Mike Tyson once said: “Everyone has plans until they get punched in the mouth.”

That saying rings true for Palmer Ridge, which nearly experienced a second-round KO prior to its 4A championship game against No. 1 seed Dakota Ridge, schedule for 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Colorado State University’s Canvas Stadium.

Palmer Ridge, the No. 3 seed, cruised past Mesa Ridge 35-7 in their regular season tilt. But the No. 14 seed Grizzlies took a 16-13 lead in the third quarter – Palmer Ridge’s first deficit of the season – in their Nov. 14 playoff matchup.

“That game woke them up as to how fast their season could end if they don’t worry about the details and their execution. That helped sharpen us for practices,” Palmer Ridge coach Zach Carlton said.

A 52-yard run by Carter Charron gave the Bears a 19-16 lead and the eventual win in the second-round game. It is a situation Carlton said he’s thankful players experienced.

“They’ve been locked in since that point. The further you get, there’s more motivation to remain in the playoffs,” Carlton said. “Before that, I don’t know how much adversity they had faced. Having the opportunity to get punched in the mouth by a good team and standing back up was good to see. I think everybody grew up that night.”

In their rematch with Broomfield, the team that ended the Bears’ 2024 playoff run in the quarterfinals, Palmer Ridge nearly had a running clock. The Bears built a 35-7 halftime lead against last year’s state champions and advanced to the semis with a 45-27 victory. But adversity returned early in Palmer Ridge’s semifinals road game at Montrose last week.

Against the No. 2 seed Red Hawks Cole Harris threw an interception on Palmer Ridge’s second play. But the Bears clawed back and, in the fourth quarter, the lefty QB sealed the contest with a 12-yard pass on fourth and 6 to Zak Crisler for a 31-29 win.

Carlton again commended the Bears for their poise, but not just on the field, outside the lines as well. Ahead of the title game, the Colorado High School Activities Association on Tuesday hosted 5A, 4A and 3A championship qualifiers with a tour of their soon-to-be battleground.

Between the Fort Collins trip and numerous interviews, Carlton said players remain focused on their goal. 

“It’s fun to go up to Fort Collins but at the end of the day, we want to go up there to win, not just for a tour,” senior Brody Elliott said. “We lost (at state) our sophomore year and lost early last year. It’s not about the interviews or tours, it’s about winning.”

To capture that win, the Bears have to tame a Dakota Ridge offense that averages 40.5 points per game and features dynamic athletes. Washington State signee Landon Kalsbeck leads the Eagles in rushing yards (967), rushing touchdowns (15), total tackles (96), tackles for loss (15), fumbles caused (5) and recovered (3). Kalsbeck is also tied for first in sacks with seven.

Eagles quarterback Kellen Behrendsen is one of the most precise passers in the nation with a .819 completion percentage on 221-of-270 passing with 3,104 yards, 38 touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Bears certainly respect their opposition’s credentials, but Palmer Ridge players already learned a lesson from shifting their attention to their opponents.

“We have to focus more on us,” senior Owen Twesme said. “The previous year we focused so much on who they had, what they were doing and we went out there and didn’t play our best. If we play to our standard, it doesn’t matter who we play. We can beat them. We focus on what we need to focus on.”

The Bears nearly captured their first 4A title – Palmer Ridge owns three 3A championships – in 2023, but lost 20-7 to Erie in the title game at CSU. Elliott doesn’t want to fathom returning to Monument without the gold plaque in his final year.

“It’s not really revenge,” Elliott said. “It’s our turn.”