While the defense didn’t get any sacks, they held one of the best offenses in the state to just a field goal. There was minimal defensive output, with Cale Hansen (’25) forcing just one total interception after reading the play perfectly.
Playoffs Round One:
In the first round of the playoffs, the Mavs faced number four Durango. They started off hot, leading the game 27-10 going into the fourth quarter. Their hopes would be short-lived though, as they ended up losing 31-27 after a series of tough offensive drives. The Mavericks fired on all cylinders, but Durango was just too much on both offense and defense. The Mavs started Christian Hiner (’25) at QB, which was an interesting decision considering the result of the last game with Ethan Elmore (’27) starting in the quarterback position. Hiner (’25) threw a huge touchdown, a 55-yard beauty, to Edison Burke (’25). Burke (’25) burned his man, practically walking in for the touchdown. Despite the 55-yard pass play, Hiner was only able to put up 99 total passing yards. On the ground, he finished with 57 yards and a touchdown, adding to the well-rounded performance. While Cole Michaelis (’24) only had 11 yards, he had an impressive rushing touchdown. Defensively, Griffin Kratchovil (’26) and Joshua Gonzaves (’26) each had a sack, putting on a solid performance. Austin Ott (’25) had a great pick-six in the game as well. Reading the quarterback well allowed him to snatch the ball from the air and walk in for a 10-yard touchdown.
