The 32nd annual banquet for the Colorado Chapter of the National Football Foundation was staged on April 21 at the Denver West Marriott, where Air Force's Matthew Dapore, 17 high school scholar-athletes, and College and Pro Hall of Famer John Elway were honored.
 
Elway, who participated in a "fireside chat" with Jim Saccomano at the banquet, received the 2024 Joe Kearney Service Award for his contributions to Colorado football over the past several seasons, including 27 with the Denver Broncos and six with the Colorado Crush of the Arena Football League.  VIDEO
 
Dapore has an overall 3.53 cumulative grade point average in his major, Systems Engineering, with a focus on Aeronautical Engineering, for which his GPA is 3.95.  He was a semifinalist for the coveted National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy.
 
Since 1993, 374 individuals from 131 high schools, including the 2024 class, have been recognized by the Colorado Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame as Colorado Prep Football Scholar-Athletes.
 
Here are the 2024 Colorado Chapter Colorado Prep Football Scholar-Athletes:
 

• Rhett Armstrong, Palmer Ridge, 4.04 GPA
• James Basinger, Columbine, 3.6
• Mikhail Benner, Broomfield, 3.54
• Andrew Brown, The Classical Academy, 4.19
• William Daniel, Basalt, 4.16 GPA
• Jace Filleman, Regis Jesuit, 4.09
• Carson Hageman, Erie, 3.82
• Henry Hurd, Aspen, 4.66
• Gavin Lockett, Pueblo West, 3.9
• Max Mervin, Ponderosa, 3.6
• Austyn Modrzewski, Mountain Vista, 3.5
• Marcus Mozer, Fossil Ridge, 4.07
• John Niedringhaus, Legend, 4.0
• Andrew Smart, Arapahoe, 3.90
• Tanner Terch, Heritage, 3.5
• Sawyer Wald, Lutheran, 4.60
• Ned Zilinskas, Cherry Creek, 3.9

 
The 2024 Prep Scholar-Athletes were honored at the April 21 banquet along with the top collegiate performers from the 2024 season from the University of Colorado (coach Deion Sanders, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, two-way star Travis Hunter) and Colorado School of Mines (Blake Doud).
 
The following individuals also received contribution and service awards:
 

• John Adams Officiating (contributions to the profession) – Scott Saucke
• Jim Turner Award (service to Colorado youth) – Chris Lucas, Elite Youth Sports of Loveland
• Keith Jensen (service on behalf of the chapter) – William Cox
• Jim Saccomano (media and public relations contributions) – Tim Flynn, Colorado Mines
• ARC Special Champion Award – Jeremy Wade

 
The Colorado Chapter also teamed up with Canvas Credit Union to honor the most outstanding players at the 2024 Colorado High School Activities Association's championship football games in November and December, held at CSU Pueblo and Colorado State in Fort Collins.
 

• A6 Trey Scheler, RB, Cheyenne Wells
• A8 Ryland Wolff, QB, Haxtun
• 1A Sam Meisner, RB, Wray
• 2A Andrew Brown, QB, The Classical Academy
• 3A Christian Hiner, QB, Mead
• 4A Darien Jackson, QB, Broomfield
• 5A Elijah Cromwell, RB, Cherry Creek

 
Click here for the banquet program produced by David Plati.