A look at the Post Preps Top 10 for Classes 5A, 4A and 3A going into Week 1:
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Class 5A
| Team | Record | Previous | Last week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cherry Creek | 0-0 | 1 | Did not play |
| Comment: Bruins’ brutal schedule begins with trip across state lines to face a team that’s already played twice. This week: at Skyridge (Lehi, Utah), 7 p.m. Friday | |||
| 2. Mountain Vista | 1-0 | 2 | W (83-6 at Pearl City, Hawaii) |
| Comment: Austyn Modrzewski’s quest to break state records very much intact after he threw for 338 yards, six TDs last week. This week: vs. No. 8 Arapahoe, 7:30 p.m. Friday | |||
| 3. Legend | 1-0 | 3 | W (41-0 at Fruita Monument) |
| Comment: Domination of Fruita Monument did nothing to dispel notion Titans are 5A title sleepers. This week: at No. 7 Grandview, 7 p.m. Friday | |||
| 4. Columbine | 0-0 | 4 | Did not play |
| Comment: It’s been eight years since the Rebels last lost a season-opener. And they had to go to Florida to do it. This week: at ThunderRidge, 7 p.m. Thursday | |||
| 5. Regis Jesuit | 0-0 | 5 | Did not play |
| Comment: Season openers against Valor are now an annual tradition for Raiders. We approve. This week: at No. 6 Valor Christian, 7 p.m. Friday | |||
| 6. Valor Christian | 1-0 | 9 | W (31-14 vs. Pine Creek) |
| Comment: Get to know Cash Spence, the Valor junior who shredded Pine Creek with seven catches for 189 yards. This week: vs. No. 5 Regis Jesuit, 7 p.m. Friday | |||
| 7. Grandview | 0-0 | 7 | Did not play |
| Comment: For first time since 2020, Wolves start season with someone other than Air Force’s Liam Szarka at QB. This week: vs. No. 3 Legend, 7 p.m. Friday | |||
| 8. Arapahoe | 0-0 | 8 | Did not play |
| Comment: We’re about to find out real quick if the Warriors are top-tier in 5A once again. This week: at No. 2 Mountain Vista, 7:30 p.m. Friday | |||
| 9. Arvada West | 1-0 | 10 | W (51-14 vs. Fountain-Fort Carson) |
| Comment: Wildcats averaged 15.2 yards per carry in their Week 0 win over FFC. This week: at Mountain Range, 7 p.m. Friday | |||
| 10. Ralston Valley | 0-0 | 6 | Did not play |
| Comment: Opener against Erie, which routed Brighton 45-0 last week, will reveal a lot about both teams. This week: vs. Erie, 7 p.m. Friday | |||
Class 4A
| Team | Record | Previous | Last week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Broomfield | 0-0 | 1 | Did not play |
| Comment: Frederick’s first game as 4A program comes against perennial power Broomfield. Might as well jump right in. This week: at Frederick, 7 p.m. Thursday | |||
| 2. Palmer Ridge | 0-0 | 2 | Did not play |
| Comment: Bears’ 24-game regular-season win streak began with a 35-28 victory at Ponderosa. This week: at No. 5 Ponderosa, 7 p.m. Thursday | |||
| 3. Mesa Ridge | 0-0 | 3 | Did not play |
| Comment: Mesa Ridge starts with the Kadets, who looked solid beating up on Cheyenne Mountain last Saturday. This week: at Air Academy, 6 p.m. Friday | |||
| 4. Heritage | 0-0 | 4 | Did not play |
| Comment: Before embarking on brutal Weeks 2-5 that includes two 5A teams, the Eagles head north. This week: at Severance, 7 p.m. Friday | |||
| 5. Ponderosa | 0-0 | 8 | Did not play |
| Comment: Mustangs have lost three straight to Week 1 opponent Palmer Ridge. This week: vs. No. 2 Palmer Ridge, 7 p.m. Thursday | |||
| 6. Montrose | 1-0 | 6 | W (42-16 vs. Durango) |
| Comment: After giving Durango a rude welcome to 4A, Red Hawks head east. This week: at Greeley West, 6 p.m. Friday | |||
| 7. Pueblo West | 1-0 | 10 | W (42-0 vs. Loveland) |
| Comment: It’s one thing to beat Loveland. But triggering a running clock? Cyclones are for real. This week: at Pueblo County, 7 p.m. Friday | |||
| 8. Vista Ridge | 0-0 | 7 | Did not play |
| Comment: Fun fact: The Wolves have never had a losing season in program history. This week: at Montbello, 6 p.m. Friday | |||
| 9. Dakota Ridge | 0-0 | NR | Did not play |
| Comment: The Jeremiah Behrendsen era at Dakota Ridge begins with a doozy: returning 5A state semifinalist Chatfield. This week: at Chatfield, 7 p.m. Friday | |||
| 10. Golden | 0-1 | 5 | L (41-19 at New Smyrna Beach, Fla.) |
| Comment: A positive from last week’s trip to Florida? The Demons get a week to recover. This week: Bye | |||
Class 3A
| Team | Record | Previous | Last week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Windsor | 0-0 | 1 | Did not play |
| Comment: In first game in 3A, Wizards get one of the classification’s heavyweights. This week: vs. No. 8 Green Mountain, 7 p.m. Thursday | |||
| 2. Lutheran | 0-0 | 2 | Did not play |
| Comment: A reloaded Lions program heads to the Lone Star State to jump in the deep end right away. This week: at Cooper (The Woodlands, Texas), 7 p.m. Friday | |||
| 3. Holy Family | 0-0 | 3 | Did not play |
| Comment: The reigning 3A champions enter the season riding 10-game win streak. This week: vs. Northridge, 7 p.m. Thursday | |||
| 4. Thompson Valley | 0-0 | 4 | Did not play |
| Comment: Could it be that Thompson Valley is now the top program in Loveland? This week: at Berthoud, 7 p.m Friday | |||
| 5. Roosevelt | 0-0 | 6 | Did not play |
| Comment: Rough Riders have lost just three regular-season games since 2020. This week: at Northfield, 11 a.m. Saturday | |||
| 6. Mead | 0-0 | 5 | Did not play |
| Comment: After back-to-back losing seasons, is Jason Klatt’s team ready to rejoin 3A elite? This week: vs. Pueblo South, 7 p.m. Friday | |||
| 7. Pueblo Central | 0-0 | 7 | Did not play |
| Comment: Visit to Discovery Canyon a great early test for program coming off breakout 9-win campaign. This week: at Discovery Canyon, 6 p.m. Thursday | |||
| 8. Green Mountain | 0-0 | 8 | Did not play |
| Comment: Anthony Rankin’s first game on the Rams sideline is as tough as they come. This week: at No. 1 Windsor, 7 p.m. Thursday | |||
| 9. Pomona | 0-0 | 10 | Did not play |
| Comment: It’s going to take some time before we get used to Pomona in 3A. This week: at Kennedy, 7 p.m. Thursday | |||
| 10. Pueblo East | 1-0 | NR | W (35-0 vs. Fort Morgan) |
| Comment: Eagles’ shutout of Fort Morgan in Week 0 was an attention-getter. This week: Bye | |||
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Originally Published: August 26, 2024 at 4:20 p.m.
