The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate football team will kick off its 2026 season on the road this Friday, Aug. 21, as the Pirates travel to La Jara to take on the Centauri Falcons at 7 p.m.
The Pirates will be competing in the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) 2A division in the Western Slope League, which includes Aspen, Basalt, Coal Ridge, Delta, Gunnison and Montezuma-Cortez.
Familiar league opponents from past seasons like Bayfield and Alamosa have been left off the schedule this season, with Bayfield competing in the 1A Southern League and Alamosa moving to the 2A Tri-Peaks League.
Coach Nathan Morales explained that with the new league opponents this year, the Pirates’ closest away game will be the two-hour drive to La Jara this weekend, while other league matchups against Aspen, Coal Ridge and Delta will entail even longer bus trips.
“I think it’s a pretty good league for us,” Morales said, explaining that the long bus trips for away games is similar to what the Pirates often have to do in the first or second round of the state playoffs.
He added, “And that’s the type of team we want to be.”
Morales explained that he wants the team to be prepared for that come later on in the season.
“I just want us playing our best football at the end,” Morales said, also noting he wants the Pirates to start this season off “faster” than the 2025 season.
Last season, the Pirates started out with a 1-3 record before going 5-0 in league play and earning a playoff spot as the 13th-ranked team in the CHSAA 2A division.
The Pirates lost their first-round playoff matchup against the Elizabeth Cardinals by a score of 44-38.
Morales is returning for his seventh season as head coach of the Pirates, boosting an overall record of 29-26.
Morales also noted the Pirates were able to compete in a preseason scrimmage last week, mentioning it was a good experience for some of the team’s new starters this season.
“It’s exciting stuff,” he said, noting that the Pirates have seven returning seniors, with the bulk of the team being the 17 juniors on the roster.
Morales commented that this week’s game against Centauri is a good early-season challenge for the Pirates, noting the Falcons are a consistently good team that typically makes a deep run in the state’s 1A playoffs.
The message from this year’s team is, “Earn it,” Morales said, explaining that this year’s senior captains came up with that motto and that’s exactly what the Pirates plan on doing.
“We’re gonna go earn it,” Morales said.
Schedule
The following schedule was accurate as of press time Wednesday, but is subject to change.
After Friday’s game, the Pirates will host the Salida Spartans at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, at Golden Peaks Stadium.
The Pirates will be home again the following week on Sept. 4, hosting the St. Pius X Sartans from Albuquerque, N.M., at Golden Peaks Stadium at 7 p.m.
The first league matchup for the Pirates will be on Sept. 11, with the Pirates hosting the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers at 7 p.m.
League play continues the following week with the Pirates traveling to Delta to take on the Delta Panthers at 7 p.m. on Sept. 18.
The Pirates will return home the following week to host the Basalt Longhorns at Golden Peaks Stadium on Sept. 26 at 1 p.m.
The Pirates then have a bye week before traveling to Aspen on Oct. 9 to take on the Aspen Skiers at 7 p.m.
The last regular-season home game for the Pirates will be on Oct. 16, when Pagosa Springs hosts the Gunnison Cowboys at Golden Peaks Stadium at 7 p.m.
The Pirates will then head to New Castle for their last regular-season game to take on the Coal Ridge Titans at 7 p.m. on Oct. 23.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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