The Colorado high school football season is down to its final three weekends. With eight teams left in each of the state’s three largest classifications, here’s a preview of what to look for:
Class 5A
No. 8 Mountain Vista (9-2) at No. 1 Cherry Creek (11-0), 7 p.m. Friday: It’s been three months since a defense kept the Golden Eagles under 34 points. But it’s been five years since the Creek defense allowed an opponent to score more than 28. If Mountain Vista QB Austyn Modrzewski (3,337 yards, 37 TDs passing) and his array of talented pass catchers can’t crack the code that is the Cherry Creek secondary (20 interceptions), perhaps nobody can.
No. 5 Ralston Valley (9-2) at No. 4 Pine Creek (10-1), 7 p.m. Friday: The Eagles put 34 points on the board in one half of play against a very good Denver East defense last week, with running backs Jonathan Coar (19 carries, 219 yards) and Mason Miller (21-151) combining for 370 yards. The last time Ralston Valley faced a rushing attack like that, the Mustangs got gashed for 353 yards in a loss to Columbine. Can they slow down the Eagles?
No. 10 Legend (9-3) at No. 2 Columbine (11-0), 7 p.m. Friday: After stunning Valor Christian last week, Legend sets its sights on unbeaten Columbine. Junior Jaden Lawrence (1,752 total yards, 22 TDs) can explode at any moment as both a rusher and receiver. But against a Columbine defense that’s allowing just 10 points per game, nothing comes easy. The Rebels scored 65 vs. Fountain-Fort Carson last week, so the Titans might welcome a few long, methodical drives.
No. 14 Chatfield (7-5) at No. 11 Grandview (8-4), 7 p.m. Friday: It had been four years since a double-digit seed last made the quarterfinals. Now one is guaranteed to reach the semifinals. The common denominator for these two giant-killers? Both are led by multiyear starters under center, with Chatfield senior Jake Jones (2,742 total yards, 34 TDs passing/rushing) and Grandview senior Liam Szarka (3243, 39) two of the most prolific dual-threat QBs in the state.
Class 4A
No. 8 Heritage (7-4) at No. 1 Palmer Ridge (11-0), 7 p.m. Friday: A win away from its third semifinal trip in four years, Palmer Ridge hasn’t just been beating teams of late, but bludgeoning them. The Bears have not only scored 40-plus in six straight, they’ve allowed just 20 points total over the same span. Heritage QB Kurt Rossner was perfect (10-of-10 passing, 170 yards) in a 31-18 win over Golden last week. More of the same will be required to pull the upset Friday.
No. 5 Mesa Ridge (8-3) at No. 4 Broomfield (9-2), noon Saturday: The defending 4A champion Eagles have hit their stride since getting off to a 2-2 start, ripping off seven straight wins, the last six of which have come by more than one score. The challenge this week will be containing a Mesa Ridge rushing attack that averages 243.6 yards/game behind the two-headed backfield of senior Isaiah Jones (132 carries, 1,277 yards) and sophomore Trevon Salas (129-844).
No. 7 Dakota Ridge (8-3) at No. 2 Erie (10-1), 1 p.m. Saturday: Two teams that love nothing more than lighting up a scoreboard meet in a matchup sure to produce plenty of pyrotechnics. Dakota Ridge had three players top 100 yards rushing in last week’s win over Thomas Jefferson, including dual-threat senior QB Blake Palladino. But will they be able to trade haymakers with an Erie offense led by Kansas State commit Blake Barnett and a bevy of playmakers?
No. 11 Windsor (10-2) at No. 3 Montrose (9-2) , 1 p.m. Saturday: This one is a throwback to another era, with two run-heavy offenses kicking up dust in the trenches. Windsor has had four players notch 100-yard rushing games this fall, while Montrose is led by bruising 2022 All-Colorado tailback Blake Griffin. Neither team has lost since September, with Montrose’s deceptively close 35-28 win over Pueblo West the only time either has won by less than two scores over the last seven weeks.
Class 3A
No. 9 Roosevelt (9-2) at No. 1 Green Mountain (11-0), 1 p.m. Saturday: If Roosevelt is to reach the 3A semifinals for a fourth straight season, the Rough Riders will likely have to do something no team has done this fall: score more than 14 points against a Green Mountain defense that has 29 takeaways and 50 tackles for loss to its name. Roosevelt just submitted its best offensive performance (675 total yards, 55 points) of the season in a rout of Riverdale Ridge. Are the Riders peaking at the right time?
No. 5 Lutheran (9-2) at No. 4 Durango (9-1), 1 p.m. Saturday: A year after Lutheran ended Durango’s season in the 3A semifinals, the Lions return to southwest Colorado looking to hand the Demons their first loss since Week 1. Lions QB Ryken Daugaard threw four TD passes in last year’s win and has tossed seven over the past two weeks. After pulling off a miraculous second-half comeback from 17 down vs. Mead last week, the Demons are a tough out.
No. 11 Northfield (8-3) at No. 3 Thompson Valley (9-2), 7 p.m. Friday: After upsetting sixth-seeded Pueblo Central for the program’s first state playoff win, Northfield heads north to take on a Thompson Valley team that’s coming off its first postseason victory in 18 years. Nighthawks sophomore Zavious Chineth gashed Central for 194 rushing yards in last week’s stunner. Now comes a date with an Eagles defense allowing just 14.5 points/game.
No. 10 Lewis-Palmer (9-2) at No. 2 Holy Family (10-1), 6 p.m. Friday: Outside of Green Mountain, there isn’t a hotter team in 3A than Holy Family, which has scored 201 points combined over its last four games, with senior QB Rylan Cooney piling up 1,005 total yards and 17 TDs passing/rushing over that span. Lewis-Palmer already pulled off one upset with a 28-21 win at Resurrection Christian last week. Can they make it two in a row?
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