Dakota Ridge QB commits to Northern Colorado ahead of senior year

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A Littleton quarterback is gearing up for his nal season of high school football, but he has already decided which college he wants to play for despite the o ers still coming his way.

Blake Palladino of Dakota Ridge High School had a busy o season. Not only was he preparing himself for his senior campaign on the eld, he was sorting through options that would determine his future. After visits to several Division I programs over the past year, including Wyoming, Colorado, Hawaii, North Dakota State, and Pittsburgh, Palladino ofcially committed to the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.

“It’s an opportunity for me to play football at a really high level in my home state,” Palladino said. “I also have relatives that played up there. My uncle won a national championship with them in the 2000s. My other uncle played baseball up there.”

Palladino’s junior season was his best one yet. According to MaxPreps, the 6-foot-3 quarterback for the Eagles threw for 15 touchdowns and 1,392 yards, while adding 608 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. at’s an even 2,000 all-purpose yards.

His boost in rushing this season was by design, said Coach Ron Woitalewicz of Dakota Ridge. It keeps the defense on its toes and allows the Hawks to do more on o ense, making it one of Palladino’s best weapons, and one that was relatively untapped until his junior season.

Prior to last year, Palladino had only rushed for a career 273 yards; not even half of his 608 last fall. It became a point of emphasis for the team early into last season.

“After the rst couple games, we started letting him carry the football more, and he’s really good at running

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