There was no shortage of tears Wednesday night after No. 16 Palmer fell to No. 17 Dakota Ridge 12-8 in the first round of the Colorado High School Activities Association 4A state playoffs. 

Still, with a 7-7 record and playoff berth in their first year as a girls’ flag football team, the Terrors have much to be proud of, as coach Ryan Chesla reminded the girls afterward in a team huddle on the Garry Berry Stadium field. 

“I told them I loved all of them and am so proud of them,” Chesla said. “Obviously, we didn’t get to our end game and the end goal, but being a first-year program with a lot of inexperience … to be able to get to that point with the adversity we had with injuries and the way the girls responded to it is unbelievable.”

After the Terrors built a 6-0 lead into the half, the Eagles (7-9) scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including one after an interception. Palmer managed to add two more points from a safety in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get past a stout Dakota Ridge defense. 

“We played hard, and they kept fighting with heart, which was beautiful,” Chesla said. “But we beat ourselves in this one. First quarter, we left a lot out on the table. The end of the game, we started to have the mental lapses we’ve had all year. We just let big plays happen on us and we just weren’t able to respond in the end.”

Palmer opened the scoring late in the first quarter on a connection between freshman quarterback Noa Harrison and senior Kennedy Berry. 

“She is one of the greatest teammates I’ve ever had,” Harrison said of Berry. “She works so hard, is always willing to help us no matter what. She’s a big part of our mentality and picks us up when we are down. She is a great leader.” 

An interception by Berry gave the Terrors a chance to score again in the final seconds of the first half, but a crucial fourth-and-goal was stuffed by the Eagles.  

The score remained the same through the third quarter, but the Eagles ended it in Terrors territory and opened the fourth quarter with a touchdown on fourth down for a 6-6 tie. Dakota Ridge’s successful extra-point attempt was overturned by a penalty. 

With eight minutes remaining, Harrison was intercepted by the Eagles’ Darian Lewis, leading to a touchdown on the next drive by Dakota Ridge quarterback Giana Fabrizo for a 12-6 lead. 

Palmer gained possession for two more drives but wasn’t able to take advantage. Its only points came from a safety late in the quarter. Harrison was intercepted for a second time in the final 45 seconds, ending the contest. 

“It meant so much to get into the playoffs this year,” Harrison said. “We deserved that, we worked hard. There are so many things we can build off this season, and we have a school that supports us. The players who stayed around built connections and supported each other. Next year will be a whole new year.” 

Despite their season being cut short, Chesla is proud of how the team came together this season, especially after two of their best players were injured in the first three weeks. 

“We had to completely flip the script of what we were trying to do and have other players step up,” Chesla said. “We had a lot of players go above and beyond and surprise us with what they were going to be. It’s really bright for the future, but this year has had a lot of ups and downs. These girls have so much heart and passion and will come back stronger.”