Haxtun Bulldogs write the story of 9th State football Championship

If it were put into a book, perhaps it would be titled simply NINE and contain exactly 332 pages.

It took the 2024 Haxtun Bulldogs precisely 332 days to write their own story in a run for the school's ninth football title. On Friday, Nov. 29 at Dutch Clark Stadium in Pueblo, the story was finished, the book compete. The Haxtun Bulldogs are Champions, once again.

The Bulldogs' story isn't that of love but rather starts out tragic - ending in triumph, right where it all began.

Haxtun's football story was set into motion on Aug. 23 in Pueblo when the Bulldogs met New Mexico's reigning State Champion Melrose Buffaloes. Despite an eight point advantage at half time, the Bulldogs fell 44-36, returning home with a season opener loss.

But there was more to the Bulldog's story. As a matter of fact, at that point, it was just an outline.

After that first contest, Haxtun went on to face Wichita County, Sanford, Crowley County and Front Range Christian in non-conference battles, picking up four straight wins while outscoring their opponents 202-18.

In the following chapter, the Bulldogs moved into League play where they met Merino, Akron, Dayspring Christian Academy and Sedgwick County - chalking up four additional wins all while allowing only 12 points from Plains League teams. In doing so, Haxtun secured the 2024 Plains League Title, the team's third in four years.

The then 8-1 Bulldogs clinched the number one spot in 8-man post season rankings and entered the Colorado High School Activities Association bracket with home field advantage.

In what would be the midway point of the writing process, Haxtun cruised to victory in contests against Hoehne, Sanford and Mancos at Adam Wernsman Field. Those three wins secured the Bulldogs a spot in the Colorado 8-Man State Finals for the third time in the past four years. In the three playoff games leading up to the Championship, Haxtun gave up only 16 points to their gridiron opponents.

As the story reached its climax, the stage was set for the Bulldogs to face the Akron Rams, a fellow Plains League team, in the Colorado 8-man State Championship in what would surely be a battle of fast, physical football. And as many good stories go, it ended just as it began, with a trip to Pueblo.

Thanksgiving Day, the Bulldogs boarded a bus for the 260 mile drive to southern Colorado, but not before a true, proper send off from the Haxtun community including lights and sirens from the local police and fire departments.

Friday morning, game day, football dads made the team breakfast and then as a group they watched Haxtun's first ever football championship, which came in 1975 under the direction of Don Davis. Senior guard Tate Michael's grandpa, Larry Wilson, was a member of the '75 team that made Haxtun history. Then it was game time, at Dutch Clark Stadium.

"Dutch is a beautiful stadium with so much Colorado high school sports history," said Bulldog Head Coach JD Stone. "It was a true blessing and experience for the players and coaches."

Despite a 48-point win over Akron earlier in the season, Bulldog coaches, players and fans expected a much different game come championship time.

"We knew Akron had changed a lot over the last two months, we couldn't go into the game with the same game plan," Stone said. "So we made some changes ... and the boys executed it very well."

Walking out onto the field, Stone said he told his players to play solid football for 48 minutes, like every play was their last.

"And to play with love in their hearts for each other and nothing could get in their way," Stone added.

The Rams won the coin toss but deferred to the second half, giving Haxtun the ball to start the contest. On the very first play, a quarterback keeper from senior Ryland Wolff gave the Bulldogs their first six points of the game.

The Bulldog defense forced Akron to punt in their first possession and Haxtun took over on the 30 yard line. With a 52-yard run, Wolff put the Bulldogs within scoring position and two plays later, junior Zach Statz slid into the end zone with a nine-yard drive for a Haxtun touchdown. A trick play call from Stone gave Corbin Andersen the call to give the Bulldogs an added two points at the end of the drive as well as a 14-0 lead.

Akron scored on their next possession for the Rams first points of the game, but any momentum the Rams picked up was snatched right back as junior Colin Cone ran the kickoff return back for a 95-yard touchdown to put the Bulldogs up, 20-8. In the next offensive possession, Haxtun drove to the north end zone and as the clock ticked away, junior Cole Firme punched one in for six to give the Bulldogs 26 on the board.

The Rams picked up steam just before half time, taking the ball down inside the 30 yard line, but an off sides call pushed Akron back to a second and 13 and then again to third and 14. The Bulldog defense fired off the line and senior Grant Statz sacked the Rams quarterback for a loss. The very next play, the Bulldogs came up with a second straight sack, this time from senior Brandon Nall, to force the Rams to give the ball up on downs in a huge defensive stop, perhaps the biggest, in the first half. Haxtun held the advantage, 26-14.

"We didn't need to make any adjustments," Stone said of his team's performance at the half. "We just needed to execute and take care of the ball."

Akron got the ball to start the third and in yet another big defensive stop, Haxtun held the Rams on fourth down at the one yard line. The Bulldog offense struggled in their first outing out of half time and a fumble on a punt resulted in an Akron touchdown to put the game within six.

Zach Statz marched up the field, putting the Bulldog offense at the 12 yard line. In a roller coaster possession, the Bulldogs fumbled, but then picked up a recovery the very next play. Zach Statz scored right after getting the ball back, adding a touchdown and the two point conversion, to increase the Bulldog's advantage to 14.

Throughout the rest of the contest, Wolff managed two more touchdowns in his final outing in his #11 jersey to put his team up 46-20 at the final buzzer.

The win marks the final chapter in the 2024 team's story that will sit alongside others in history books at Haxtun High as the School's ninth Championship, giving true meaning to the team's chosen hash tag, #WOS - write our story.

The win over Akron gives this year's seniors bookend Championships with impressive four-year careers that includes a 2021 8-man State Championship, a 2022 final four finish, 2023 8-man State Runner-Up Title and a 2024 8-man Championship.

The eight seniors, Bret Kanode, Braden Plumb, Tate Michael, Brandon Nall, Avian Calderon, Ryan Davis, Ryland Wolff and Grant Statz, hold a spectacular 48-4 high school record. The group lost only seven games in their combined six years of junior high and high school football.

"This year's team has been very special to me because of the brotherhood we have created. I believe our trust in each other is what set us up for success," said Grant Statz. "This feeling of accomplishment is something I will never forget and nothing will ever be able to take this away."

It could be of no coincidence that this exact team clinched #9 for Haxtun. In numerology, the number nine holds great significance and power as it symbolizes the idea of completion, but not finality. As if this group wrote their story and made their mark in history but paved the way for those who come after.

Nine is also often associated with leadership, the ability to influence others, humanitarianism and the desire to help others. People with a presence of the number nine are believed to be selfless and eager to serve others. Perhaps that shows in the way this group signs autographs, high fives and meets all requests from even the littlest of Bulldogs who eagerly meet players at center field game after game.

When asked what he would always remember about this year's team, Stone said it would be the relationships.

"I asked them all to open up to each other and create more than just a football team and they did," he said. "After the game, the only thing I told the boys was that I loved them."

The story of the 2024 Bulldogs will join eight others in Haxtun High School's records including Champion teams from 1975, 1981, 1989, 1990, 1991, 2000, 2004 and 2021.

NINE's prologue would most definitely highlight this year's nearly perfect 12-1 overall record and 4-0 Plains League finish along with a remarkable 12-game winning streak that left the Bulldogs heroes in their own story.

"To win my final game as a Bulldog creates a humongous feeling of pride and accomplishment within myself and my team," said Grant Statz. "To become part of Haxtun's ninth Championship creates a special feeling because of the Bulldog tradition we get to follow."