Vote: Who Is Colorado High School Football Player of the Week for Week 0?

Six-touchdown quarterbacks, explosive running backs and two-way standouts highlight the nominees from Colorado's opening week.

Monarch running back Malakhi Payne (with ball) | Matthew Jonas/Boulder Daily Camera

The 2026 Colorado high school football season is under way, and Week 0 produced plenty of standout performances across the state.

Now it's your turn to decide who should be the first High School On SI Colorado Football Player of the Week of the 2026 season. Read about the Week 0 nominees below, then cast your vote in the poll.

MORE: Colorado High School Football Top 25 Rankings: No. 1 Cherry Creek survives opening scare

Voting will remain open until Sunday, Aug. 30 at 11:59 p.m. PT. The winner will be announced in next week's poll.

Raleigh Cleveland, Forge Christian

A senior, Cleveland rushed for 153 yards on 14 carries and four TDs, and also caught two passes for 70 yards and another score in the Fury’s 55-24 win against Fort Lupton.

Colter Espinoza, Ponderosa

Espinoza, a senior quarterback, completed 22-of-33 passes for 337 yards and six TDs as the Mustangs defeated fellow Parker school Lutheran 48-18.

Jace Garcia, Fort Collins

Garcia completed 22 of 33 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Lambkins to a 21-20 win against state-ranked Columbine.

Gabe Kechter, Idalia

Kechter, a senior running back/linebacker, touched the ball four times in Idalia’s 60-6 win against Genoa-Hugo. All four went for touchdowns. He rushed for 159 yards on three carries with three TDs, and caught a 55-yard TD pass. On defense, he had three tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and even blocked a punt on special teams.

Gavin Malave, Bethune

A sophomore receiver/linebacker, Malave registered 10 tackles, including six solo stops, four sacks and seven quarterback pressures in a 66-12 win against Deer Trail. He also caught a touchdown pass on offense.

Amari McBroom, Mesa Ridge

McBroom rushed for 100 yards and added 117 yards on kickoff returns, including an 85-yard touchdown, in the Grizzlies' 28-12 win against Vista Ridge.

Magnus Newman, Palmer Ridge

In the Bears’ 35-14 win against Pueblo East, Newman caught nine passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns in the Bears' 35-14 win against Pueblo East.

Malakhi Payne, Monarch

Payne carried 22 times for 267 yards and four touchdowns, including scoring runs of 95 and 58 yards, in Monarch's 39-13 win against Pomona.

Dakari Releford, Fountain-Fort Carson

A senior tailback, Releford gained 182 yards on 14 carries and scored two TDs in his team’s 35-27 win against Chaparral.

Ezekiel Rodriguez, Thornton

Rodriguez completed 15 of 22 passes for 351 yards and five touchdowns and added another score on the ground in the Trojans' 49-25 win against The Academy.

Jeremiah Sisneros, Lakewood

In his varsity debut, the freshman rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries in Lakewood's 45-15 win against Wheat Ridge. It was the Tigers' first season-opening victory since 2019.

Joe White, Limon

White threw for 110 yards and two touchdowns and added an interception and five solo tackles on defense in the defending state champion Badgers' 34-0 win against Wiggins.

About Our Athlete of the Week Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.