Game Details - Football

In the first round of the 2A State Tournament, No. 9 Judge Memorial visits No. 8 Providence Hall in what has quickly become a budding rivalry. Since Providence Hall fielded its team in 2019, they lead the all-time series 6-1, with this being their second playoff encounter. Their first postseason meeting was in 2021, when Providence Hall dominated with a 44-12 victory. Judge Memorial enters with a record of (1-9, 0-4 2A North), scoring 88 points while allowing 405 throughout the season. Despite the struggles, they secured a notable win against Ben Lomond (29-6), highlighting potential in key moments. Offensive efforts are led by Michael Gibbons, who has rushed for 382 yards and 4 touchdowns, and Mavrick Middleton, adding 170 rushing yards and four scores. Elijah Florez has thrown for 106 yards and a touchdown, with Kheari Lark contributing 238 receiving yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Erik Mickelson leads with 71 tackles. Providence Hall, holding a (2-8, 1-3 2A North) record, scored 172 points while conceding 359. This season's highlights include a 29-19 win over Gunnison Valley and a recent victory against Judge Memorial (21-13) in their September 19 matchup. In that meeting, they established a 15-7 halftime lead and withstood a late push from Judge Memorial to secure the win. Their defense was crucial in clamping down on Judge Memorial through the middle quarters. The winner of this game advances to the quarterfinals to face top-seeded San Juan on October 31. Both teams aim to extend their seasons, with Providence Hall looking to leverage their historical success in this series and Judge Memorial eager to reverse their fortunes.