Colorado’s top amateur football players — from flag football standouts to collegiate stars — will get their moment in the spotlight when the National Football Foundation’s Colorado Chapter holds its annual banquet Monday, April 20, at the Air Force Academy. It marks the first time the Academy has hosted the event.
The evening celebrates the best of the game across high school and college ranks statewide. Among the collegiate honorees, Air Force’s Bruin Fleischmann takes home Colorado Collegiate Student-Athlete of the Year, while Phil Vigil of Colorado State University Pueblo is named Collegiate Coach of the Year.
On the all-Colorado team, Drew Nash (Western) earns Offensive Player of the Year, Jake Penney (Fort Lewis) takes Defensive Player of the Year, and Bryan Hansen (Colorado State) is honored as Special Teams Player of the Year.
High School MVPs by Classification
High school most valuable players from each classification will be introduced individually at the banquet:
Girl’s Flag Football
5A — Arianna Akey, Mountain Vista
4A — Brooklyn Blair, TCA
Boy’s Football
6-Man — Gabe Kechter, Idalia
8-Man — Zach Statz, Haxtun
1A — Camdyn Tacha, Limon
2A — Tanner Gray, Wellington
3A — Luis Santana, Pomona
4A — Kellen Behrendsen, Dakota Ridge
5A — Brady Vodicka, Cherry Creek
High School Scholar-Athlete Award Winners
The following students are recognized as 2025 High School Scholar-Athlete Award winners:
Ariana Akey, Mountain Vista*; Zeke Andrews, Ralston Valley; Yianni Balafas, Kent Denver; Kellen Behrendsen, Dakota Ridge; Mason Bonner, Mullen; Thomas Buckmiller, Coronado; Lea Gentry, Denver North*; Tanner Gray, Wellington; Landon Kalsbeck, Dakota Ridge; Braelynn Looney, Mountain Vista*; Jack McKeon, Fort Collins; Keagan Mellott, Limon; Elian Oliva, Northfield; Jaxon Pyatt, Arvada West; Brody Sieck, Arapahoe; Kannon Smith, Valor Christian; Cash Spence, Valor Christian; Brady Vodicka, Cherry Creek; Elijah Womack, Montrose.
*Flag Football participant
Chapter Special Awards
The Colorado Chapter will also present its special awards: the John Adams Officiating Award goes to Clair Gausman; the Jim Turner Service to Youth Football Award to Allie Engelken; the Jim Saccomano Sports Information Contributor Award to Gary Ozzello; and the Joe Kearney Award for Contributions to the Sport of Football in Colorado to Karl Benson.
The evening will also feature a fireside chat with Ozzello and former CSU head coach Sonny Lubick, this year’s Keith Jensen Award winner for Contributions to the Colorado Chapter of the NFF.
🏈 If You Go
What: National Football Foundation Colorado Chapter Annual Banquet
When: Monday, April 20, 2026 — 6 p.m.
Where: East Club Presented by L3Harris at the Kucera Legacy Center, U.S. Air Force Academy
Directions: Enter through the North Gate of the Air Force Academy and turn left onto Stadium Dr. The stadium will be on the right. Parking is available in the paved lots at the main entrance.
Media/Base Access: Members of the media must arrange base access in advance. Contact Troy Garnhart at Troy.Garnhart@afacademy.af.edu to arrange credentials and interview requests with award winners.