Fort Collins, CO—FOOTBAWL!! That was the word of the day on Saturday, Dec. 6 when Mead played Thompson Valley in the 3A State Championship game. The whole town of Mead gathered together at CSU’s Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins to celebrate that one word: FOOTBAWL!!
At 10 a.m. on the dot, kickoff began the game of the year for the MHS football team. Thompson Valley received the ball to start the game.
Making tackles and pouncing on receivers and running backs was the title of this drive for Mead: forcing a punt from Thompson Valley almost immediately. However, to Mead’s dismay, a mistake from Thompson Valley (the long snapper aired the ball over the punter’s head) would lead to a spectacular play from the punter, who threw the ball for a 15-yard gain after catching this botched snap with one hand.
This became a particularly lengthy drive for Thompson Valley as they pushed the ball all the way up field. They scored the touchdown, making the score seven-to-nothing.
Mead’s offense came onto the field with full intention of answering the call that was Thompson Valley’s TD. Sadly, there was no caller on the other end, and no answer was found. Mead punted the ball back to Thompson Valley with minimal rest for our defense.
The defense’s lack of rest would not be an issue for Mead whatsoever. They tore through the o-line, annihilated anybody who got the ball as a team, and forced Thompson Valley to punt again.
Following several back-and-forth possessions, which were all scoreless, Charlie Baker (’25) stepped up and made the first huge play for the Mavs on defense. On a boot out to his right, a play the team had been expecting from Thompson Valley all week, Thompson Valley’s quarterback looked towards wideout Garet Hendrickson (’25) on a corner route. Mead had this route dialed into their defensive gameplan all week. Baker buckled Hendrickson’s seatbelt, locked him in tight, gave him a juicebox, and yoinked the ball from him… giving our offense the ball once again. The sideline went nuts.
But… this time Thompson Valley’s possession was short-lived. After a couple plays, Thompson Valley’s running back and quarterback ran into each other. They dropped the handoff, making way for Mead’s Spencer Muncy (’25) to land on it and gave the offense possession once again. The sideline went crazy as Muncy ran over to us. All of us players on the sideline gave him a headbutt, knucks, or a pat on the backside.
Mead scored following this exciting turn of events. On a five-yard out, Ryan St. Aubin (’26), turned, accelerated up-field, and dodged every defender who so-much dared to tackle him, turning that little out route into a 25-yard touchdown pass.
Once Thompson Valley got the ball again, Mead’s defense continued to stop them from going anywhere, ground-and-pounding the crap out of Thompson Valley completely. They punted back to the Mavs offense, who wanted some traction on their next drive to take the lead.
Mead’s tires seemed to be worn out on this drive because they couldn’t gain any traction on that turf, as they were forced to punt yet again.
Thompson Valley took this drive all the way to the redzone. But Mead’s tenacious D (as in defense) built a brick wall on the goal line. They stopped Thompson Valley from crossing that (slightly narrower than usual) goal line. Thompson Valley’s kicker, who was automatic from inside the 30, made the field goal.
On the following drive, Mead was pinned deep in their own zone. Christian Hiner (’25) dropped back to pass, firing away on one of the early plays of the drive. The ball was tipped, however, by a Thompson Valley d-lineman, and was picked by a Thompson Valley edge. He strolled across the goal line, giving Thompson Valley a massive pick six.
This was the last score of the game for Thompson Valley.
The score was 16-7 at the end of the first half.
Mead was ready to put up a hell of a fight going into the second half. As Trace Flanagan (’25) said while the players made their way to the locker room, “you can’t make a comeback if you aren’t down, boys.”
Inspirational speeches from the team’s leaders, like Dresden Spendlove (’25) and Coach Klatt had us amped and ready to go for the second half.
The third quarter was completely scoreless. A testament to Mead’s stunning defense. Hagen Williams (’25) led every player from every team in the playoffs in total tackles at a whopping 45 tackles, and had the most tackles of anybody in this game. He had an astounding 11 total tackles this game. Simply put, this man is a beast.
As the clock struck four(th), the sideline threw up fours (a gesture where each player on the team holds up four fingers for good luck in a tight game). We got loud on defense, and quiet on offense. We were paying very very very close attention to each and every play until the game was finished.
At the beginning-to-midway point in the quarter, Hiner dropped back to pass. A Thompson Valley D-lineman got to him. But, with all the swagger in the world, Hiner shrugged that dude off, and evaded the sack even while the defender had his hands placed firmly on the ball, and dropped a dime into the hands of wide receiver Noah Vroman (’25) for a stimulating 30-yard touchdown. The score was 16-14.
Hopes for the state championship were brighter than ever for Mead. The dream was there, and it was vivid.
Courtesy of a tremendous Maverick defense stampeding through the Eagles offense (who couldn’t keep up with our team after multiple punts, hard hits, and an interception for Charlie Baker (’25)—his second of the day), Mead’s offense would have yet another shot of taking that trophy home.
Mead’s offense was as breathtaking as ever on this drive. They made splendid passes up the middle of the field, rushed the ball all over Thompson Valley, and had their gears a-turnin’. For us Mead peeps, the championship was just within reach.
Things went south when Mead got to the 30-yard line, though. The Eagles had forced a fourth-and-insanely-long situation on the Mavs following some stuffery on prior plays, and a couple of penalties against MHS.
Mead had one final, last-ditch effort, to score a touchdown or get past the first down and into field goal range. All of us on the sideline stared at the game intently, praying for this to go our way.
Hiner dropped back to pass, staying inside the pocket. The pocket Hiner collapsed quickly. He was forced to ditch it out to his running back, Ryan St. Aubin (’26). Aubin, who had several long rushes and passes throughout the game, dropped the ball, and was drilled by a Thompson Valley defender shortly after. Everything went silent.
Thompson Valley kneeled the ball down a few times, putting this one away en permanence.
Tears formed in our eyes. There was a deep sense of longing in our guts, a taste of defeat on our tongues. There was an indescribable feeling that none of us could shake while we congratulated Thompson Valley’s players.
After we were awarded the state runner-up trophy, and Hiner was named the player of the game, we all huddled around our coach and took a knee. Klatt gave a speech about his love for this team, it’s players, and his ability to see greatness in each and every one of us. Those tears that formed earlier spilt into the wounds that opened during the game.
But past those tears in our eyes was a memory that will live on forever in each and every one of us. A memory of love. Love for the game, and love for the team. A memory of one of the best teams in Mead football history.
