Legend finally got its flag football championship. The Titans beat Arvada West 7-0 in the Class 5A title game on Saturday at Trailblazer Stadium, a result built almost entirely on a defense that refused to let the Golden Eagles get comfortable.
The win was the school's fourth state title overall, following three in softball in 2017, 2018 and 2021. It also came after a semifinal victory over two-time defending champion Mountain Vista, 25-20, on Oct. 21, the program's first win against that opponent.
For coach Darren Pitzner, the title carried extra weight. In 2025 he lost two state championship games to standout talents: his girls basketball team fell to five-star recruit Sienna Betts and Grandview in March, and his flag football team lost to quarterback Ariana Akey and Mountain Vista last October. "When you lose one to an absolute unicorn like Ariana Akey or Sienna Betts, those are almost a little easier to swallow," Pitzner said. This time, he said, the pressure was greater because the team knew it could win.
The defensive plan shifted between Cover 3 and man coverage while sending pressure at opposing quarterbacks Peyton Marr of Mountain Vista and Emerson Drake of Arvada West. Pitzner described it as a "smoke-and-mirrors approach": one defender rushed hard to keep the quarterback from escaping to her right, while another worked to keep her in front on scrambles.
Junior quarterback Addyson Law threw four touchdowns in the semifinal. In the final, her first-quarter scoring pass to junior Ella Smith was the only score of the game. Law, who is also the Titans' starting point guard in basketball, called it one of her "trust throws," delivered as the receiver comes out of her break.
The defense made the biggest plays. Against Mountain Vista, senior Jenna Brown intercepted a pass late in the third quarter, and with about a minute left junior Sasha O'Hara broke up what would have been a go-ahead touchdown in the end zone. O'Hara is the daughter of defensive coordinator Scott O'Hara. In the title game, Legend intercepted Drake four times against an Arvada West offense that had averaged 35.6 points, including 48 against Chaparral in the semifinals. Senior Noelle Ho had two interceptions, junior Tatum Burke had one, and junior Reagan Steuber sealed it with under two minutes left as Arvada West drove into Legend territory. Steuber was named Most Outstanding Player.
"I was able to just put my foot in the ground and come downhill and luckily get the pick," Steuber said. She added that the sideline reaction was "surreal," with people crying.
The title completed a steady climb. Legend reached the Great 8 in 2023, the Final 4 in 2024 and the championship game last year. Senior running back and rusher Tori Curdie, who had 1,205 all-purpose yards, 19 total touchdowns and 70 flag pulls including 47 sacks, was among the four-year players who anchored that rise. The Titans also had two 1,000-yard receivers in Smith and Presli Easley, and rebuilt an offense that lost its 2025 all-state quarterback and top receivers.
The championship arrives as flag football keeps growing. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, participation among girls rose from 15,716 in 2021-22 to 102,360 in 2025-26, an increase of 551%. Colorado had 82 teams this season, 36 in 5A and 46 in 4A, up from 62 two years ago. In 4A, The Classical Academy beat Vista Ridge 34-18 for a second straight title. Pitzner said he is seeing more depth and parity in 5A and hopes more schools add the sport.
