Palmer Ridge football gained perspective to conclude the 2024 campaign.  

The Bears will return to the semifinals at 1 p.m. Saturday as No. 3 Palmer Ridge travels to No. 2 Montrose for the penultimate weekend of the season.

But last season marked the first time in three years the Bears (12-0) missed the 4A semifinals. Palmer Ridge lost 32-23 to eventual state champs Broomfield in last year’s quarterfinals but eliminated the Eagles 45-27 last Saturday.

Of course, the victory was sweet, but the Bears get to train during Thanksgiving break while most other schools and teams prepare for winter sports.

“It’s surreal and a privilege to practice right now,” senior Brody Elliott said. “Most people are sleeping in, but we get to come out here and put the work in to continue our season. It means a lot.”

Including Saturday’s tilt with the Red Hawks (12-0) the Bears will have played in seven semifinals since 2017. The Bears earned three consecutive 3A titles from 2017-19 and advanced to the 4A championship contest in 2020.

Palmer Ridge also clinched a berth in the title game in 2023 but finished as runner-up and the Bears remain on the hunt for their first 4A championship.

“In the back of our minds, we always think about what we’re working toward,” senior Owen Twesme said. “The thought of winning state and the opportunity to get there is what keeps us going.”

In addition to several semifinal appearances, the Bears have not missed the quarterfinals since 2017. The constant grind of lengthy seasons helped Bears coach Zach Carlton understand the need to sprinkle in fun challenges at practices.

As players focus on routine drills, coaches also implement challenges to “keep kids guessing.”

“We recognize how easy it is for kids to burn out if practice is constantly high stress,” Carlton said. “Since our bye week, we’ve added in daily competitions to keep things fresh. … Sometimes those are 1-on-1 scenarios, or we had kids all over the field and they had to punt relay to each other. We try to hit the reset button then dial back in on details. You can see the shift in practice tempo or last week we saw it when guys weren’t as tense for that game. They were focused and ready to go and played free and loose.”

As practice wrapped Wednesday morning at Palmer Ridge’s turf field, players and coaches gathered in a circle for a round of fist bumps. It’s a tradition the Bears do after games and practices that Carlton said “just happened naturally” over the years.

It’s a small token of gratitude, but one that all parties appreciate and highlights another successful day at the office.

“I’m thankful my family lets me do this,” Carlton said. “Being part of a coach’s family isn’t always easy, especially since we’re gone so much. But last year, not getting to practice on Thanksgiving really puts this game and week in perspective. We earned another seven days with our guys and we appreciate this because we do this for the kids.”