The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate football team had its matchup against the Coal Ridge Titans canceled this past week due to the team being unable to travel during severe weather.
The Pirates ended the regular season as the No. 18-ranked team in the state’s 2A division, earning a playoff spot.
The Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) approved a 24-team playoff bracket last year for the state’s 2A division.
The Pirates are now scheduled to take on the No.14 Banning Lewis Academy Stallions in Colorado Springs on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 1 p.m.
Coach Nathan Morales spoke about the Pirates’ game against Coal Ridge being canceled, expressing some frustration.
“It probably kept us from getting a home playoff game,” he said, explaining that a win against Coal Ridge likely would’ve moved the Pirates up in the state’s rankings.
Morales added that is all kind of in “hindsight” now, as the team turns its focus to Banning Lewis.
“It was unfortunate,” Morales said, explaining the Pirates wanted to play Coal Ridge, but with the cancellation the team was able to take another week of rest before playoffs.
“Would we have rather played the game? One-hundred percent, but that was out of our control,” Morales said, reiterating that the Pirates are in the playoffs, “and now we’re focused on that.”
Morales mentioned that it’s “exciting” entering the playoffs as every game is now a win-or-go-home scenario.
“We’re a good football team that deserves to be in the playoffs,” he added.
Morales explained that the Pirates intend to leave on Friday and have a night’s rest in Colorado Springs before their matchup against the Stallions.
“We gotta go down there and play well, and be physical,” he said, noting that taking care of the football and creating turnovers on defense will be crucial for the Pirates to get a victory.
“[There’s] usually a big special teams play, too,” Morales added. “That’s usually who wins these games.”
Morales reiterated that the Pirates simply need to execute on all sides of the ball as “that’s what winning in the playoffs looks like.”
He also mentioned that the 2A division is highly competitive this year, with multiple state champion contenders in the playoffs.
“We’ll be fighting for that, and if you don’t believe that as a competitor, why are you competing?” Morales said.
He also spoke about how the Pirates need to be road warriors and his message to the team early on in the season was that they would have to travel well given their schedule in the Western Slope League.
The Pirates played away games in La Junta, Delta and Aspen this season.
“That’s the nature of the beast that we face every year in Pagosa,” he said.
The Pirates have yet to win a road game this season.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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