Delta Panthers Head to Semifinals in Football Playoffs

One more win and the Delta Panthers will be playing for the state championship.

Thanks to a game-winning field goal by senior Ku Moo, the Panthers earned a hard-fought 36-34 win over Faith Christian last weekend in Delta and will head to Basalt on Saturday in the Class 2A semifinals.

Scoreboard watchers would be tempted to say the Panthers have this one in the bag based upon the first meeting between these two teams earlier this season when the Panthers crushed the Longhorns in Delta 35-6. But, wait, things are never as easy as they may first appear.

Basalt is coming off a 21-14 double-overtime win over previously unbeaten Rifle - by scoring a touchdown on 4th and goal from the 33-yard line. This is the same Rifle team than handled Delta earlier in the season by a score of 47-29. Rifle is a really good team, and getting beat by Basalt really says something about the Longhorns. That being the case, it's time to throw out all of the records, previous games, results, and history, and let this game be decided on the field, not on paper.

Delta enters the contest with a record of 10-1, Basalt is 9-2 - their other loss coming against Rifle in the regular season 21-9. Basalt is hoping to make it to the championship game for the first time in school history, while the Panthers are looking for their first state championship in football since 1960.

The Panthers are no strangers to the semifinals but have most often been met with the heartbreak of defeat. Delta has been in the semis four times since 2013, but own a 1-7 record in semi-final action. This could be the year the Panthers return to the championship game.

Kickoff is set for 1:00 Saturday in Basalt. The winner will advance to the state championship game against either Sterling or Resurrection Christian.

[COLORADO PREPS]