Battle Mountain High Returns Varsity Football to Eagle County

Aspen —The lights at the Battle Mountain High School stadium hum to life on a crisp September evening, casting long shadows across the turf. It’s Sept. 12, and for the first time since 2022, there is a varsity football team waiting on that field. No more JV-only seasons. No more empty stands. Just the Huskies, ready to make some noise.

Head coach Angelo Vasquez, a Battle Mountain graduate who returned to lead the program back from the brink of non-existence, doesn’t mince words about what’s at stake. “We want to make some noise,” he told the Vail Daily. “We’re just looking forward to getting out there and playing some good football again, bringing fans back into the stands and a little more pride to Battle Mountain High School.”

Vasquez’s confidence rests on a roster that has finally stabilized. Jason Padilla, a senior center who anchored the offensive line during Eagle Valley’s playoff run last season, is back. He’s joined by Kevin Munoz, whom the coach describes as maybe the biggest player on the team, and Ernst Kruger in the backfield. There’s also Elijah Walker, who had six returns for touchdowns last season. A quarterback battle remains unresolved, but the coaching staff believes every game on the schedule is circled in red. Every game matters.

This isn’t just a Battle Mountain story, though. It’s a Western Slope story. Three local programs are kicking off their 2026 seasons in three different leagues, each with its own distinct identity and set of challenges.

While the Huskies navigate the Independents League — a league formed by Colorado High School Activities Association rules for teams in similar situations — the Eagle Valley Devils are coming off a 9-2 season that placed them second in the 3A Western Slope. They’re established, they’re competitive, and they know what it takes to win at this altitude.

Then there are the Vail Christian Saints, playing in the 8-Man Western Slope League. Their leader is a group of eight seniors, and their coach, Tim Pierson, is entering his 22nd season at the helm. Pierson’s tenure has been defined by a specific kind of grit, born out of necessity rather than choice.

“I grew up with 11-man football,” Pierson said, “but I’ve grown accustomed to the Saints’ eight-man football. It’s all about speed in space, blocking, tackling and execution, and knowing that it’s really, really hard to play defense.”

For Pierson, the game is less about the number of players and more about the opportunity. “My high school and sports experience in general was positive and a big part of my growing up,” he said, “and I want kids to have that same opportunity to play and experience sports.”

The Vail Daily noted that Pierson’s passion for helping the next generation of athletes is evident in his 22-year run. He knows the basics of the game are the same, whether you’re on an 11-man or 8-man field. What changes is the margin for error. In eight-man football, there’s nowhere to hide.

As the season unfolds across Eagle County, these three teams represent different facets of high-altitude football. The Huskies are fighting for relevance and community pride. The Devils are chasing a championship. The Saints are executing a high-speed, high-stakes game of cat and mouse.

Back at Battle Mountain, the players are lacing up their cleats in the locker room. The air is thin here, at 8,000 feet, and it makes every sprint to the end zone feel like a test of will as much as leg strength. Vasquez watches from the sideline, his eyes scanning the field for any sign that his team can hold its own against Denver West. The stands are filling up, slowly but surely, with families and neighbors who missed the roar of a home game.

The whistle blows. The ball is snapped. And for one night, the part everyone skips past - the grind of rebuilding a program; is replaced by something simpler: just playing.