Sports

Published October 25, 2026 4:00pm | Updated October 25, 2026 4:51pm

No, The Classical Academy’s first regular-season loss since 2023 is not motivation ahead of the football playoffs.

Was the loss to Elizabeth last Friday disappointing? Of course. But Justin Rich knows his players understand their goal is to compete in the final week of the season.

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“We don’t really talk about motivation; we talk more about grit,” the Classical Academy coach said after the loss to Elizabeth. “Grit is doing the right thing over and over. Motivation wears off. If you have a science teacher who’s going to motivate you before a science test, that motivation is gone after the third question and you have no clue what you’re doing.”

The Colorado High School Activities Association released 2A playoff brackets Sunday, and The Classical Academy (8-1) earned the No. 2 seed. While postseason games begin on Halloween, TCA has a first-round bye and will host either No. 15 Coal Ridge or No.…