All Hail: Erie's Barnett is Colorado's 11-man football touchdown king
Oct. 20—ERIE — Move aside Christian McCaffrey, Erie quarterback Blake Barnett is Colorado's new 11-man touchdown king.
Barnett embraced wide receiver Kaveh Meredith after they connected for the record-breaking score in the final moments of the opening half in their 57-13 win over Longmont Friday night, uttering to him, "I can't believe it. I can't believe it."
It came in front of a rowdy sea of orange-cladded home fans, in pursuit of the all-pro running back, who came into the night with the state's 11-man career TD record all to himself at 141. The game was briefly put on pause to acknowledge the feat as he posed for pictures with his family on the field, holding out the football that logged No. 142 of his career.
"In the moment, I was like, 'I can't believe it," Barnett said. "It was Kaveh's birthday, so I'm so happy I got him the ball."
Barnett had largely kept quiet about chasing the record this fall. He'd acknowledged it, praised McCaffrey with a boyish grin only a starstruck fan could have. But in those conversations, he was always quick to put his team's chase for a state title back at the forefront.
But as the spotlight grew with every TD closer, he couldn't help but find the center of it.
A 59-yard TD run pulled him within one of history early in the second quarter, made out of some of the same stuff that captured the local football scene's attention the past two seasons when he willed the Tigers to the title game in 2021 and the semifinals a year ago.
While it was his pure athleticism on display on a called-back TD pass earlier in the game — rolling to his right, then averting tackles as he swung all the way back to his left before dropping a 40-some-yard dime in front of the end zone — his long TD run had been one of those times his coaches marvel about, when he just won't be denied.
Spinning out of tackles along the home sideline, plowing through defenders, he somehow kept his balance in for No. 140. He tied McCaffrey on an interception he took back 45 yards and grabbed the record on, at least in contrast, a rather simple 9-yard throw placed just over a defender and into Meredith's arms.
"Sometimes I think he misses a read, so you kind of get frustrated with him. But God smiled on him in genetics and he's just special," Erie coach Jeff Giger smiled. "You got to let him be him and you just expect (greatness). And I feel like it's the bigger the game, the more it comes out."
The three different ways of scoring came in a span of 10 minutes and 10 seconds of game time and was a perfect illustration of his dynamic play across the field. He finished the night with three more TDs in the second half, giving him 145 in his career — 81 passing, 61 rushing, one reception, one punt return, and his pick-six Friday.
Woodlin's Harold Klausner holds the record for most-known total touchdowns in state history with 160, playing 6-man football.
Erie (8-1, 3-0 4A Northern 2), ranked 4A No. 2 in the Select Media Poll, wrapped up a league title with the win. Gavin Lusk added a rushing TD and Mason Cowgill caught a 65-yard TD pass from Barnett in the second half. The Tigers are at Greeley West Oct. 28.
Longmont (5-4, 3-1) got two more touchdowns from Cole Gaddis, giving him 22 in nine games this season. The Trojans are at Loveland next Friday.
