Air Academy Stuns Frederick in Playoff Opener

Air Academy won its first playoff game in 19 years, beating Frederick 10-3 in the Class 4A first round.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Football

Air Academy Stuns Frederick in Playoff Opener

Air Academy defeated Frederick 10-3 in a Class 4A football playoff first-round game in Longmont. The win was the program's first playoff victory in 19 years.

Why it matters

The result advances Air Academy in the Class 4A bracket and ends Frederick's postseason run. For Colorado Springs readers, it marks a rare playoff breakthrough for a local program.

Air Academy led 10-0 at halftime and held Frederick to a single Garrett Cahoon field goal in the third quarter. Frederick's final drive began at its own 5-yard line with 3:24 remaining and stalled near midfield.

The players

Air Academy High School

Air Academy is a public high school in Colorado Springs that competes in the Colorado High School Activities Association's Class 4A football classification.

The details

Max Schlichter scored Air Academy's only touchdown on a one-yard run after Cade Ballard completed a fourth-and-7 pass to Christopher Salazar-O'Keefe inside the 5-yard line. Frederick closed within a score late in the third quarter but could not complete a comeback.

November 6, 2026: Air Academy defeats Frederick 10-3 in the Class 4A first round.
End of first half: Ballard's completion to Salazar-O'Keefe sets up the touchdown.
Late third quarter: Frederick cuts the lead with a Cahoon field goal.
Final 3:24: Frederick's last drive begins and stalls near midfield.

Season Trajectory

The win ends a 19-year stretch without a playoff victory for Air Academy and keeps the program alive in the Class 4A bracket. It gives the Falcons a chance to build on a postseason result that had been absent for nearly two decades.

Air Academy advances to the next playoff round, giving local fans another game to follow. Frederick's season ends with the loss, closing the postseason for that program.

The takeaway

Playoff wins are rare for many programs, and this result shows how a single game can end a long drought. Local readers following Colorado Springs high school football can track Air Academy's next matchup as the bracket advances.