Solomon Latimer remained cavalier as he listened to the numbers from his performance against Westminster on Oct. 13.

The Doherty High School senior football star caught 11 passes for 304 yards and five touchdowns in a 70-34 victory against the Wolves.

This week’s Peak Performer only flashed a smile when asked about his dominance.

“What comes to mind is being thankful,” Latimer said. “We’ve had a rough season this year, so it’s nice to have a breakout game where I can do well for my team and also for myself.”

In 2022, Latimer finished the season with 79 receptions, 1,110 yards and 12 touchdowns. Through seven games this year, Latimer had 37 catches for 571 yards and four scores.

On Aug. 31 against Rampart, Latimer finished with 12 catches for a pair of touchdowns and set a then-career high in single-game receiving yards with 277.

However, the senior had a mostly tame season compared to his junior campaign.

Doherty wide receiver Solomon Latimer is this week’s peak performer. Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)

Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette

Latimer remained poised and understood he’d have an opportunity to flourish on the field before the end of his senior year.

Latimer seized that opportunity against the Wolves. Latimer said after the game, his father acknowledged his outstanding outing “in his own fatherly way.”

“He was really excited. He didn’t want to say it, but I could tell,” Latimer said. “I could see it in his face. I was on the news that night and he was excited to see that. He told me good job, but I know deep down he was excited. He was glad I was able to have that game and same with my mom. She was freaking out and telling everyone. It was nice to know that I had their support.

“(My dad) told me that while he was at Air Academy, he had six touchdowns in a game and that I was getting close to breaking that record.”

Latimer obtained his athletic excellence from his father, Derien, whose father, Ed, passed it down to him.

Derien ran for 3,150 yards his senior season at Air Academy in 1994, according to MaxPreps, and played running back for four seasons at Oregon from 1996-99.

Latimer’s grandfather, Ed, has left his fingerprints throughout Colorado prep sports, most notably in the track and field scene. Ed also ran track at East Texas State, now Texas A&M Commerce, in the 1970s.

Latimer sprinkled his athletic excellence over the field against Westminster and carved his name throughout CHSAA’s record books in the process.

Latimer’s five touchdown receptions put him in a tie for fourth place among a plethora of other Colorado receivers.

The Spartan senior’s 304 receiving yards earned him a two-way tie for 12th with Kennedy’s Ron Gallegos, who hit the mark in 2021.

Although Latimer had 11 catches in the tilt against the Wolves, last season the Spartan wideout finished with 17 against Mesa Ridge on Sept. 16, 2022, which was six shy of matching the state record of 23, set by Grand Junction’s Ryan Linderman in 1989.

“I love to hit those records because it lets me know that I’m progressing as an athlete,” Latimer said. “I’m able to climb higher and it lets me know that I’m not at the same spot as a competitor that I was at last year. Every chance I get to make a record or do something crazy or life changing I’m here for it.”

Doherty wide receiver Solomon Latimer is this week’s peak performer. Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)

Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette