It’s here! The end of the football season has arrived, and what a joy it’s been to watch these seniors grow. I took some time to ask every senior on the football team a few questions. Here are their responses. 

The Profile: What’s your favorite memory from this season? Overall favorite memory?

Senior Safety/Corner Matthew Gutierrez- “My favorite memory was winning my first homecoming game as it was also my last.” 

Senior Defensive End Ian Petty- “My favorite memory from this season was winning our homecoming game and my overall favorite memory is knocking Fairview High School out of the playoffs Sophomore year.” 

Senior Defensive End Tristen Salazar- “My favorite memory from this season would be knocking a kid out during the homecoming game. This is one of the things I have always wanted to do because it really does show hard work in the weight room. My overall favorite memory from football is all of Coach Nelson’s iconic names for the players!” 

Senior Defensive End Jordan Niles- “My favorite memory from this season was winning our homecoming game. Overall, my favorite memory is when Coach Nelson’s teeth fell out in practice.” 

Senior Cornerback Cooper Paugh- “My favorite memory from this season is winning our first homecoming game, then the comeback against Brighton High School. Overall is last year’s final game against Prairie View High School.” 

Senior Kicker Gavin Louder- “My personal favorite memory is kicking a 40-yard Field Goal but my overall favorite memory is every team dinner we’ve had.” 

Senior Defensive Tackle Ryan Klein- “My favorite memory is running on the field Friday nights with my boys.” 

Senior Defensive Back/Cornerback AJ Brown- “My favorite memory from this season was my first tackle of the year. It was a screenplay against Eaglecrest High School. My overall favorite memory was how we didn’t give up against Brighton High School and won by 1 point.” 

Senior Wide Receiver Lucas Wilt- “My favorite memory from this season is winning our game against Rangeview High School for Horizon’s first homecoming win in a while. My overall favorite memory from football was my sophomore season, I learned a lot from coaches and other players.” 

Senior Wide Receiver Alex McCollum- “My favorite moment from football is when I scored my first touchdown at a home game and being able to look up in the crowd and see everyone cheering.”

Senior Tight End Blake Barnes- “My favorite memory from this season would be all of the team dinners with my teammates.” 

Senior Defensive Line Isaac Miranda- “My favorite memory from this season was balling out with my boys one last time and having fun while doing it.” 

Senior Defensive Line Miguel Herrera- “Overall the best memory on the team was going up to Boulder to play Fairview High School and everyone was drenched from the rain.” 

Senior Offensive Line Jackson Davis- “My favorite memory was hearing Alex snap the ball in the first game against Douglas County High School my junior year for sure, it was the first time I’d been back from my knee surgery and it was a milestone for me to come back and start.” 

Senior Defensive Line Dominic Gollihare- “My favorite part was the fans for the games.” 

Senior Running Back Tidus Xiong- “My favorite memory from this season was at the very end when we all hugged and cried together for the last time. I don’t particularly have a favorite memory overall.” 

The Profile: How do you feel about your high school football season coming to an end?

Senior Safety/Corner Matthew Gutierrez- “It definitely hurts, and I’m not ready for it.” 

Senior Defensive End Ian Petty- “I am going to miss my friends and fellow seniors and miss playing under the lights on Friday nights.” 

Senior Defensive End Tristen Salazar- “It feels surreal that my high school football career is coming to an end. It is something I never thought would come so quickly so honestly I feel scared and sad for what is going to happen next.” 

Senior Defensive End Jordan Niles- “I’m sad that my last season is ending, but I’m looking forward to moving on with the year and getting closer to college.” 

Senior Cornerback Cooper Paugh- “I’m honestly so sad that it’s over. Doesn’t really feel real, seems like it went by so fast.” 

Senior Kicker Gavin Louder- “I feel bittersweet about it, we won’t have 6 a.m. weights or run anymore gassers but at the same time I won’t be able to experience this ever again.” 

Senior Defensive Tackle Ryan Klein- “It’s something that I never really thought would come, now that it’s here I know it is going to be hard to give up.” 

Senior Defensive Back/Cornerback AJ Brown- “I am sad that a very important part of my life for the past four years is ending but I am happy that it is with the teammates I have.” 

Senior Wide Receiver Lucas Wilt- “I’m obviously sad but I’ve accepted that it was going to come to an end at some point and I feel like I’ve left a lot on the field and I had a good run.” 

Senior Wide Receiver Alex McCollum- “I am definitely sad that my high school football season is coming to an end, I have made so many friends and memories in just my 2 years of playing and I will miss it deeply.”

Senior Tight End Blake Barnes- “I’m sad about the football season coming to an end knowing I’ll never play again but I’m glad I get to do it with my team.” 

Senior Defensive Line Isaac Miranda- “I think I have kind of accepted my season coming to an end. I am forever grateful for what football has done for me and the memories it has given me.” 

Senior Defensive Line Miguel Herrera- “I feel a bit sad because I loved hanging out with the boys but I would almost start crying when we had to condition.” 

Senior Offensive Line Jackson Davis- “I feel good about it, I’ve put myself in a position to be able to accept it. All the effort I’ve given the game, and for it to end, I have peace with it knowing I’ve tried my best.” 

Senior Defensive Line Dominic Gollihare- “I feel sad, all my favorite things are coming to an end with all my best friends.” 

Senior Running Back Tidus Xiong- “I feel glad and sad about my season coming to an end. It all feels so surreal that these last 4 years have come and gone so fast. But I’m happy that it came to an end with all of the people I’d love to call family.” 

The Profile: Do you have any plans after high school? Will you continue to play football?

Senior Safety/Corner Matthew Gutierrez- “If God is willing for me to play then I will, but if not I will try to go to college and get a four-year degree in Marketing and Sales.” 

Senior Defensive End Ian Petty- “I plan to go to college and I will play football if I can.” 

Senior Defensive End Tristen Salazar- “I am going to attend the Colorado School of Mines where I will study Mining Engineering. I am also working on playing football for them.” 

Senior Defensive End Jordan Niles- “After high school, I will go to college. I’m not playing football in college but I will be studying Engineering.” 

Senior Cornerback Cooper Paugh- “After high school, I’m planning on going to college for track, but probably not playing football.” 

Senior Kicker Gavin Louder- “I plan on getting an apprenticeship and working in the trades, though if an opportunity arises to play at the next level I would take it.” 

Senior Defensive Tackle Ryan Klein- “After high school, I plan on attending college, if football is an option I will consider playing at the next level.” 

Senior Defensive Back/Cornerback AJ Brown- “I plan on going to college for Engineering and I will not play football later on.” 

Senior Wide Receiver Lucas Wilt- “My plans after high school are to attend school in Colorado, I don’t think I will continue to play football but that could change you never know. I want to explore other aspects of life and what it has to offer.” 

Senior Wide Receiver Alex McCollum- “My plans after high school is to go to college and I could potentially play college football but most likely will play college basketball.” 

Senior Tight End Blake Barnes- “After the season, I’ll go to college and focus on becoming a Pharmacist.” 

Senior Defensive Line Isaac Miranda- “Although I love football with everything inside of me I will not be playing at the next level but I will be going to college.” 

Senior Defensive Line Miguel Herrera- “I’m kind of confused as to what I want to do after high school. If the opportunity is there to continue to play football, I might consider doing it but I’m still in the works in finding out what I’m going to do.”

Senior Offensive Line Jackson Davis- “Not for sports, but to get an education hopefully in Sports Health.” 

Senior Defensive Line Dominic Gollihare- “I will continue my education with Business Management.” 

Senior Running Back Tidus Xiong- “I plan to go to college for Engineering and I don’t really know if I want to continue to play at the next level. I will if I have the opportunity. 

The Profile: Any advice for the upcoming seniors? 

Senior Safety/Corner Matthew Gutierrez- “Don’t take any of this time you have left for granted because it comes up on you quicker than you think. Just three years ago I was a freshman then 29 games later I am coming up on my last game ever.” 

Senior Defensive End Ian Petty- “Cherish every moment that you can because it flies by quick.” 

Senior Defensive End Tristen Salazar- “Play like it’s your last game! You never know when it is going to come to an end. So really take the time to cherish the moments you get with the sport.” 

Senior Defensive End Jordan Niles- “My advice to upcoming seniors would be to have fun and play every game like it’s your last.” 

Senior Cornerback Cooper Paugh- “Upcoming seniors, don’t take it for granted, enjoy the memories and moments while you can. Take advantage of going to events and have fun with football while you still can.” 

Senior Kicker Gavin Louder- “Enjoy every moment and soak it in, it goes quick.” 

Senior Defensive Tackle Ryan Klein- “Don’t give up when times get rough.” 

Senior Defensive Back/Cornerback AJ Brown- “Build good connections with the people in your class and the grade below. It makes playing more easy and fun with them on the field.” 

Senior Wide Receiver Lucas Wilt- “My advice to upcoming seniors would be to not take anything for granted, it comes a lot quicker than you think. Also, build a deeper connection with your coaches, they can teach you about a lot more than just football.” 

Senior Wide Receiver Alex McCollum- “Advice for the upcoming senior is to never procrastinate and wait to do something in sports or school because you think you have time. Because you will be a senior before you know it and that time will be running up very quickly.” 

Senior Tight End Blake Barnes- “My advice to the upcoming seniors would be to enjoy it while it lasts.” 

Senior Defensive Line Isaac Miranda- “My advice for upcoming seniors is to work, have fun, and ball out. You have one more season, don’t let it disappoint.” 

Senior Defensive Line Miguel Herrera- “Cherish the time to be young and dumb but also be smart in the decision you make and if you make a decision stick with it. Stay truthful to that decision.” 

Senior Offensive Line Jackson Davis- “Take every moment in, you hear everyone say how fast it goes by, but nothing about that statement is wrong. It felt like 15 minutes went by when it was my last junior game, and I’m sitting here typing this in Anatomy on my last ever game day.” 

Senior Defensive Line Dominic Gollihare- “My advice for the upcoming seniors is to never take a play off because you don’t know if you can get it back.” 

Senior Running Back Tidus Xiong- “As for advice, all I can say is make the most of the time and opportunities that you have. It comes and goes by faster than you’d ever imagine, but it’ll be some of the best memories and moments of your life.”