CLASS 5A

#1 Columbine (9-0)

#2 Grand Junction (9-0)

#3 Grandview (8-1)

#4 Pomona (8-1)

#5 Mullen (7-2)

#6 Ralston Valley (8-1)

#7 Horizon (8-1)

#8 ThunderRidge (7-2)

#9 Chaparral (6-3)

#10 Highlands Ranch (7-2)

NEW:  Highlands Ranch

DROPPED OUT: Regis

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Bear Creek (6-3), Lakewood (8-1), Fountain Fort Carson (7-2), Cherokee Trail (6-3), Rangeview (7-2)

NOTES:  Not a lot of change in the final poll of the season for the big school division.  Playoffs begin this week and we won’t be posting a poll during the playoffs this year.  Columbine of course scored the most important win as they secured the Big Six championship and the number one overall playoff seed with their 24-21 win over Mullen last Friday.   The Rebels also finished the season at 9-0 and join Grand Junction as the only unbeaten teams in Class 5A.  Mullen fell just one spot with the loss as they remain in the top five to open the playoffs.  Highlands Ranch rejoins the rankings in the tenth spot.  They collected the Continental title by beating Regis in the final week and that finished off a wild stretch for the conference.  Highlands Ranch is the conference champion but is behind ThunderRidge and Chaparral in our final poll as the teams spent the final few weeks beating up on each other.

CLASS 4A

#1 Valor Christian (9-0)

#2 Monarch (9-0)

#3 Longmont (10-0)

#4 Pine Creek (9-0)

#5 Castle View (8-1)

#6 Montrose (8-1)

#7 Wheat Ridge (7-2)

#8 Broomfield (7-2)

#9 Widefield (8-1)

#10 Cheyenne Mountain (8-1)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT: None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Greeley West (6-3), Green Mountain (6-3), Falcon (6-3)

NOTES:  No top ten team suffered a loss last week so the order is the same as a week ago.  That will change this week as some of the squads start to square off.  Monarch and Wheat Ridge collide to determine the Mountain Plains championship and Widefield and Cheyenne Mountain also meet to declare a champion in the Foothills.  Montrose also plays Durango in a key game inside the Southwestern league as that winner will end up in second.  Valor Christian and Longmont wrapped up league championships with wins last weekend.  Longmont’s win over Loveland ended their regular season at 10-0 as they’ll have two weeks to prep for the playoffs with a bye in week ten.

CLASS 3A

#1 Silver Creek (8-1)

#2 Vista Ridge (8-1)

#3 Canon City (9-0)

#4 Kennedy (9-0)

#5 Windsor (8-1)

#6 Rifle (9-0)

#7 Battle Mountain (8-1)

#8 Mountain View (6-3)

#9 Roosevelt (8-1)

#10 D’Evelyn (7-2)

NEW:  Roosevelt, D’Evelyn

DROPPED OUT:  Palmer Ridge, Palisade

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Holy Family (7-2), Conifer (6-3), Evergreen (8-1), Pueblo Centennial (7-2), Lewis Palmer (7-2), Harrison (7-2), Frederick (7-2), Pueblo East (6-3)

NOTES:  This has been the most difficult division to rank all season and that trend continues this week.  Palmer Ridge lost a late lead in a 19-14 loss to Canon City and Palisade lost a wild 36-33 affair with Rifle and normally narrow losses to unbeaten opponents would not drop a team out of the rankings but in a crowded division, both teams lost their top ten spots this week.  They were replaced by Roosevelt and D’Evelyn who take over the ninth and tenth positions this week.  Roosevelt is two points away from a perfect 9-0 record and they get a shot at top ranked Silver Creek this week.  D’Evelyn scored a win over Holy Family last week to take over second place in a very good Metro North conference.  Even though they have a loss to Palisade early in the season, we moved them ahead of the Bulldogs in the rankings this week.  Again the 3A division is very deep this year and we have to go with the “hot” teams each week.  The top seven teams all posted wins last week and remain in the same order.  Looking ahead to this week, maybe the most important game finds Conifer against Evergreen for the Metro South crown.  It’s possible that only the winner of that game will make the playoff bracket as the teams are 14^th and 17^th in wildcard points entering the week.  Evergreen is 8-1 but has not beaten a team that currently has a winning record.  Conifer is 6-3 with their only win against a team above 500 currently coming against Summit.  Two other key games pit Windsor against Frederick for the Tri Valley crown and Vista Ridge against Harrison for the Southern title.  Frederick and Harrison are both 7-2 but each may need a win to grab an automatic berth because a loss may drop them out of wildcard contention.

CLASS 2A

#1 Brush (9-0)

#2 Florence (8-1)

#3 Kent Denver (8-1)

#4 Bayfield (9-0)

#5 Eaton (7-2)

#6 Faith Christian (7-2)

#7 Trinidad (7-2)

#8 Pagosa Springs (8-1)

#9 Olathe (6-3)

#10 Academy (7-2)

NEW:  Olathe, Academy

DROPPED OUT:  Bennett, Middle Park

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Buena Vista (6-3), Platte Valley (6-3), Lamar (6-4), St Mary’s (6-3), Aspen (6-3)

NOTES:  The top eight teams all scored wins in week nine so that order remains unchanged.  Olathe and Academy make a return to the top ten after impressive victories over the weekend.  Olathe stopped Aspen 40-21 to capture another Western Slope title while Academy overcame the elements to win at Middle Park 7-6.  That win should wrap up second place in the Flatirons for Academy and get them into the playoffs for the first time in school history.   In the top eight, Kent Denver collected a nice win over Bennett to basically put the Sun Devils into the playoffs.  They must still beat Sheridan this week to officially clinch the league championship outright.  Florence beat La Junta to stay in second behind Trinidad in the Tri Peaks.  The Huskies can secure second by downing St Mary’s.  Trinidad is the league champion after avenging an early season loss to Lamar last Friday.  Brush and Faith Christian wrapped up league titles with their most recent wins.  Bayfield and Pagosa Springs clash on Friday with the winner nabbing the Mountain crown.   With a loss, Pagosa Springs could fall into a three way tie with Buena Vista and Alamosa if both those teams win as expected.  In that scenario, it seems that Buena Vista has the advantage for second place and a guaranteed playoff berth.

CLASS 1A

#1 Burlington (9-0)

#2 Hotchkiss (9-0)

#3 Lutheran (9-0)

#4 Lyons (8-1)

#5 Limon (6-3)

#6 Akron (7-2)

#7 Resurrection Christian (6-3)

#8 Wray (6-3)

#9 Monte Vista (7-2)

#10 Wiggins (6-3)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Crowley County (7-2), John Mall (6-3), Peyton (6-3)

NOTES:  The top ten teams all enter the playoffs coming off wins in their regular season finales.  Lutheran and Lyons needed wins over lower division opponents to officially secure league titles and both posted easy wins.  Wiggins also snapped a two game slide by whipping Highland to give them some momentum entering post-season action.  The bracket was laid out on Sunday and it was a bit surprising that Burlington, Akron and Wray were all placed on the same half which means they will battle it out for the two semi-final berths on that side.  The North Central and South Central are routinely the best conferences in Class 1A and to put the conference champs from each on the same side of the bracket is highly unusual and was unexpected.  Burlington is the #1 seed with Hotchkiss as the #2 seed.  Lutheran is the third unbeaten and earned the third overall playoff seed as expected.

EIGHT MAN

#1 Hoehne (9-0)

#2 Dayspring Christian (9-0)

#3 Norwood (8-1)

#4 Fowler (8-1)

#5 Walsh (8-1)

#6 Simla (9-0)

#7 Springfield (8-1)

#8 Elbert (8-1)

#9 Haxtun (7-2)

#10 Merino (6-3)

NEW:  Merino

DROPPED OUT:  West Grand

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Caliche (5-4), Dove Creek (6-3), Stratton (6-3)

NOTES:  West Grand was the only top ten casualty in cross divisional play as the Central champs were upended by Caliche 28-8 on Saturday.  That prevented the Mustangs from making the playoffs even though they were ranked fifth last week.  The Mustangs are replaced by Merino who downed Vail Christian in cross divisional play to earn another post-season visit.  We placed them in the bracket ahead of Caliche since they beat the Buffs during the regular season.  Fowler almost joined West Grand on the sidelines.  The Grizzlies had to overcome a 16-point halftime deficit to upend Granada 24-22 and advance.  As expected, Hoehne and Dayspring Christian earned the top two playoff seeds and unbeaten Simla grabbed the third seed.  Two-time semi-finalist Norwood is the fourth seed and is hoping for a rematch with Hoehne in the third round.  The Farmers beat Norwood 38-29 in regular season action.

SIX MAN

#1 Fleming (9-0)

#2 Deer Trail (9-0)

#3 Otis (7-1)

#4 Cotopaxi (9-0)

#5 Hi Plains (7-2)

#6 Prairie (6-3)

#7 Eads (6-2)

#8 Bethune (6-3)

NEW: Bethune

DROPPED OUT:  Pawnee

TEAMS TO WATCH:  None

NOTES:  Little surprise in the poll this week as the only change involves the eighth spot.  Bethune replaces Pawnee.  The Coyotes lost their cross divisional game against Otis while Bethune upended Edison on the road.  The top seven is unchanged and our rankings almost reflect the quarterfinal playoff pairings.  The exception is Prairie.  We have the Mustangs ranked sixth in the state but the committee placed them eighth in the bracket.  Now they face a rematch with Fleming and the Mustangs lost to the top ranked Wildcats 61-0 in conference play.  Prairie also beat Bethune during the regular season (39-36) so we figured they would be the Mustangs maybe seventh and Bethune eighth to avoid a rematch with Fleming in round one.  The best first round pairing finds Hi Plains on the road to Cotopaxi.  It’s a battle conference champions as Hi Plains won a tiebreaker to earn the Southeast title and Cotopaxi was unchallenged on their way to the Southwest crown.

The entire schedule for the week can be found on our sister network at www.coloradoscores.com.  We also post in-game updates there of virtually every game in Colorado and of course run through all the scores on the Built Ford Tough Scoreboard Show Friday nights at 9:30pm.  The same score information can also be accessed on your mobile phones at www.coloradoscores.mobi.

CLASS 5A

#1 Columbine (8-0)

#2 Grand Junction (8-0)

#3 Grandview (7-1)

#4 Mullen (7-1)

#5 Pomona (7-1)

#6 Ralston Valley (7-1)

#7 Horizon (7-1)

#8 ThunderRidge (6-2)

#9 Regis (5-3)

#10 Chaparral (5-3)

NEW:  Regis, ThunderRidge

DROPPED OUT:  Bear Creek, Highlands Ranch

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Lakewood (7-1), Rangeview (6-2), Fountain Fort Carson (6-2), Cherokee Trail (5-3)

NOTES:  It was a crazy week inside the Continental as the top four teams in the league continue to score very wins over one another and each week they seem to exchange spots in the top ten.  In week seven, ThunderRidge was ranked but was dropped from the rankings because of a 19 point loss to Highlands Ranch.  This week, the Grizzlies return to the poll following a gutsy seven point win over Regis.  Highlands Ranch used the win over ThunderRidge to move back into the top ten but they were handled by Chaparral (31-0) last Thursday.  As a result, the Falcons are out and the Wolverines are back in.  Because of strength of schedule, the Wolverines were pushed into the rankings ahead of Lakewood and Rangeview who both clinched league championships over the weekend.  Pomona also scored a huge shutout of Ralston Valley in maybe their best effort of the season on both sides of the ball.  The Panthers clinched the North Metro title with that win.  They moved up one spot and basically exchanged positions with Ralston Valley who dropped just one spot because they beat Horizon back in week one.  Grandview also wrapped up the Creek title by downing Eaglecrest.  This week, most of the eyes will be focused on the huge showdown between Columbine and Mullen to decide the Big Six crown.  The Front Range crown will also be decided when Horizon hooks up with Mountain Range.

CLASS 4A

#1 Valor Christian (8-0)

#2 Monarch (8-0)

#3 Longmont (9-0)

#4 Pine Creek (8-0)

#5 Castle View (7-1)

#6 Montrose (7-1)

#7 Wheat Ridge (6-2)

#8 Broomfield (6-2)

#9 Widefield (7-1)

#10 Cheyenne Mountain (7-1)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT: None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Greeley West (5-3), Green Mountain (6-2), Falcon (5-3)

NOTES:  Eight of the ten teams in the rankings a week ago posted wins with the lone losses experienced by Cheyenne Mountain and Broomfield.  The Indians fell from the ranks of the unbeaten but did not fall out of the top ten because their loss was against a 5A opponent (Rampart) by just two points.  Cheyenne Mountain is also boosted in their bid to stay in the rankings by a lack of teams outside the poll pushing to get in.  Greeley West was considered but the Spartans have two fewer wins.  Green Mountain and Falcon also have winning records but neither team has posted a win over a highly regarded opponent.  Cheyenne Mountain and Widefield exchanged the ninth and tenth positions and those two continue to share the lead inside the Foothills.  They meet in week ten.  Broomfield fell behind Longmont 21-0 very early and tried to rally but still short 35-21.  That loss cost the Eagles a share of the Northern conference lead and three spots in the rankings.  They tumbled to eighth behind Castle View, Montrose and Wheat Ridge who all posted solid wins.  Castle View recovered from the humbling loss to Valor Christian by outscoring Rock Canyon 54-39.  Montrose also bounced back from their tough loss to Grand Junction by rolling past Grand Junction Central.

CLASS 3A

#1 Silver Creek (7-1)

#2 Vista Ridge (7-1)

#3 Canon City (8-0)

#4 Kennedy (8-0)

#5 Windsor (7-1)

#6 Rifle (8-0)

#7 Battle Mountain (7-1)

#8 Palisade (7-1)

#9 Palmer Ridge (6-2)

#10 Mountain View (5-3)

NEW:  Palmer Ridge

DROPPED OUT:  Pueblo Centennial

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Holy Family (7-1), Evergreen (7-1), Roosevelt (7-1), D’Evelyn (6-2), Harrison (6-2), Frederick (6-2), Conifer (5-3), Lewis Palmer (6-2)

NOTES:  Between the top ten and the teams to watch, there are 19 teams listed in Class 3A this year but only 16 will make the playoffs so you can see that several very good football teams will be left at home this year.  Pueblo Centennial became the latest casualty of the top ten as the Bulldogs were blitzed by Palmer Ridge 41-26 on Friday.  In a very tight South Central chase, that loss was costly to Centennial as they fell out of a three way tie for second to a three way tie for third with Lewis Palmer and Pueblo East.  Palmer Ridge broke out of the pack and now stands alone in second place behind unbeaten Canon City.  Those two meet on Friday with the winner likely grabbing the championship.  The Bears will go into that game ranked 9^th because of their win over Centennial.  Mountain View was another top ten team that lost last week, but they remain the poll because they worked three overtimes before finally falling to top ranked Silver Creek.  The Mountain Lions have been involved in two of the best games in any class this year as they also held off Roosevelt by one point in their league opener.  Silver Creek’s marathon win was the closest game for the top eight teams as the other seven teams all won by at least two touchdowns.

CLASS 2A

#1 Brush (8-0)

#2 Florence (7-1)

#3 Kent Denver (7-1)

#4 Bayfield (8-0)

#5 Eaton (6-2)

#6 Faith Christian (6-2)

#7 Trinidad (6-2)

#8 Pagosa Springs (7-1)

#9 Bennett (7-1)

#10 Middle Park (6-2)

NEW:  Bennett, Middle Park

DROPPED OUT:  Aspen, Academy

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Lamar (6-3), Olathe (5-3), Platte Valley (5-3), Alamosa (4-4), Coal Ridge (4-4)

NOTES:  Bennett and Middle Park each climb back into the rankings for the second time on the season.  Both were in the top ten for one week earlier this season before suffering losses the following week.  The Tigers and Panthers replace Aspen and Academy who both suffered key losses on Friday.  Academy was handled by Faith Christian in their first place Flatirons battle while Aspen fell back into a first place tie with Olathe in the Western Slope following an upset loss to Coal Ridge.  The Titans used that win to balance their mark at 4-4 and keep their playoff hopes alive.  Bennett rolled Platte Canyon 48-0 and now preps for a huge showdown with Kent Denver for the Colorado crown.  Middle Park blasted Pinnacle 64-0 on Saturday and now faces Academy for second place and a playoff berth inside the Flatirons.  With the loss by Aspen, Trinidad and Pagosa Springs both moved up a spot without playing a game.  Both went through bye weeks.  Pagosa returns to visit Centauri this week and they’ll begin the game tied with Alamosa for second in the Mountain.  Alamosa won their fourth straight by downing Buena Vista.  Trinidad plays host to Lamar and hopes to avenge a non-league loss to the Savages in zero week.  Trinidad could clinch the league title with a win but Lamar could create a three way tie for first between the two and Florence.  The top six teams were basically unchallenged during the week and all remained solid in their positions.  Brush took a huge step to the Patriot title by scoring a big win at Strasburg.  The Beetdiggers clinch the title by beating either Weld Central on Friday or Estes Park in week ten.

CLASS 1A

#1 Burlington (8-0)

#2 Hotchkiss (8-0)

#3 Lutheran (8-0)

#4 Lyons (7-1)

#5 Limon (6-2)

#6 Akron (6-2)

#7 Resurrection Christian (5-3)

#8 Wray (5-3)

#9 Monte Vista (6-2)

#10 Wiggins (5-3)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Crowley County (6-2), Peyton (6-2), Byers (6-3), Custer County (5-3)

NOTES:  A few teams were pushed but the first eight teams in the rankings all posted wins over the weekend.  Third ranked Lutheran may have survived the closest scare as they used a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to rally past pesky Front Range Christian 14-7.  The win kept the Lions unbeaten on the season.  Because of that close call, they may have dropped in the poll had they not beaten fourth ranked Lyons early in the season.  Because of that zero week win, we kept the Lions ahead of Lyons this week.  Akron was involved in the most interesting game of the week as they were involved in a six man like game with Wiggins.  When the scoreboard board finally stopped changing, the Rams had outscored their North Central rivals 64-42.  The win game the league title to Akron.  Wiggins lost only one position and stayed in the rankings ahead of the likes of Peyton, Byers and Crowley County.  Peyton (Burlington) and Byers (Lyons) both lost over the weekend and missed a chance to move into the rankings.  Wiggins won the vote over Santa Fe leading Crowley County on playoff history as the Plains conference has had more success in the post-season when compared to the Santa Fe.  Monte Vista, which captured the Southern Peaks title with their lopsided win over Del Norte moved up one spot and replaced Wiggins in the ninth spot.  Atop the poll, Burlington and Hotchkiss seem to have few peers.  The Cougars blasted once beaten Peyton by 42 points and Hotchkiss overcame a slow start to hammer Paonia 48-0.  One more week remains in the regular season but several teams have already captured league titles.  As mentioned Akron is on the list along with Burlington (South Central), Monte Vista (Southern Peaks) and Hotchkiss (Western Slope).

EIGHT MAN

#1 Hoehne (8-0)

#2 Dayspring Christian (8-0)

#3 Norwood (7-1)

#4 Fowler (7-1)

#5 West Grand (7-1)

#6 Walsh (7-1)

#7 Simla (8-0)

#8 Springfield (7-1)

#9 Elbert (7-1)

#10 Haxtun (6-2)

NEW:  Elbert, Haxtun

DROPPED OUT: Merino, Caliche

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Sanford (5-3), Soroco (6-2), Vail Christian (6-2), Sangre De Cristo (5-3)

NOTES:  With three top ten teams suffering losses in the final week of regular season play, the rankings have undergone an upheaval ahead of cross divisional play next week.  Only top ranked Hoehne and number two Dayspring Christian are in the same position as a week ago.  Springfield was ranked third and they dropped to eighth following a loss at home to Walsh.  That outcome decided the Ark Valley title but the Longhorns will still be at home for week nine against Manzanola.  Walsh bumped up three spots with the high quality road win.  Merino and Caliche both fell from the rankings after losses to close the Plains conference schedule.  The Rams had already clinched second place in the conference and a home game next week but fell on the road to Sedgwick County.  Caliche dropped to 4-4 overall with a difficult loss to Haxtun which dropped them to fourth in league.  Haxtun returns the poll at number ten and joining them as a newcomer is Elbert.  The Bulldogs wrapped up the Black Forest title by hammering Miami Yoder 49-0.  Norwood and Fowler both bumped up one spot to third and fourth.  Both teams have just one loss and both suffered that setback to top ranked Hoehne.  West Grand moved up three spots to their highest ever Colorado Preps ranking.  For the second straight year, they’re the Central league champs and will host the fourth place team from the Plains (Caliche) next week.  They were upset a year ago by Sedgwick County but will try to reverse that result this year.  Cross divisional games will take place Friday and Saturday at eight different locations.  We have the matchups posted inside another story on www.coloradopreps.com.  We’ll also post game times as they become available and of course follow on our sister website at www.coloradoscores.com.

SIX MAN

#1 Fleming (8-0)

#2 Deer Trail (8-0)

#3 Otis (7-1)

#4 Cotopaxi (8-0)

#5 Hi Plains (6-2)

#6 Prairie (5-2)

#7 Eads (5-2)

#8 Pawnee (6-2)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Bethune (5-3), Woodlin (5-3), Edison (6-2)

NOTES:  As expected, not much changed in the six man ranks since the last poll a week ago.  Every game inside the division was a non-conference game as the cross division pairings were decided with final scores from the week before.  The teams are in the same order as a week ago.  Prairie is the only ranked team that has a regular season game remaining.  The Mustangs meet Briggsdale in a non-league game and we kept them in the sixth spot ahead of that game because they beat the Falcons 39-6 in their first meeting.  Cross divisional play is set for this weekend with the eight winners qualifying for the playoffs.  Those eight teams will be seeded and placed in the bracket by the six man committee on Sunday.  Don’t be surprised if the top four seeds are in order of our top four teams.  They’ve been the most consistent and most dominant teams throughout the regular season.  The lone loss among the four belongs to Otis who lost to Deer Trail and right now the bracket might have them in a rematch in the state semi-finals.

CLASS 5A

#1 Columbine (7-0)

#2 Grand Junction (7-0)

#3 Grandview (6-1)

#4 Mullen (6-1)

#5 Ralston Valley (7-0)

#6 Pomona (6-1)

#7 Regis (5-2)

#8 Horizon (6-1)

#9 Bear Creek (5-2)

#10 Highlands Ranch (6-1)

NEW: Highlands Ranch

DROPPED OUT: ThunderRidge

TEAMS TO WATCH: Lakewood (6-1), Rangeview (5-2), Arapahoe (5-2), Fountain Fort Carson (5-2), Chaparral (4-3), Cherry Creek (4-3)

NOTES: The only excitement from last week involved a very impressive win for Highlands Ranch over ThunderRidge. That win kept the Falcons in a first place tie with Regis atop the very deep Continental league standings. The victory also allowed the Falcons to make a return to the rankings for the first time since week one when they lost to Grand Junction. They replace the team they knocked off in week seven. The loss by ThunderRidge allowed Horizon and Bear Creek to each bump up one spot. For Horizon, every step closer to the top creates a new all-time high ranking by Colorado Preps. The Hawks are also alone in the Front Range lead after Fort Collins fell in overtime to Rocky Mountain. The top seven teams remain unchanged from last week. Columbine and Mullen continue to share the Big Six lead. Grand Junction used a strong second half to beat Montrose in a battle of unbeatens. Ralston Valley and Pomona continue to share the top spot in the North Metro while Regis as mentioned is tied with Highlands Ranch in the Continental. Outside the rankings, Lakewood and Rangeview took control of their respective conferences. The Tigers whipped Denver East to take over sole possession of the City lead and after beating Northglenn, Rangeview is atop the East Metro. They were helped by Gateway’s surprising win over Westminster.

CLASS 4A

#1 Valor Christian (7-0)

#2 Monarch (7-0)

#3 Longmont (8-0)

#4 Pine Creek (7-0)

#5 Broomfield (6-1)

#6 Castle View (6-1)

#7 Montrose (6-1)

#8 Wheat Ridge (5-2)

#9 Cheyenne Mountain (7-0)

#10 Widefield (6-1)

NEW: None

DROPPED OUT: None

TEAMS TO WATCH: Greeley West (4-3), Mesa Ridge (5-2), Green Mountain (5-2), Ponderosa (4-3)

NOTES: Two teams fell from the ranks of the unbeaten last week but neither was dropped from the top ten poll. In maybe their most important game in school history, Castle View did not fare well in a blowout loss to powerful Valor Christian. That lopsided loss which has happened to several 4A and 5A teams this year cost the Sabercats only one position. We kept the Sabercats ahead of Wheat Ridge since they beat the Farmers early in the season. Montrose also suffered a quality loss. Tied 14-all at halftime with 5A power Grand Junction, the Indians could not contain the Tigers during the second half in a 49-21 setback. That too cost the Indians only one position in the rankings. Broomfield took advantage by jumping up two spots. The Eagles scored their fourth straight win by beating Thompson Valley 49-13. A huge date with Longmont is waiting for them this Friday. The top two teams continue to dominate opponents. Valor Christian as mentioned drilled Castle View 55-9 and Monarch rolled past Golden 49-7. Longmont stayed unbeaten but just barely. They rallied from 13 points down in the fourth quarter and used a late two point conversion to edge Greeley West 28-27. Pine Creek could make the case they’re the second best team in the division. They routed Falcon in their league opener and have outscored their opponents by FINISH HERE.

CLASS 3A

#1 Silver Creek (6-1)

#2 Vista Ridge (6-1)

#3 Canon City (7-0)

#4 Kennedy (7-0)

#5 Windsor (6-1)

#6 Rifle (7-0)

#7 Battle Mountain (6-1)

#8 Palisade (6-1)

#9 Pueblo Centennial (6-1)

#10 Mountain View (5-2)

NEW: Pueblo Centennial, Mountain View

DROPPED OUT: Holy Family, Lewis Palmer

TEAMS TO WATCH: Evergreen (7-1), Roosevelt (6-1), D’Evelyn (5-2), Harrison (5-2), Frederick (5-2), Palmer Ridge (5-2), Conifer (4-3)

NOTES: Silver Creek is the third number one team in Class 3A this season and the third in the past three weeks. Palisade held down the top spot until losing to Battle Mountain in week six. Vista Ridge took over the reins last week but a trip to the Panhandle of Texas resulted in a 32-20 loss to Borger Texas. That loss cost the Wolves only one spot as again out of state losses do not affect the rankings near as much as a loss to an in-state opponent. Newly crowned Silver Creek has been red hot since a one point loss to Kent Denver in their opener. They’ve won six in a row and have not been held under 41 points in that stretch. Now Class 3A overall is a very deep division this year and because of that, losses are critical to teams in the lower half of the poll. Lewis Palmer lost by just seven points to Canon City and Holy Family lost by nine to Kennedy but both the Rangers and Tigers were dropped from the rankings. That’s because several teams have been patiently waiting for their chance to crack into the rankings. This week those squads are Pueblo Centennial and Mountain View. They’re in at numbers nine and ten this week. Centennial hammered Centennial for their fifth straight lopsided win while Mountain View followed up a great win over Roosevelt two weeks ago by taking out Skyline. Both teams face strong challenges in week eight. Mountain View must visit Silver Creek while Centennial finishes a brutal closing stretch by visiting Vista Ridge. They also meet Canon City in week ten. With Lewis Palmer losing, the Western Slope trio of Rifle, Battle Mountain and Palisade all bumped up one spot. They’re 1-2-3 in the conference standings.

CLASS 2A

#1 Brush (7-0)

#2 Florence (6-1)

#3 Kent Denver (6-1)

#4 Bayfield (7-0)

#5 Eaton (5-2)

#6 Faith Christian (5-2)

#7 Aspen (6-1)

#8 Trinidad (5-2)

#9 Pagosa Springs (6-1)

#10 Academy (6-1)

NEW: Academy

DROPPED OUT: Lamar

TEAMS TO WATCH: Bennett (6-1), Middle Park (5-2), Buena Vista (5-2), Strasburg (5-2), St Mary’s (5-2), Platte Valley (4-3), Olathe (4-3)

NOTES: Lamar is the only victim from last week. The Savages lost a critical Tri-Peaks conference match to 2^nd ranked Florence and fell from the rankings. They also fell out of a first place tie with Trinidad atop the standings. Since they still have a date with Trinidad before the regular season wraps up, the Savages can still get back into the title discussion. With Lamar’s loss, Trinidad and Pagosa Springs both climb one spot. Replacing Lamar in the rankings this week is Academy. It’s the second time this year and second all-time that the Wildcats have appeared in the poll. They were tenth three weeks ago before losing in double overtime to Alamosa. They’re back in ahead of Bennett since they handed the Tigers their only loss of the season. They’re in ahead of Middle Park because Bennett also beat the Panthers. Academy’s stay in the poll may be short as they have a big date with Faith Christian to determine first in the Flatirons this Friday. The top seven teams remain in the same order and that includes Eaton. The Reds were ranked fifth last week and did almost everything right but win in their wild 42-41 overtime loss at top ranked Brush. Eaton led by two touchdowns for most of the game before Brush rallied for two late scores and then kept the Reds out of the end zone on a potential game winning two point conversion. Despite that loss, the Reds stay firm at number five.

CLASS 1A

#1 Burlington (7-0)

#2 Hotchkiss (7-0)

#3 Lutheran (7-0)

#4 Lyons (6-1)

#5 Limon (5-2)

#6 Akron (5-2)

#7 Resurrection Christian (5-2)

#8 Wray (4-3)

#9 Wiggins (5-2)

#10 Monte Vista (5-2)

NEW: None

DROPPED OUT: None

TEAMS TO WATCH: Peyton (6-1), Byers (6-2), Crowley County (5-2), John Mall (5-2)

NOTES: Peyton and Byers continue to be hard luck teams in the 1A division. Even though they keep winning, we’re not finding room for them in the rankings. Since the last poll was announced, both Resurrection Christian and Wiggins were beaten but since those losses came against fellow members of the top ten, they remained in the rankings. Wiggins fell two spots with their ten point loss at Wray while Resurrection Christian lost two positions because of their three point loss to unbeaten Lutheran. Wiggins lost a share of first place in the North Central and now must beat Akron this week to climb back into first. The Resurrection Christian loss was a non-league affair but will hurt the Cougars when the playoff seeds are announced later this month. Burlington and Hotchkiss continue to be the favorites to meet in the final game of the season. It’s difficult to imagine but the two teams seem to be getting more dominant. Burlington played their JV for the final three quarters and still blistered Cripple Creek 69-8. Reserves for Hotchkiss also got plenty of work as the Bulldogs hammered Hayden 66-12. That game was actually for first place on the Western Slope as both teams entered the game unbeaten in league play. The margin of victory indicates how far ahead Hotchkiss is compared to the rest of their conference.

EIGHT MAN

#1 Hoehne (7-0)

#2 Dayspring Christian (7-0)

#3 Springfield (7-0)

#4 Norwood (6-1)

#5 Fowler (6-1)

#6 Merino (5-2)

#7 Caliche (5-2)

#8 West Grand (6-1)

#9 Walsh (6-1)

#10 Simla (7-0)

NEW: None

DROPPED OUT: None

TEAMS TO WATCH: Elbert (6-1), Haxtun (5-2), Dove Creek (5-2), Sanford (4-3), La Veta (5-2), Sangre De Cristo (4-3), Vail Christian (5-2), Soroco (5-2)

NOTES: A couple of weeks ago we suggested the Hoehne win over Norwood may have been the best game of the season. That effort was matched last Friday as Dayspring Christian rallied late to upend Caliche 32-28. That win pushed the Eagles to the Plains conference championship and forces Caliche to play on the road in the cross divisional round this year. They’ll face Haxtun this Friday to determine third and fourth in the conference. Despite the loss, we kept Caliche in the seventh spot ahead of West Grand. The past two years, the fourth place team from the Plains conference has beaten the Central champion in the cross divisional round so based on league strength, the Buffs remain ahead of the Mustangs. The top six teams remain in the same order. Hoehne blew past Swink 59-0 despite losing starting quarterback Sawyer Schaefer during the game. They remain the solid choice at number one. Springfield and Norwood clinched home games in the cross divisional round and will face co-leaders for league titles coming up on Friday. Springfield will deal with Walsh and Norwood faces Dove Creek. Fowler is in good position to finish second in the Southern league and will do so if they beat Swink this week. Merino wrapped up second behind Dayspring in the Plains and Simla’s big win over Stratton gives the Cubs the I-70 league championship.

SIX MAN

#1 Fleming (7-0)

#2 Deer Trail (7-0)

#3 Otis (6-1)

#4 Cotopaxi (7-0)

#5 Hi Plains (5-2)

#6 Prairie (5-2)

#7 Eads (5-2)

#8 Pawnee (5-2)

NEW: None

DROPPED OUT: None

TEAMS TO WATCH: Woodlin (4-3), Bethune (4-3), Edison (5-2)

NOTES: For the first time all season, every ranked team from the previous week posted wins. In each of the first seven weeks, at least one and sometimes several more teams were upset during the week. With those results, this is the first time all season the rankings are unchanged from the previous week. Of the eight, Pawnee is the only team that will be forced to play on the road in the cross divisional round. That’s because they finished third in the Northern league. The Coyotes unofficially are set to visit Woodlin in week nine in a game that could be considered a toss-up. None of the top five were challenged during the past seven days. Fleming beat Briggsdale by 44 points, Deer Trail handled Deer Trail by 60, Otis cruised by Lone Star by 61, Cotopaxi was a 45 point winner over Pikes Peak Christian and Hi Plains dropped South Baca by 45.

CLASS 5A

1. Columbine (6-0)

2. Grand Junction (6-0)

3. Grandview (5-1)

4. Mullen (5-1)

5. Ralston Valley (6-0)

6. Pomona (5-1)

7. Regis (4-2)

8. ThunderRidge (5-1)

9. Horizon (5-1)

10. Bear Creek (4-2)

NEW:  Bear Creek

DROPPED OUT:  Chaparral

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Highlands Ranch (5-1), Arapahoe (5-1), Cherokee Trail (4-2), Lakewood (5-1), Westminster (5-1), Rangeview (4-2), Fountain Fort Carson (4-2), Fort Collins (4-2), Fairview (4-2)

NOTES:  For the second straight week, there is very little movement in the big school rankings.  The top seven teams all posted wins over the weekend and six of them were by at least 21 points.  The exception was Ralston Valley’s narrow 28-21 win over Legacy.  The Mustangs had allowed only 20 points all season so the Lightning played very well against a very good Ralston Valley defense.  Chaparral was the lone team to drop from the rankings.  The Wolverines are somewhat of a hard luck team.  They fell to 0-2 in the Continental with a 10-9 loss to ThunderRidge.  The week before, the Wolverines lost in overtime to Regis.  Now likely out of the league title talk, Chaparral must focus on winning out to improve their post-season seed.  Replacing the Wolverines was a good battle between several teams but it came down to Bear Creek and Highlands Ranch.  The Falcons have won five straight since a loss to Grand Junction but we went with Bear Creek because in our opinion, the Bears have played a slightly tougher schedule.  They also handed Arapahoe their first loss of the season on Saturday with a come from behind 40-23 win.  They’re back in the rankings after a week away following a loss to Mullen.

CLASS 4A

1. Valor Christian (6-0)

2. Monarch (6-0)

3. Longmont (7-0)

4. Pine Creek (6-0)

5. Castle View (6-0)

6. Montrose (6-0)

7. Broomfield (5-1)

8. Wheat Ridge (4-2)

9. Cheyenne Mountain (6-0)

10. Widefield (5-1)

NEW:  Widefield

DROPPED OUT:  Rock Canyon

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Greeley West (4-2), Mesa Ridge (4-2), Prairie View (4-2), Falcon (4-2), Ponderosa (3-3)

NOTES:  Valor Christian made another strong statement that it will be very difficult to unseat them as state champions.  The Eagles blocked three punts and jumped out to a huge lead in a blowout of Rock Canyon (58-13).  The Jaguars were ranked 9^th at the time but with the lopsided loss, they have tumbled out of the poll.  Unbeaten Castle View, which blasted Legend 34-3 last week, is the next team to challenge Valor Christian.  They’ll face the Eagles this weekend in the game that should decide the South Metro crown.  Replacing Rock Canyon in the poll is Widefield who won a close battle with Greeley West for the tenth spot.  Widefield has one more win and is coming off a hard fought victory over in-district and Foothills rival Mesa Ridge.  That was enough to edge the Gladiators past Greeley West and get their first appearance in the top ten.  Greeley West always gets consideration based on narrow losses to Broomfield (7) and Monarch (14).  Seven other top ten teams posted double digit wins in week six.  Cheyenne Mountain was the exception; earning a gritty 14-7 win against Pueblo South to earn their first victory over the Colts in about two decades.

CLASS 3A

1. Vista Ridge (6-0)

2. Silver Creek (5-1)

3. Canon City (6-0)

4. Kennedy (6-0)

5. Windsor (5-1)

6. Lewis Palmer (5-1)

7. Rifle (6-0)

8. Battle Mountain (5-1)

9. Palisade (5-1)

10. Holy Family (6-0)

NEW:  Rifle, Battle Mountain

DROPPED OUT:  Roosevelt, D’Evelyn

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Evergreen (6-1), Mountain View (4-2), Pueblo Centennial (5-1), Pueblo East (5-1), Harrison (4-2), Frederick (4-2), Delta (4-2)

NOTES:   This was the most difficult poll to put together and not just this week but for the entire season.  D’Evelyn lost by just eight points to Kennedy in a top ten battle last week and Roosevelt had a chance to win late against Mountain View but missed a two point conversion try in a 14-13 loss.  Normally, narrow losses against quality teams won’t affect a team that much but both the Jaguars (4-2) and Roughriders (5-1) were dropped completely from the rankings.  The problem for those two teams is the depth of the 3A class as there are maybe six to eight other teams that could be included in the rankings.  Two of those teams are Rifle and Battle Mountain.  They jump into the rankings this week to replace D’Evelyn and Roosevelt.  Rifle is unbeaten at 6-0 while Battle Mountain is 5-1 and coming off a great win over previous number one Palisade (49-28).  Since D’Evelyn lost to Palisade earlier this year, we felt it appropriate to replace the Jags in the rankings with a team with a better record and one that has a win over Palisade.  The next difficult item dealt involved how to handle Palisade.  The Bulldogs were ranked number one last week but tumbled all the way to ninth with a 21 point loss.  Again, a number one team is normally not affected that much but we value head-to-head meetings the most in our rankings.  As a result, we moved Battle Mountain to eighth one spot ahead of Palisade and since Rifle edged Battle Mountain two weeks ago, we placed the Bears ahead of the Huskies.  Holy Family suffered the most in that situation.  Despite being unbeaten at 6-0, they remained in tenth and did not move up.  Vista Ridge takes over the top spot.  They have dominated the opposition this year and face a long road trip to Borger Texas this weekend.   Kennedy also scored their best win in many years, downing D’Evelyn 21-13.  That moved the Commanders up two spots to fourth.   Lewis Palmer also had a great rally against Palmer Ridge in a 15-9 decision that knocked the Bears out of the rankings.  More hard luck teams can be found outside the rankings.  Evergreen, Pueblo Centennial and Pueblo East have just one loss apiece but can’t crack into the rankings.  Then there’s Mountain View who edged Roosevelt and has a record of 4-2.  Again there is simply not enough room in our top ten.

CLASS 2A

1. Brush (6-0)

2. Florence (5-1)

3. Kent Denver (5-1)

4. Bayfield (6-0)

5. Eaton (5-1)

6. Faith Christian (4-2)

7. Aspen (5-1)

8. Lamar (5-2)

9. Trinidad (5-2)

10. Pagosa Springs (6-1)

NEW:  Trinidad

DROPPED OUT:  Olathe

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Academy (5-1), Bennett (5-1), St Mary’s (5-2), Middle Park (4-2), Buena Vista (4-2), Strasburg (4-2), Coal Ridge (3-3)

NOTES:  As we mentioned in the 3A poll, head-to-head results are the most important factor we use in placing teams in the rankings.  Here in 2A, that’s becoming a difficult model to follow.  Florence was ranked number one when they lost to Trinidad but since the Huskies had beaten Kent Denver the week before, we felt it proper to keep them ahead of the Sun Devils.  Despite that win, Trinidad did not get into the rankings because before the game with Florence, they were only 2-2.  Plus Trinidad has a 23 point loss to Lamar in a non-conference zero week game so where to place the Miners is among the most difficult decisions we’ve had the past couple of weeks.  They’ve won five in a row and finally climb into the poll this week.  They replace Olathe who lost in overtime to Roaring Fork.  The defending state champs are just 3-3 on the season.  Pagosa Springs dropped three spots to ninth this week.  They lost on the road to an up and down Buena Vista club.  The Demons lost to Bayfield 28-3 just seven days before taking out the previously unbeaten Pirates.  Faith Christian and Aspen were able to bump one spot because of the loss by Pagosa.  Faith Christian survived a physical game with Middle Park to post a 23-18 win while Aspen continued to stay unbeaten in Western Slope play with their win over Basalt.

CLASS 1A

1. Burlington (6-0)

2. Hotchkiss (6-0)

3. Lutheran (6-0)

4. Lyons (5-1)

5. Resurrection Christian (5-1)

6. Limon (4-2)

7. Wiggins (5-1)

8. Akron (4-2)

9. Wray (3-3)

10. Monte Vista (4-2)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Peyton (4-1), Byers (5-2), Crowley County (4-2), Custer County (4-2), John Mall (4-2), Rocky Ford (4-2), Sargent (3-3)

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Finally we catch a breather with the 1A rankings.  Nine of the top ten teams were winners last week and Lutheran had a bye week so the teams remain in the same order as a week ago.  Burlington and Hotchkiss continue headed to a potential collision in the state championship contest.  They won by a combined 126 points this past weekend and between them, did not allow a point.  Both teams are expected to roll through their remaining three opponents and enter the playoffs seeded first and second.   Wiggins also collected a quality win.  The Tigers stayed in line for a potential North Central crown by downing Yuma 26-7.  The Tigers are tied with Akron atop the standings and will face the Rams in a couple of weeks.  Up first is a date with Wray this Friday.  Wins in both should land the Tigers that coveted conference crown which would be good enough for a top four playoff seed.  Peyton and Byers are waiting for space to open in the poll.  The Panthers did not play on Saturday as their game with Cripple Creek was postponed.  It will most likely be played on Monday.  At 4-1, Peyton is heavily favored.  Byers moved to 5-2 with a solid shutout of Front Range Christian (42-0).  Crowley County, Custer County and John Mall also received rankings consideration.

EIGHT MAN

1. Hoehne (6-0)
2. Dayspring Christian (6-0)
3. Springfield (6-0)
4. Norwood (5-1)
5. Fowler (5-1)
   
6. Merino (4-2)
7. Caliche (4-2)
8. West Grand (5-1)
9. Walsh (5-1)
10. Simla (6-0)

NEW:  Merino

DROPPED OUT:  Elbert

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Swink (5-1), Haxtun (4-2), Soroco (5-1), Stratton (4-2), Sanford (3-3), Dove Creek (4-2)

NOTES:  Merino was the most difficult team to rank this week.  The Rams were knocked out of the rankings for the first time in Colorado Preps history two weeks ago with the loss to Dayspring Christian.  Since then, the Rams have been getting healthy and beating good teams.  In week five, they handed Haxtun their first loss and followed it up with a 22 point win over Caliche.  Those two wins put Merino in second place in the rugged Plains conference so we put them all the way up to sixth.  Caliche slid four spots to seventh one spot back of the Rams.  Since Fowler also owns a win over Merino, the Grizzlies moved up in the rankings all the way to fifth one spot ahead of Merino.  With all this going on, Elbert was the hard luck team.  The Bulldogs scored what will likely be a Black Forest conference crown deciding win over Kiowa on Friday but they still dropped from the rankings because of the big win for Merino.  Caliche was the only ranked team to suffer a loss and they need to quickly recover as they face 2^nd ranked Dayspring Christian this coming weekend.  No other ranked school allowed more than 16 points last week and all won by 32 points.

SIX MAN

1. Fleming (6-0)

2. Deer Trail (6-0)

3. Otis (5-1)

4. Cotopaxi (5-0)

5. Hi Plains (4-2)

6. Prairie (4-2)

7. Eads (4-2)

8. Pawnee (4-2)

NEW:  Prairie, Eads

DROPPED OUT:  Woodlin, Bethune

TEAMS TO WATCH: Edison (4-2), Weldon Valley (3-3)

NOTES:  At this stage of the season, it’s difficult to see any team outside the top three in the poll winning the state championship.  Those three teams have been solid all season and seem to be the teams to beat.  Fourth ranked Cotopaxi is also unbeaten but we’re not sure they’re at the same level as the big three right now.  The playoffs of course could tell us a different story.  After those four, the rankings basically come to which team is hot right now.  Last week, three new teams were included in the poll and this week, two of them (Woodlin & Bethune) dropped out.  Replacing them are Prairie and Eads (Both 4-2).  Prairie upended Pawnee which slid from fifth to eighth this week and Eads scored a 20-14 overtime win over Bethune.  Eads, Bethune and Hi Plains are all tied for the Southeast league lead with one week of conference play remaining.  Most likely, there will be a California playoff to determine the cross divisional order.  Fleming and Deer Trail clinched league championships with their wins over the weekend.

CLASS 5A

1. Columbine (5-0)
2. Grand Junction (5-0)
3. Grandview (4-1)
4. Mullen (4-1)
5. Ralston Valley (5-0)
6. Pomona (4-1)
7. Regis (3-2)
8. Chaparral (3-2)
9. ThunderRidge (4-1)
10. Horizon (4-1)

NEW:  Horizon

DROPPED OUT:  Bear Creek

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Arapahoe (5-0), Highlands Ranch (4-1), Fountain Fort Carson (3-2), Lakewood (4-1), Denver East (4-1), Mountain Vista (3-2), Cherokee Trail (3-2), Fairview (3-2), Westminster (4-1)

NOTES:  With Bear Creek dropping out of the rankings because of a loss to Mullen, the opening in the rankings at first glance appeared to be a shoo-in for Arapahoe.  The Warriors were after all 5-0 and coming off an impressive conference opening win over Heritage.  But at a closer review of the top three contenders, we decided on Horizon.  The Hawks edged both Arapahoe and Highlands Ranch for the final berth in the rankings and the deciding factor was how well the Hawks played in the opening loss to Ralston Valley (9-0).  The Mustangs are 5-0 on the season and have shutout four opponents.  Only ThunderRidge has played them closer (21-20).  Horizon also has two wins over teams with winning records (Northglenn and Fairview).  Arapahoe’s best two wins are against Rangeview (4-1) and Heritage (3-2).  Horizon and Arapahoe ale have one common opponent in Overland.  Arapahoe won by 19 but Horizon blanked the Blazers 28-0.  Highlands Ranch did play well in an opening loss to 2^nd ranked Grand Junction (51-35) but have posted only one win against an opponent currently above .500 (Douglas County).  With all that in mind, the Hawks moved into the rankings for the first time in the history of Colorado Preps.  Another important result in the rankings involved the Regis overtime win against Chaparral.  That win pushed the Raiders up to seventh with Chaparral sliding into eighth.  Bear Creek’s loss also enabled ThunderRidge to boost up one position as well.

CLASS 4A

1. Valor Christian (5-0)
2. Monarch (5-0)
3. Longmont (6-0)
4. Pine Creek (5-0)
5. Castle View (5-0)
6. Montrose (6-0)
7. Broomfield (4-1)
8. Wheat Ridge (3-2)
9. Rock Canyon (4-1)
10. Cheyenne Mountain (5-0)

NEW:  Cheyenne Mountain

DROPPED OUT:  Greeley West

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Widefield (4-1), Falcon (3-2), Green Mountain (4-1), Prairie View (3-2), Mesa Ridge (4-1)

NOTES:  Greeley West is kind of the hard luck team in the division.  The Spartans fell from the rankings for the second time this year but since both losses were to quality opponents, it’s difficult to drop them out of the top ten.  West lost at home to Broomfield 14-7 on Saturday with their other loss coming to 2^nd ranked Monarch by just 14 points.  If not for Cheyenne Mountain and their perfect 5-0 start, Greeley West may still be a member of the top ten.  Cheyenne Mountain has not played as a difficult schedule but their win over Palmer last Friday (45-14) was their second against a 5A opponent.  That was enough to get them into the rankings for the first time all season.  The Indians face Pueblo South this week and have a tough test with Pueblo West (2-3) in two weeks.  Other than Greeley West, the remaining ranked teams all posted wins.  Wheat Ridge was among the most impressive as the Farmers blasted previously unbeaten Green Mountain 39-6.  The win kept the Farmers in a first place tie with Monarch atop the Mountain Plains.  Pine Creek was also solid as they hammered Littleton 63-0.  The Eagles visit Pueblo West on Friday.  Mesa Ridge joined Green Mountain as teams that are no longer unbeaten.  The Grizzlies were upset by Falcon 17-7 on Saturday.

CLASS 3A

1. Palisade (5-0)
2. Vista Ridge (5-0)
3. Silver Creek (4-1)
4. Canon City (5-0)
5. D’Evelyn (4-1)
6. Kennedy (5-0)
7. Roosevelt (5-0)
8. Windsor (4-1)
9. Palmer Ridge (4-1)
10. Holy Family (5-0)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Rifle (5-0), Pueblo Centennial (4-1), Pueblo East (4-1), Lewis Palmer (4-1), Battle Mountain (4-1), Fort Morgan (3-2), Mountain View (3-2), Summit (3-3), Evergreen (5-1), Englewood (4-2), Skyview (4-1)

NOTES:  Nine of ten ranked teams posted wins during the past week so the poll has little change.  Silver Creek’s 41-21 win at Windsor caused the disruption as the Wizards fell five spots to eighth with the 20 point home loss.  They stayed ahead of Palmer Ridge since they beat the Bears earlier in the season.  Silver Creek jumped into the third slot while Canon City, D’Evelyn, Kennedy and Roosevelt all also improved one position.  Of that bunch, only Canon City struggled as they held off Classical Academy 18-7 on Friday.  The other three all won by at least 34 points.  Roosevelt’s win over Frederick (41-7) was especially sweet for the Roughriders as they avenged last year’s playoff loss to the Warriors.  Coming up this week is what should be a high scoring game between D’Evelyn and Kennedy.  They’re tied with Holy Family for the Metro North lead and combined they’ve scored 513 points through the first half of the season.  The Jags prepped by handing Skyview their first loss while Kennedy steamrolled Arvada.   Outside the rankings, Evergreen fell from the unbeaten ranks as they were stunned at Summit (13-12).  The Tigers move into the teams to watch category with that impressive win.  That result also leaves Rifle as the only unbeaten team in 3A not in the top ten.  The Bears handled Eagle Valley with ease on Friday.  Conference wise, the South Central could be the best this year.  Five teams in the league currently have records of 4-1 or better and that group has just one loss combined against non-conference teams.

CLASS 2A

1. Brush (5-0)
2. Florence (4-1)
3. Kent Denver (4-1)
4. Bayfield (5-0)
5. Eaton (4-1)
6. Pagosa Springs (5-0)
7. Faith Christian (3-2)
8. Aspen (4-1)
9. Olathe (3-2)
10. Lamar (4-2)

NEW:  Lamar

DROPPED OUT:  Academy

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Trinidad (4-2), St Mary’s (5-1), Valley (4-1), Bennett (4-1), Strasburg (4-1), Middle Park (4-1), Basalt (3-2), Centauri (3-2)

NOTES:  With the top nine teams all posting wins, the rankings show little change this week.  We did flip-flop Eaton and Pagosa Springs in the rankings this week.  The Reds were impressive in blanking University 44-0 but the Pirates struggled a bit in a 14-3 win over Salida.  The Spartans were just 1-4 on the season going into the battle.  Top ranked Brush held onto the top spot with a quality win over Platte Valley while second ranked Florence took the week off after suffering the loss to Trinidad in week four.  Kent Denver had little trouble with Machebeuf late Saturday and Bayfield scored a huge Mountain conference win over Buena Vista (28-3).  Aspen had a late scare against Grand Valley (26-20) but kept their narrow advantage over Olathe.  Academy (ranked 10^th last week) was the only top ten member to suffer a loss.  They struggled coming off the bus in the long road trip to Alamosa; spotting the Maroons an early 14-0 advantage before storming back late to force overtime.  Both teams scored in the first extra session and the Maroons then went ahead 28-21 with a touchdown and extra point.  Academy matched the touchdown on their possession but failed on the conversion after deciding to go for two and the win.  That loss cost the Wildcats their berth in the top ten this week.  Replacing Academy in the tenth spot was a decision between three Tri-Peaks league teams.  St Mary’s (5-1) has won five straight since a loss a loss to Colorado Springs Christian.  Trinidad (4-2) has beaten CS Christian and also topped Florence on the road.  Lamar is also 4-2 and even though they lost to both Burlington and Kent Denver, they also have a 30-7 win over Trinidad in zero week.  Because of that win, we selected the Savages for the tenth spot.  St Mary’s and Trinidad collide in a key league game this week.

CLASS 1A

1. Burlington (5-0)
2. Hotchkiss (5-0)
3. Lutheran (6-0)
4. Lyons (4-1)
5. Resurrection Christian (4-1)
6. Limon (3-2)
7. Wiggins (4-1)
8. Akron (3-2)
9. Wray (2-3)
10. Monte Vista (3-2)

NEW:  Monte Vista

DROPPED OUT:  John Mall

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Peyton (4-1), Custer County (3-2), Yuma (2-3), Rocky Ford (4-1), Crowley County (3-2), Del Norte (2-3), Sargent (2-3), Hayden (2-3)

NOTES:  As we said last Sunday, week five was a big one inside the division as four possible league champions were crowned in head-to-head matchups of highly ranked teams.  Of course, those titles won’t be official until much later in the season but based on records to date, several teams “unofficially” clinched a league title.  That’s the case in the South Central where defending state champion Burlington bounced Limon 28-7.  The Cougars will be heavily favored in their remaining games against Peyton, Calhan, Cripple Creek and Ellicott.  Of those four, Peyton is the only team with a winning record (4-1).  Lutheran scored a huge win over Byers in what should be the Metro South title game and Lyons was very impressive in blanking Resurrection Christian 20-0 in the contest that should decide the Metro North title.  Akron also picked up a critical 28-14 win at Wray on Friday.  That will help the Rams move closer to another North Central title but with Wiggins, Yuma and Holyoke still left on their schedule, coach Brian Christensen’s team has plenty of work remaining.    The top five was easy to rank as Burlington, Hotchkiss, Lutheran and Lyons all played well in quality wins.  Resurrection Christian slid only one spot despite the loss to Lyons because most of the teams ranked below also lost.  Even with the loss to Burlington, Limon actually bumped up a spot and its based on head-to-head results.  They’ve beaten both Wiggins and Akron so we kept the Badgers ahead of those two rivals.  Wray fell below five hundred with the home loss to Akron but the Eagles remained in the rankings because they’ve played a much stronger schedule than many teams outside the rankings.  Monte Vista is back in to replace John Mall.  The Panthers were beaten by Custer County in the Santa Fe opener.  Monte Vista (3-2) earned the slight edge over Custer for the tenth spot.  The Pirates are actually unbeaten against 1A opponents while Custer County has a tough loss to Del Norte (2-3).  Custer though did hand Peyton their lone loss so they had more “votes” than the Panthers.  Rocky Ford is another 4-1 team left out of the rankings.  In comparison to Monte Vista, the difference involved Center.  Rocky Ford topped the Vikings by 18 while Monte Vista earned a 34-0 shutout over the weekend.

EIGHT MAN

1. Hoehne (5-0)
2. Dayspring Christian (5-0)
3. Caliche (4-1)
4. Springfield (5-0)
5. Norwood (4-1)
6. West Grand (4-1)
7. Fowler (4-1)
8. Walsh (4-1)
9. Simla (5-0)
10. Elbert (4-1)

NEW:  Elbert

DROPPED OUT:  Haxtun

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Merino (3-2), Soroco (4-1), Stratton (3-2), Manzanola (3-2), Swink (4-1), Mancos (3-2), Dove Creek (3-2), Sanford (2-3), Sangre De Cristo (3-2)

NOTES:  Maybe the best game to date in the eight man ranks was played on Saturday as top ranked Hoehne survived a tight battle with Norwood 38-29.  For the Farmers, it was their 18^th straight win but other than the state championship win over Caliche last year, it was their narrowest margin of victory during the streak.  The win of course kept the defending state champs ranked number one this week.  Norwood dropped only one spot and we actually toyed with keeping the Mavericks in the fourth spot but pushed them to fifth because Springfield scored a quality win over Granada and deserved to be bumped up.  For Norwood, the game with Hoehne should give them confidence they can compete with any team in the state.  They’ve been to the state semi-finals each of the past two years and the effort against Hoehne should give the Mavericks confidence to get back to that round or even into the state championship game.  Dayspring Christian and Caliche continued to roll through the Plains division, but Haxtun’s appearance in the top ten was good for only one week as they were ousted by Merino in overtime on Friday.  Haxtun was replaced by Elbert in the rankings.  The Bulldogs have won three straight since a six point loss to Simla.  They have a big game with Kiowa this weekend; a game that should determine the top two spots in the Black Forest.  Outside the rankings, Manzanola made a big splash with a 14-12 win over previously unbeaten Swink.  That keeps the Bobcats in line for a possible top two finish in the Southern but they’ll have to beat either Fowler or Hoehne to get there.

SIX MAN

1. Fleming (5-0)
2. Deer Trail (5-0)
3. Otis (3-1)
4. Cotopaxi (5-0)
5. Pawnee (4-1)
6. Woodlin (3-2)
7. Bethune (3-2)
8. Hi Plains (3-2)

NEW:  Woodlin, Bethune, Hi Plains

DROPPED OUT:  Prairie, Weldon Valley, Idalia

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Eads (3-2), Edison (3-2)

NOTES:  Four of the top five teams in last week’s poll posted lopsided wins to hold steady in their positions this week.  Otis was the lone team to not post a win and that’s because the Bulldogs had a bye week.  Fleming won by 61 points, Deer Trail by 88, Cotopaxi by 46 and Pawnee by 31.  Teams ranked sixth through eighth last week all lost and they’re replaced by newcomers Woodlin, Bethune and Hi Plains.  Woodlin posted a solid 46-38 win over Idalia on Saturday and we’re still trying find out when the last time the Mustangs beat the perennial powerhouse Wolves.  Bethune scored a big win over Hi Plains earlier this season so that’s why they get the advantage over the Patriots in the race for seventh and eighth.  The Bobcats also took out South Baca with ease to keep their lead in the Southeast division.   Hi Plains had little trouble as expected with Flagler to stay within a game of Bethune in the conference race.

Here’s a look at the new rankings.  Aside from the two losses are already noted, the polls are very similar to the previous week.  Only three new teams are included.

CLASS 5A

1. Columbine (4-0)
2. Grand Junction (4-0)
3. Grandview (3-1)
4. Mullen (3-1)
5. Ralston Valley (4-0)
6. Chaparral (3-1)
7. Pomona (3-1)
8. Regis (2-2)
9. Bear Creek (3-1)
10. ThunderRidge (3-1)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Arapahoe (4-0), Douglas County (3-1), Horizon (3-1), Mountain Vista (3-1), Highlands Ranch (3-1), Fountain Fort Carson (3-1), Cherokee Trail (2-2)

NOTES:  Very little movement can be found in the big school ranks this week as Pomona was the only ranked team to suffer a loss in week four.  With several key players missing from the lineup, the Panthers lost to top ranked Valor Christian (4A) by a 38-0 count.  But since Pomona beat Regis the week before, their fall was only one spot from sixth to seventh.  Chaparral, which blew past Doherty 63-0 last Thursday, bumped up one spot to sixth this week.  They’ve won three in a row.  The top five remained in the same order as a week ago as all five teams posted lopsided wins.  Fifth ranked Ralston Valley continued their impressive early season defense.  Their 35-0 win over Chatfield was their third shutout in four games this season.  Coach Matt Loyd’s team opens league play against Boulder in week five. Arapahoe and Thornton are two unbeaten teams outside the rankings.  The Warriors have matched Ralston Valley with three shutouts in four games and on the season, they’ve surrendered only nine points all season.  Arapahoe is simply waiting for a top ten team to suffer a loss so they can enter the poll.  Thornton’s schedule is keeping them from moving up the rankings.

CLASS 4A

1. Valor Christian (4-0)
2. Monarch (4-0)
3. Longmont (5-0)
4. Pine Creek (4-0)
5. Castle View (4-0)
6. Montrose (5-0)
7. Broomfield (3-1)
8. Wheat Ridge (2 -2)
9. Rock Canyon (3-1)
10. Greeley West (3-1)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Mesa Ridge (4-0), Green Mountain (4-0), Cheyenne Mountain (4-0), Widefield (3-1), Pueblo West (2-2)

NOTES:  Every ranked team picked up a win in week four so all squads stay in the same position as a week ago.  6^th ranked Montrose survived a scare from Pueblo West in a 22-21 victory but the win pushed the Indians to 5-0 on the season and kept them in the sixth position.  4^th ranked Pine Creek also worked through their most difficult challenge of the season as they fought past 5A Fountain Fort Carson.  The Eagles had beaten their first three opponents by a combined 134-17.  Seven of the eight remaining ranked teams recorded wins by at least 30 points.  The exception was Greeley West as the Spartans outscored Niwot 58-31.  Because all the ranked teams picked up victories, three unbeaten teams that are outside the poll cannot enter.  Those three are Mesa Ridge, Green Mountain and Cheyenne Mountain.  Mesa Ridge opened league play with an impressive win over Pueblo South in the Foothills while Green Mountain held off Dakota Ridge for a 14-10 win inside the Mountain Plains.  The Rams have a tough date with Wheat Ridge this week.  Cheyenne Mountain drubbed Sand Creek 27-7 to follow up their solid win over Liberty.  The Indians have a great chance to be 6-0 before meeting Pueblo West on October 6^th.

CLASS 3A

1. Palisade (4-0)
2. Vista Ridge (4-0)
3. Windsor (4-0)
4. Silver Creek (3-1)
5. Canon City (4-0)
6. D’Evelyn (3-1)
7. Kennedy (4-0)
8. Roosevelt (4-0)
9. Palmer Ridge (3-1)
10. Holy Family (4-0)

NEW:  Holy Family

DROPPED OUT:  Pueblo East

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Rifle (4-0), Evergreen (5-0), Skyview (4-0), Pueblo Centennial (3-1), Lewis Palmer (3-1), Frederick (3-1), Berthoud (3-1), Conifer (2-2)

NOTES:  In the pre-season we suggested that the 3A division could be the most exciting race in Colorado and so far, the top teams have not disappointed.  Going into week five, there are ten unbeaten teams in the classification and since the division is so deep, three of those teams are not in the rankings.  Rifle barely stayed unbeaten as they edged Battle Mountain 22-21 on a last second 45-yard field goal.  Evergreen rallied past Elizabeth 23-11 after trailing in the third quarter while Skyview rolled over Alameda.  Despite those records, Holy Family edged out all three teams for the tenth spot in the rankings.  The Tigers have played a relatively strong schedule and have stayed unbeaten by moving past Centaurus, Conifer, Erie and Steamboat Springs.  They replace Pueblo East in the tenth spot after the Eagles dropped out with a loss to Lewis Palmer.  The Rangers also drew top ten consideration as did Pueblo Centennial, Frederick and Berthoud.  We mentioned Rifle’s last second win but right behind the Bears in excitement was Vista Ridge.  The Wolves trailed Pueblo Central 28-14 at halftime before storming back with 36 second half points for a 50-28 win that kept them solid in the number two slot.  Palisade and Windsor also collected impressive wins over quality opponents.  Palisade exercised some demons from the past by holding Glenwood Springs 31-21 while Windsor used a strong running game with to mow down Mountain View 21-7.  Windsor and 4^th ranked Silver Creek hook up in a great non-conference game this weekend.

CLASS 2A

1. Brush (4-0)
2. Florence (4-1)
3. Kent Denver (3-1)
4. Bayfield (4-0)
5. Pagosa Springs (4-0)
6. Eaton (3-1)
7. Faith Christian (2-2)
8. Aspen (3-1)
9. Olathe (3-1)
10. Academy (4-0)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  St Mary’s (4-1), Buena Vista (3-1), Middle Park (4-0), La Junta (4-1), Trinidad (3-2), Strasburg (3-1), Valley (3-1), Bennett (3-1), Sheridan (3-1), Lamar (3-2)

NOTES:  Four weeks into the season, the most stunning loss in the 2A division to date came last Friday when Trinidad surprised top ranked Florence 14-7.  The Miners ran for almost 300 yards and limited the Huskies power ground game to less than 118 to spoil the Florence homecoming.  The loss though cost the Huskies just one spot in the rankings as we keep them ahead of 3^rd ranked Kent Denver since they beat the Sun Devils in week three.  The loss could stick with Florence for awhile as they have two weeks before returning to action against Manitou Springs.  Trinidad’s win was their third straight and the decision opens the door for many Tri-Peaks teams to contend for the league title.  With the Florence loss, Brush takes over the top spot for the first time this year.  The Beetdiggers opened the Patriot league schedule in fine fashion; downing previously unbeaten University 35-12.  The only other member of the top ten to suffer a loss was Faith Christian.  The Eagles dropped to 2-2 with a loss to Kent Denver and also tumbled three spots to seventh this week.  Up one position were Bayfield, Pagosa Springs and Eaton.  Outside the rankings, St Mary’s continue to push for a spot.  The Pirates moved to 4-1 by holding off previously unbeaten La Junta 30-21 on Friday.  The Pirates were just 1-9 last season and have already posted three more wins than that here in 2011.

CLASS 1A

1. Burlington (4-0)
2. Hotchkiss (4-0)
3. Lutheran (5-0)
4. Resurrection Christian (4-0)
5. Lyons (3-1)
6. Wray (2-2)
7. Limon (3-1)
8. Wiggins (3-1)
9. Akron (2-2)
10. John Mall (3-1)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT:

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Byers (4-1), Paonia (2-2), Monte Vista (2-2), Peyton (3-1)

NOTES:  Following a 22-0 shutout loss at Limon, the Akron Rams took the biggest tumble in Class 1A this week.  Akron, which also lost to Burlington in week three, tumbled five spots to ninth this week.  The Rams have little time to be depressed about the past two weeks as Wray looms this week in the North Central conference opener for both.  Despite the shutout win, Limon was able to climb only one spot because every other team ranked ahead of them also posted wins in week four.  Limon hopes to carry momentum from the Akron win into a huge South Central showdown with Burlington.  That game should decide the league championship.  Burlington had a mild scare on Friday.  Leading Yuma 19-0 at halftime, the Cougars saw their lead quickly trimmed to just five points (19-14) early in the third quarter before regrouping with four unanswered touchdowns during a wild 47-14 win.  Hotchkiss and Lutheran were also lopsided winners as was Resurrection Christian who moved up to fourth this week with the loss by Akron.  Outside the rankings, both Byers and Paonia posted quality wins.  The Bulldogs bounced back from a big loss to Strasburg to down Calhan while Paonia blanked Dolores 32-0.  The Eagles are just 2-2 on the season but Dolores was their first 1A opponent of the season.  Their first three games (1-2) came against 2A programs.  This coming week could alter the rankings quite a bit.  In addition to the Burlington-Limon and Akron-Wray battles already mentioned, Lyons and Resurrection Christian also collide in the Metro North.

EIGHT MAN

1. Hoehne (4-0)
2. Dayspring Christian (4-0)
3. Caliche (3-1)
4. Norwood (4-0)
5. Springfield (4-0)
6. West Grand (3-1)
7. Fowler (3-1)
8. Walsh (3-1)
9. Simla (4-0)
10. Haxtun (4-0)

NEW:  Haxtun

DROPPED OUT:  Merino

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Swink (4-0), Granada (3-1), Soroco (3-1), Elbert (3-1), La Veta (3-1), Stratton (2-2)

NOTES:  With conference play starting on almost every front; it was a good week of football for eight man teams.  Both top ranked Hoehne and 2^nd ranked Dayspring Christian were pushed a bit by highly regarded league foes.  Hoehne ended up beating Fowler 36-6 but it was just a 12 point game after the third quarter.  Dayspring Christian stuffed Merino 35-12 but it was the first time this season the Eagles did not score at least 40 points and the first time they’ve allowed more than eight.  In neither case, did the winners secure a conference crown.  Hoehne must deal with Swink in the Southern while Dayspring has future battles with Caliche and Haxtun before possibly earning the Plains championship.  Fowler lost just one spot in the rankings but Merino, which also lost to Fowler earlier this season, fell out of the top ten for the first time in the nine year history of Colorado Preps.  Choosing a team to replace Merino in the rankings was a difficult one.  Because of their strong schedule and great tradition, keeping the Rams in was an option but it basically down to a decision between Haxtun and Swink.  And that too was a difficult choice as the two resumes are almost identical.  Both the Bulldogs and Lions are unbeaten at 4-0.  Haxtun’s opponents are a combined 4-11 compared to 3-13 for Swink but the Lions have outscored their four opponents by 136 points compared to 129 for the Bulldogs.  With that in mind, we went with Haxtun based on tradition.  The Plains league has been the deeper conference over the recent past so they earn the tenth spot but barely ahead of Swink.  Keeping that position may be difficult as the Bulldogs are challenged by Merino in week five.

SIX MAN

1. Fleming (4-0)
2. Deer Trail (4-0)
3. Otis (3-1)
4. Cotopaxi (4-0)
5. Pawnee (3-1)
6. Prairie (3-1)
7. Weldon Valley (2-2)
8. Idalia (2-1)

NEW:  Prairie

DROPPED OUT:  Hi Plains

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Pikes Peak Christian (3-1), Bethune (2-2), Eads (2-2), Woodlin (2-2), Edison (2-2)

NOTES:  In a division dominated by blowouts throughout the first three weeks, it was nice to see a very competitive game among the state’s elite but the end result was a loss for a number one team.  Otis fell at home to 3^rd ranked Deer Trail 51-40 in by far the best game of the young season.  That loss of course cost the Bulldogs their number one perch as they dropped to third.  Fleming is the new number one team and Deer Trail bumped up a notch to second.  For the Eagles, it represents their highest ever ranking by Colorado Preps.  Another upset saw Bethune stun Hi Plains 36-24 on Saturday.  It was the second loss of the season for the Patriots who fell from fourth to outside the rankings.  Prairie replaced the Patriots.  The Mustangs are 3-1 on the season including a win over the same Bethune team that bested Hi Plains.  Weldon Valley fell to 2-2 with a loss to Fleming but remains in the rankings ahead of Idalia since they beat the Wolves in week one.

CLASS 5A

1. Columbine (3-0)
2. Grand Junction (3-0)
3. Grandview (2-1)
4. Mullen (2-1)
5. Ralston Valley (3-0)
6. Pomona (3-0)
7. Chaparral (2-1)
8. Regis (1-2)
9. Bear Creek (2-1)
10. ThunderRidge (2-1)

NEW:  ThunderRidge

DROPPED OUT:  Cherokee Trail

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Fountain Fort Carson (3-0), Arapahoe (3-0), Heritage (3-0), Highlands Ranch (2-1), Mountain Vista (2-1), Cherry Creek (2-1), Westminster (3-0), Boulder (3-0), Horizon (2-1)

NOTES:  Pomona recorded the best win of the season and was rewarded with the biggest jump in the rankings.  The Panthers spotted Regis (#2 last week) 14 early points and then rallied all the way back for an impressive 24-17 victory.  The winning score came in the final 20 seconds after the Panthers forced their fifth turnover of the game.  The Panthers are up four spots to number six while Regis (1-2) tumbled six spots down to number eight.  With the loss by Regis, several teams moved up one spot including Grand Junction, Grandview, Mullen and Ralston Valley.  Mullen returned to the win column one week after ending a 34-game winning streak by moving past Cherokee Trail.  For the Cougars, it was their second straight loss and it cost them their spot in the poll.  They began the season ranked second overall.  Deciding on which team should replace Cherokee Trail was a difficult chore as there are several quality candidates.  We settled on ThunderRidge since they lost to now 5^th ranked Ralston Valley by only one point in week two.  Arapahoe, Fountain Fort Carson and Heritage are all 3-0 but their level of competition is a bit below that of the Grizzlies.  Arapahoe has outscored their opponents 107-0 but those wins are against teams with a combined record of 1-8.  Fountain Fort Carson has a similar schedule with wins over Fossil Ridge, Eaglecrest and Chatfield.  Another big win was posted by Grandview who continues their march to the top of the rankings following the difficult zero week loss to Valor Christian.  They have responded with a great win over Mullen in week two and a solid 31-21 decision over a very good Bear Creek team on Saturday.

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CLASS 4A

1. Valor Christian (3-0)
2. Monarch (3-0)
3. Longmont (4-0)
4. Pine Creek (3-0)
5. Castle View (3-0)
6. Montrose (4-0)
7. Broomfield (2-1)
8. Wheat Ridge (1-2)
9. Rock Canyon (2-1)
10. Greeley West (2-1)

NEW:  Greeley West

DROPPED OUT:  Pueblo West

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Cheyenne Mountain (3-0), Mesa Ridge (3-0), Green Mountain (3-0), Widefield (2-1), Falcon (2-1), Ponderosa (2-1)

NOTES:  Many will question our decision to keep Wheat Ridge in the top ten following a second straight loss especially when there are three unbeaten teams not included in our rankings.  It comes down again to competition.  Wheat Ridge opened the season with a win over Ponderosa (then ranked 10^th) but then stumbled against Castle View and Longmont in back-to-back weeks.  They’ve played three consecutive top ten opponents.  Cheyenne Mountain has beaten three teams with a combined 2-7 record; the opponents for Mesa Ridge are a combined 3-6 while Green Mountain has moved past Greeley Central, Legend and Thompson Valley who have just two wins among them.  Greeley West also moved ahead of the teams mentioned because of their strong showing against Pueblo West.  The Spartans rolled the Cyclones 40-7 on Friday and earn a return to the rankings after falling to Monarch in week two.  The top five teams all posted wins in week three.  Valor Christian was unchallenged against Rampart but they’ll face a stronger test with Pomona in week four.  Monarch and Longmont scored solid wins.  Monarch pulled away in the second half to win on the road at Broomfield and Longmont downed Wheat Ridge.  Broomfield and Wheat Ridge both fell just one spot.  Castle View and Montrose move up to fifth and sixth respectively.  Castle View is in good position to reach 6-0 before facing Valor Christian and Rock Canyon in back-to-back weeks.  Montrose has posted two wins over 3A opponents Glenwood Springs and Steamboat Springs but their combined 96 point margin keeps them moving up the poll.  They have a tough stretch coming with games against Pueblo West, Ponderosa and then high scoring Grand Junction in the Southwestern League opener.

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CLASS 3A

1. Palisade (3-0)
2. Vista Ridge (3-0)
3. Windsor (3-0)
4. Silver Creek (2-1)
5. Canon City (3-0)
6. D’Evelyn (2-1)
7. Kennedy (3-0)
8. Roosevelt (3-0)
9. Palmer Ridge (2-1)
10. Pueblo East (3-0)

NEW:  Pueblo East

DROPPED OUT:  Lewis Palmer

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Holy Family (3-0), Evergreen (4-0), Pueblo Centennial (2-1), Fort Morgan (2-1), Rifle (3-0), Battle Mountain (3-0), Skyview (3-0), Mountain View (2-1), Frederick (2-1)

NOTES:  Very little excitement was found on the 3A level last week as nine of the top ten teams from week three posted relatively easy wins.  The lone exception was Lewis Palmer.  Ranked seventh last week, the Rangers were thumped by Pueblo Centennial 34-7 in week three and that margin of victory cost L-P their spot in the rankings.  Normally, when a ranked team is knocked off by a quality team from outside the rankings, the two teams simply exchange positions.  We did not do that with Pueblo Centennial this week.  Instead we went with Pueblo East since the unbeaten Eagles edged Centennial 33-27 in week two.  Head-to-head of course is the major factor in determining our rankings especially this early in the season.  Holy Family also drew strong consideration for the tenth spot after beating Erie and Conifer over the last weeks.  The only other tight game involving a top ten team last week involved Palmer Ridge and their overtime decision over defending state champion Elizabeth (21-14).  Because of that narrow win, the Bears actually lost ground in the rankings falling one position to ninth.  They were passed by Kennedy and Roosevelt who scored a combined 123 points in wins over Moffat County and Fort Lupton respectively.  Out west, Battle Mountain and Rifle continue to knock on the door.  The Huskies are 3-0 after thumping Summit while Rifle moved to 3-0 by downing defending 2A state champion Olathe in week three.

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CLASS 2A

1. Florence (4-0)
2. Brush (3-0)
3. Kent Denver (2-1)
4. Faith Christian (2-1)
5. Bayfield (3-0)
6. Pagosa Springs (3-0)
7. Eaton (2-1)
8. Aspen (2-1)
9. Olathe (1-1)
10. Academy (3-0)

NEW:  Academy (3-0)

DROPPED OUT:  Bennett

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Middle Park (3-0), La Junta (4-0), University (3-0), Gunnison (3-0), St Mary’s (3-1), Buena Vista (2-1), Lamar (2-2), Basalt (2-1), Strasburg (2-1)

NOTES:  Lightning struck twice in the Cherry Hills area of Denver Saturday afternoon.  In their much anticipated battle, Kent Denver was leading top ranked Florence 20-8 with three minutes left in the third quarter when the game was delayed by lightning.  Once the game resumed, lightning again hit Kent Denver as Florence came out of the delay with ferocious play scoring the games’ final 27 points for a wild 35-20 victory.  The win moved Florence to 4-0 on the season and easily kept them atop the rankings.  Despite the difficult home loss, Kent Denver lost little ground falling one spot to number three.  They swapped positions with Brush who moved up one position to second following their late rally against 1A Wray.  Trailing 7-0 entering the fourth, the Beetdiggers responded with three touchdowns in the final 12 minutes to stay unbeaten.  The Brush offense struggled a good share of the night as they were playing without standout fullback Connor Weiser.  The second half of the top ten is shuffled quite a bit last week because Aspen, Olathe and Bennett were all knocked off.  Bennett in fact was stunned by surprising Academy who moved to 3-0 and into the rankings thanks to their 13-7 upset.  It’s the first ever appearance in the Colorado Preps top ten for Academy.  Academy has also beaten Sheridan and Clear Creek and with games against Platte Canyon, Alamosa, Mead and Pinnacle over the next month, they could easily be unbeaten when they meet Faith Christian in week eight.  Aspen and Olathe managed to stay in the rankings because their losses came against high quality opponents.   The Skiers were handled by 1A #2 Hotchkiss while Olathe was a shutout victim to 3A unbeaten Rifle.  Tradition and the fact they’ve won two of the last four state titles kept the Pirates in the poll.  Remember the Pirates opened last season 1-2 before reeling off 11-straight wins and the state championship.  There are several other teams outside the poll worth mentioning.  Middle Park, La Junta, University and Gunnison all remain unbeaten.  None of the four has faced a tremendous schedule and that’s the main reason they’re not in the rankings.  They have chances to change that situation in the coming weeks.  University meets Brush and Eaton in the next two weeks; Gunnison faces Aspen in their Western Slope opener this week, and La Junta is challenged by a very good St Mary’s club (3-1).  Bayfield and Pagosa Springs are ranked fifth and sixth this week which is the highest combined ranking for any Mountain conference teams.  They don’t meet until the final week of the regular season and both could be unbeaten at that point if they both get by Centauri and Buena Vista in league action.  Buena Vista (2-1) is another team pushing for a spot in the poll.

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CLASS 1A

1. Burlington (3-0)
2. Hotchkiss (3-0)
3. Lutheran (4-0)
4. Akron (2-1)
5. Resurrection Christian (4-0)
6. Lyons (2-1)
7. Wray (1-2)
8. Limon (2-1)
9. Wiggins (2-1)
10. John Mall (3-1)

NEW:  John Mall

DROPPED OUT:  Byers

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Monte Vista (1-2), Dolores (2-1), Custer County (2-1), Center (2-1), Yuma (1-2),

NOTES:  Burlington and Hotchkiss both made strong statements to the rest of the division on Friday as the defending state champion Cougars won at Akron and Hotchkiss easily moved past a very good 2A team in Aspen.  For Burlington, it was their second straight win over the Rams and their 14^th consecutive win overall.  Hotchkiss limited Aspen QB Tucker Biernes to just one TD after he entered the game with eight in the first two games.   Defensive pressure was the key in holding down the Aspen offense.  Right now it appears that Burlington and Hotchkiss might be a step ahead of all other teams.  Lutheran has quietly moved into the third spot.  They’ve won four straight and have not been challenged since a hard fought 14-11 win over Lyons in zero week.  Since then, they’ve beaten Cornerstone Christian, Nederland and Clear Creek.  Stronger challenges await on October 1^st with Byers and October 15^th with Resurrection Christian.  What to do with Byers was the most difficult decision in 1A this week.  The Bulldogs vaulted into the rankings at number eight thanks to their win over Limon in week two.  They didn’t respond well as they were blown out by Strasburg (2A) 55-12.  Normally we don’t drop a team below an opponent they’ve beaten but the margin of victory against Strasburg (43) forced us to drop the Bulldogs out of the rankings and below Limon.  Replacing Byers in the poll is John Mall.  The Panthers have won three in a row since a shutout loss to Akron in zero week.  Wray and Lyons exchanged positions.  Both were involved in strong second half rallies but only Lyons posted the win.  Trailing Yuma 7-0 at intermission, the Lions won in overtime 10-7.  Wray was on the opposite end against 2A power Brush.  Leading 7-0 going to the fourth, they were unable to post the win; falling 19-7 in the end.  Also want to mention the Center Vikings.   They snapped a 22-game losing streak by edging Ellicott 7-6 back in week one and now with a win over Meeker; they sit at 2-1 and have a chance for their best season since 2004 when they lost to Limon in the state semi-finals.  During their 22-game skid, the Vikings were outscored by a total of 624 points.

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EIGHT MAN

1. Hoehne (3-0)
2. Dayspring Christian (3-0)
3. Caliche (2-1)
4. Norwood (4-0)
5. Springfield (3-0)
6. Fowler (3-0)
7. West Grand (2-1)
8. Merino (2-1)
9. Walsh (2-1)
10. Simla (3-0)

NEW:  Simla

DROPPED OUT:  Kiowa

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Swink (3-0), Haxtun (3-0), Sedgwick County (2-1), Granada (2-1), Elbert (2-1), Soroco (2-1), Vail Christian (2-1)

NOTES:  West Grand and Kiowa were the only two ranked teams from last week to suffer as the rest of the top ten pretty much had their way over the weekend.  West Grand dropped only one spot following a very good effort in their 40-8 loss to Dayspring Christian.  The Mustangs entered the game wanting to know how they stacked up against one of the elite programs in the state and most likely came away with good thoughts.  They’re the first team to force Dayspring Christian to play their starters to the fourth quarter.  The margin was only 28-8 when lightning delayed the contest midway through the third.  Kiowa was knocked out of the poll because of a 34-14 loss to Simla.  The Cubs also replaced the Indians in the rankings as they earned a slight nod over Swink and Haxtun.  Both the Lions and Fightin’ Bulldogs are unbeaten but Swink has beaten three teams with only one combined win and since two of three wins by Haxtun are against unfamiliar Nebraska opponents, it’s difficult to compare them against other Colorado members.  This week will be fantastic in the eight man ranks as Dayspring Christian meets Merino to open the Plains conference schedule and Fowler challenges unbeaten Hoehne in game one of what should be a great Southern league race.  Vail Christian and Soroco also collide in a game that will help determine the main challenger to West Grand in the Central conference.  Caliche, coming off a bye week, could also see a strong push from Sedgwick County.

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SIX MAN

1. Otis (3-0)
2. Fleming (3-0)
3. Deer Trail (3-0)
4. Hi Plains (2-1)
5. Cotopaxi (3-0)
6. Weldon Valley (2-1)
7. Pawnee (2-1)
8. Idalia (2-1)

NEW:  Idalia

DROPPED OUT:  Eads

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Prairie (2-1), South Baca (2-1), Pikes Peak Christian (2-1)

NOTES:  Three of the four conference titles may have been decided in week one of conference play.  Fleming topped Pawnee in a battle of early unbeatens in the Northern conference.  With the 50-point win, Fleming stayed solid as the number two team in the poll.  They must still get by Prairie and Weldon Valley (both 2-1) before claiming the league title but they’ll be favored in both.  Hi Plains stayed put at number four following a 22 point win over Eads.  Those two teams were favored to battle for the Southeast title.  Cotopaxi also stayed perfect by downing Edison in what was considered in the pre-season as the game to decide the Southwest league crown.  The Pirates still have a date with improving Pikes Peak Christian later in the year.  With a second straight loss, Eads fell out of the rankings and was replaced by Idalia.  The two-time defending state champions have regrouped for two straight wins following a rough loss to Weldon Valley in their opener.  The Wolves hope to keep improving ahead of a season closing stretch where they will meet Otis, Deer Trail and Fleming in weeks six, seven and eight.

CLASS 5A

1. Columbine (2-0)
2. Regis (1-1)
3. Grand Junction (2-0)
4. Grandview (1-1)
5. Mullen (1-1)
6. Ralston Valley (2-0)
7. Bear Creek (2-0)
8. Cherokee Trail (1-1)
9. Chaparral (1-1)
10. Pomona (2-0)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Arapahoe (2-0), Highlands Ranch (1-1), ThunderRidge (1-1), Boulder (2-0), Fairview (2-0), Fountain Fort Carson (2-0), Douglas County (2-0), Heritage (2-0)

NOTES:  What was supposed to be an easy run to a fourth consecutive state championship for Mullen hit a major bump in the road on Friday as Grandview ended the Mustangs 34-game win streak.  The result gave hope to the Wolves and several other teams that maybe the 5A title is indeed up for grabs this year.  Adding to the depth of the big school division was the 21-20 upset of Cherokee Trail (ranked second last week) by Heritage.  The Cougars played the game without their starting quarterback but still had a chance to win the game on a field goal on the last play.  It misfired and so did the chances for Cherokee Trail to take over the number one spot in the rankings.  The losses by Mullen and Cherokee Trail also diminished their much anticipated battle this weekend.  It was scheduled to be a one versus two matchup but now the Mustangs are ranked fifth and Cherokee Trail eighth.  Grandview used the upset of Mullen to shoot up four places in the rankings to number four.  They bypassed both Ralston Valley and Bear Creek on the way up.  Bear Creek gets a shot at Grandview this weekend.  Columbine, Regis and Grand Junction are now the top three teams in the state.  The Rebels rolled Rocky Mountain for their second straight lopsided win while Regis smoked Arvada West in a nice recovery from the loss to Valor Christian.  Grand Junction may be the most impressive team through two weeks of the season and jumped up three spots to third.

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CLASS 4A

1. Valor Christian (2-0)
2. Monarch (2-0)
3. Longmont (3-0)
4. Pine Creek (2-0)
5. Castle View (2-0)
6. Broomfield (2-0)
7. Wheat Ridge (1-1)
8. Pueblo West (2-0)
9. Montrose (3-0)
10. Rock Canyon (1-1)

NEW:  Rock Canyon

DROPPED OUT:  Greeley West

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Ponderosa (1-1), Cheyenne Mountain (2-0), Mesa Ridge (2-0), Green Mountain 92-0), Niwot (2-0)

NOTES:  Two top ten teams from last week suffered losses but since they came at the hands of a ranked opponent, the changes in the rankings were minimal.  Wheat Ridge lost on the road to Castle View and Greeley West played well in a loss to 2^nd ranked Monarch.   Wheat Ridge dropped four spots in the rankings since we had to rank them behind Castle View.  We could have kept the Farmers at sixth but Broomfield earned at least a one spot bump because of their great effort over 5A Legacy.  Greeley West almost stayed put in the top ten but was replaced by Rock Canyon based on the Jags effort through the first two weeks.  They lost by just six points at Montrose in zero week and then pounded Dakota Ridge (41-18) last week.  With the loss by Wheat Ridge, Longmont, Pine Creek and Castle View all moved up one spot.  Longmont moved to 3-0 by thumping Skyline on Friday.  IT was their third win in 11-days to begin the season.

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CLASS 3A

1. Palisade (2-0)
2. Vista Ridge (2-0)
3. Windsor (2-0)
4. Silver Creek (1-1)
5. Canon City (2-0)
6. D’Evelyn (1-1)
7. Lewis Palmer (2-0)
8. Palmer Ridge (1-1)
9. Kennedy (2-0)
10. Roosevelt (2-0)

NEW:  Roosevelt

DROPPED OUT:  Glenwood Springs

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Holy Family (2-0), Evergreen (3-0), Conifer (1-1), Pueblo East (2-0), Battle Mountain (2-0), Rifle (2-0)

NOTES:  Probably the best game of the week inside the division took place on Saturday as Palisade outscored D’Evelyn.  Those teams continued their series of high scoring games with Palisade using the win to solidify their hold on the top spot.  The Bulldogs continue to stay ahead of Vista Ridge and Windsor for the number one position.  Vista Ridge scored 55 points in their blowout of Sierra while Windsor avenged a 30 point loss from last year by beating Palmer Ridge 21-17 on Friday.  D’Evelyn and Palmer Ridge were not hurt much by their losses to higher ranked opponents; each dropping only two spots to sixth and eighth respectively.  Canon City, which is averaging 53 points in wins over Pueblo Central and Widefield, moved into the top five this week.  Roosevelt is the lone new entry into the rankings.  They replace Glenwood Springs who was blanked by Montrose 42-0.  With wins over 2A Platte Valley and Northridge, the schedule has not been overly difficult but the Roughriders have outscored the Broncos and Grizzlies 97-6.  That’s enough to earn a spot in the rankings ahead of fellow unbeatens Holy Family, Pueblo East and Evergreen.  Conifer also earned some recognition in the rankings thanks to their 42-20 win over Centaurus on Saturday.  Ironically, the Lobos lost by the same 42-20 score to D’Evelyn in week one.

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CLASS 2A

1. Florence (3-0)
2. Kent Denver (2-0)
3. Brush (2-0)
4. Faith Christian (1-1)
5. Aspen (2-0)
6. Bennett (2-0)
7. Olathe (1-1)
8. Bayfield (2-0)
9. Pagosa Springs (3-0)
10. Eaton (1-1)

NEW:  Pagosa Springs, Eaton

DROPPED OUT:  Colorado Springs Christian, Strasburg

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Weld Central (2-0), Buena Vista (1-1), Centauri (2-0), Middle Park (2-0), Academy (2-0), Lamar (0-2)

NOTES:  It was a great week to be a 2A football fan.  The schedule was filled with several great matchups and the games didn’t disappoint.  Florence held off Olathe 32-14, Brush scored a very impressive 16-11 win at Faith Christian and Bennett moved to 2-0 by beating I-70 rival Strasburg in a defensive minded 14-7 struggle.  With the results, Florence easily kept their hold on the number one spot while Brush and Bennett both moved up one position to third and sixth respectively.  For Bennett, it’s their highest ever ranking by Colorado Preps.  Brush in fact, almost moved past Kent Denver into the second slot because the Blue Devils struggled a bit in their road win at Lamar.  In the past, they’ve handled teams from the Tri Peaks but settled for a 14 point win over the Savages on Saturday.  We actually have Lamar listed as team to watch despite their 0-2 start.  They lost to top ranked Burlington (1A) in week one and then played strong against Kent Denver in week two.  They may be the top challenger to Florence (along with Colorado Springs Christian) in the Tri Peaks.  Faith Christian and Olathe both fell one spot with their losses.  Both the Eagles and Pirates have great tradition and despite early season losses in the past, they’ve been able to recover and remain a threat to the state title.  Just last year, Olathe opened 1-2 including a loss to Florence before winning 12 straight and the state title.  Colorado Springs Christian and Strasburg both dropped from the rankings this week.  We mentioned the loss by Strasburg while Buena Vista upset the Lions 19-7 on Saturday.  They were replaced by high scoring Pagosa Springs and Eaton.  The Pirates are averaging 42 points a game while moving past Ignacio, Del Norte and Kirtland Central NM.  The schedule has not been that difficult but the offense has been impressive.  Eaton blew past Mead 48-0 on Saturday but we were more impressed by their effort in week one when they lost to Windsor (#3 in 3A) by just one point (7-6).

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CLASS 1A

1. Burlington (2-0)
2. Hotchkiss (2-0)
3. Akron (2-0)
4. Lutheran (3-0)
5. Resurrection Christian (2-0)
6. Wray (1-1)
7. Lyons (1-1)
8. Byers (3-0)
9. Limon (1-1)
10. Wiggins (2-1)

NEW:  Byers

DROPPED OUT:  Rye

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Front Range Christian (2-1), John Mall (2-1), Monte Vista (1-1), Hayden (1-1)

NOTES:  Burlington and Akron were dominating in their top ten matchups over the weekend.  The Cougars toppled Wray for the 8^th time in the last 11 matchups to stay put at number one.  They’ve now won 14 straight games.  Akron meantime made the long trek to Rye and easily took out the Thunderbolts 41-0.  With the win, Akron was able to move up one spot because of the Wray loss.  Burlington and Akron play this weekend in what should be the best matchup in the division for week three.  Sandwiched in between the Cougars and Rams is Hotchkiss.  The Bulldogs spotted Cedaredge an early field goal but then ran off 26 unanswered points in their second win of the season.  Hotchkiss should get their most serious challenge of the regular season when they face Aspen (#5 in 2A) this Friday.  It will equal the Burlington-Akron contest in anticipation.  The biggest change in the poll was caused by Byers and their 6-2 win over Limon on Saturday.  That win moved the Bulldogs to 3-0 and shot them to eighth in the rankings ahead of Limon who slid four spots to ninth.  Wiggins was the hard luck team in that scenario.  They dropped one position to tenth despite a quality win over 2A Platte Valley.  We kept Wiggins behind Limon in the poll since they lost to the Badgers in week one.  The losses by Wray and Limon opened the door for Lutheran and Resurrection Christian.  They’re both in the top five of the Colorado Preps poll for the first time in school history.  They meet on October 15^th.

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EIGHT MAN

1. Hoehne (2-0)
2. Dayspring Christian (2-0)
3. Caliche (2-1)
4. Norwood (2-0)
5. Springfield (2-0)
6. West Grand (2-0)
7. Fowler (2-0)
8. Merino (1-1)
9. Walsh (0-1)
10. Kiowa (1-0)

NEW:  Fowler

DROPPED OUT:  Granada

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Stratton (1-1), Simla (2-0), Haxtun (2-0), Swink (2-0), La Veta (2-0)

NOTES:  Fowler created the biggest buzz in the eight man ranks this week as they blanked Merino 24-0 on Saturday.  The win ended years of frustration for Southern conference teams against the tradition rich Rams.  The Grizzlies were also the first team to keep Merino off the scoreboard since Dayspring Christian beat the Rams 27-0 on October 18, 2008.  The win brought Fowler from outside the poll to seventh while Merino tumbled five spots to eighth.  Moving up one spot apiece were Norwood, Springfield and West Grand.  Walsh (did not play) and Kiowa (beat Genoa Hugo) slid one spot apiece to ninth and tenth because of Fowler’s move into the rankings.  Other than the Merino loss, top ten teams cruised to victories.  Hoehne blasted Sanford for their 15^th straight win, Dayspring had no trouble at Vail Christian, Caliche hammered Miami Yoder and Norwood collected another regular season win over Dove Creek.  Springfield and West Grand also posted 45 point plus wins.  Outside the rankings, several teams are pushing for a berth in the top ten.  Simla scored a good win over Elbert and Stratton celebrated homecoming by stunning Granada.  The Bobcats had moved into the top ten by whipping Cheyenne Wells in their opener but were handled by the Eagles 34-16.  Swink, Haxtun and La Veta are three other teams with strong starts but have yet to find room in the rankings.

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SIX MAN

1. Otis (2-0)
2. Fleming (2-0)
3. Deer Trail (2-0)
4. Hi Plains (1-1)
5. Cotopaxi (2-0)
6. Pawnee (2-0)
7. Eads (1-1)
8. Weldon Valley (1-1)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Edison (1-1), Idalia (1-1)

NOTES:  With three matchups of ranked teams, we entered week two believing we might determine the pecking order in the state’s smallest division.  If that’s the case, then the teams to beat appear to Otis and Fleming.  Otis took out Weldon Valley much easier than expected and Fleming was in control against Hi Plains for most of their game as well.  They remain solid in the first two positions in the rankings.  Deer Trail moved up to third in the rankings thanks to their blowout of Eads.  Eads scored 81 points in their opening win over Edison but was missing several players in the loss to Deer Trail.  When and if those players will return is still up in the air so we’re not completely sure where to rank the Eagles.  If all the players return, then they can be a state championship contender; if not, they could struggle to win their league title.  Cotopaxi and Pawnee took advantage of the losses by Eads and Weldon Valley to move up to fifth and sixth respectively.  For Cotopaxi, it’s their highest ever ranking by Colorado Preps.

CLASS 5A

1. Mullen (1-0)
2. Cherokee Trail (1-0)
3. Columbine (1-0)
4. Regis (0-1)
5. Ralston Valley (1-0)
6. Grand Junction (1-0)
7. Bear Creek (1-0)
8. Grandview (0-1)
9. Chaparral (0-1)
10. Pomona (1-0)

NEW:  Pomona (1-0)

DROPPED OUT:  Highlands Ranch (0-1)

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Fort Collins (1-0), Rocky Mountain (1-0), Arapahoe (1-0), Heritage (1-0), Denver East (1-0), Mountain Vista (1-0), ThunderRidge (1-0), Douglas County (1-0), Legacy (1-0)

NOTES:  During their third consecutive state championship run, the Mullen defense allowed only 89 points and began the season with four straight shutouts.  On Friday, the Mustangs opened the season in the same fashion blanking Chaparral 27-0 for their 34^th consecutive win.  That was more than enough to keep them in the number one spot for week two.  Cherokee Trail and Columbine were also week one winners and each moved up in the rankings thanks to early losses by Grandview and Regis.  Both the Wolves and Raiders fell to Valor Christian but since Regis lost by only four points, their setback cost them just one spot in the rankings.  Grandview, which faces Mullen this week, tumbled six spots to 8^th because of the wide margin against Valor Christian in zero week (45-17).  Grand Junction jumped ahead of Bear Creek thanks to their impressive victory over fellow top ten member Highlands Ranch.  That moved the Tigers up three spots to number six.  Bear Creek bumped one to seventh.  Pomona is the only new entry but they replace Highlands Ranch in 10^th due to their strong showing against Pomona.

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CLASS 4A

1. Valor Christian (2-0)
2. Monarch (1-0)
3. Wheat Ridge (1-0)
4. Longmont (2-0)
5. Pine Creek (1-0)
6. Castle View (1-0)
7. Broomfield (1-0)
8. Pueblo West (1-0)
9. Montrose (2-0)
10. Greeley West (1-0)

NEW:  Pueblo West (1-0), Montrose (2-0), Greeley West (1-0)

DROPPED OUT:  Loveland (0-1), Ponderosa (0-1), Dakota Ridge (1-0)

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Mesa Ridge (1-0), Brighton (1-0), Liberty (1-0), Sand Creek (1-0)

NOTES:  The top seven positions remain unchanged through the first two weekends in 4A.  Valor Christian, with wins over 5A powers Grandview and Regis, remains solid in the number one position but Longmont also had an impressive week.  They won twice in five days; disposing of Arvada West last Monday and then rolling past Skyline on Friday.  The Trojans though were unable to move up because Monarch and Wheat Ridge were also impressive in their debuts.  Monarch routed a team from Florida in zero week while Wheat Ridge displayed a potent offense in their win over Ponderosa. The final three spots are comprised of teams new to the poll.  Pueblo West edged Dakota Ridge 14-7 so the Cyclones basically replaced the Eagles in the rankings.  In the pre-season, we went back and forth on those two for the tenth and final spot and based on the head-to-head matchup, we made the wrong decision.  Dakota Ridge almost stayed in the rankings but were pushed out by Greeley West and Montrose.  The two programs are always in the playoff mix and both have had solid starts to the campaign.  Montrose has already posted two wins including a zero victory over Rock Canyon and Greeley West bounced Montbello.  They replace Ponderosa (lost to Wheat Ridge) and Loveland (lost to Fort Collins) in the week two poll.

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CLASS 3A

1. Palisade (1-0)
2. Vista Ridge (1-0)
3. Windsor (1-0)
4. D’Evelyn (1-0)
5. Silver Creek (0-1)
6. Palmer Ridge (1-0)
7. Canon City (1-0)
8. Glenwood Springs (1-0)
9. Lewis Palmer (1-0)
10. Kennedy (1-0)

NEW:  None

DROPPED OUT:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Roosevelt (1-0), Mountain View (1-0), Erie (1-0), Holy Family (1-0), Centaurus (1-0), Englewood (2-0), Evergreen (2-0), Pueblo East (1-0), Pueblo Centennial (1-0), Frederick (1-0), Battle Mountain (1-0)

NOTES:  Members of the top ten made it through Thursday and Friday without a loss but the streak was snapped on Saturday as Silver Creek lost in overtime (36-35) at 2A power Kent Denver.  It was the second straight year the two teams were separated by one point.  Silver Creek edged the Sun Devils 21-20 to open the 2010 season.  That loss was not too damaging to the early season ranking for Silver Creek.  The Raptors dropped two spots and that allowed Windsor and D’Evelyn to each bump up one position.  Top ranked Palisade was given a scare by 5A Grand Junction Central but managed a 12 point win.  Vista Ridge (beat Falcon) and Lewis Palmer (beat Woodland Park) may have survived their longest weeks of the season.  Both teams opened their season on Friday but didn’t finish their first game until Saturday when lightning in Colorado Springs suspended both games for a day.  Several teams outside the top ten made strong debuts as well and those results emphasized the depth of the division.  Roosevelt easily moved past a good 2A team in Platte Valley, Erie took out defending state champion Elizabeth, Holy Family trounced Steamboat Springs and Mountain View knocked off 4A Thompson Valley.  Don’t be surprised if all four of those teams enter into the rankings in the near future.

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CLASS 2A

1. Florence (2-0)
2. Kent Denver (1-0)
3. Faith Christian (1-0)
4. Brush (2-0)
5. Aspen (1-0)
6. Olathe (1-0)
7. Bennett (1-0)
8. Bayfield (1-0)
9. Colorado Springs Christian (2-0)
10. Strasburg (1-0)

NEW:  Colorado Springs Christian (2-0), Strasburg (1-0)

DROPPED OUT:  Platte Valley (1-1), Buena Vista (0-1)

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Middle Park (1-0), Pagosa Springs (2-0), Centauri (1-0), Weld Central (1-0), Valley (1-0), Gunnison (1-0), Coal Ridge (1-0)

NOTES:  Kent Denver and Aspen were the only two members of the top eight to have games come down to the final minutes.  Kent Denver scored a wild one point overtime win over 3A power Silver Creek and Aspen rallied from a ten point halftime deficit to edge 3A Moffat County 32-28.  Other than that, the ranked squads posted lopsided wins.  Florence beat Alamosa by 35, Faith Christian ripped Ridgeview Academy by 49, Brush disposed of Fort Morgan by 20, and Bennett won by a whopping 59 points.  Olathe had the week off but they downed Steamboat Springs with ease in zero week.  Colorado Springs Christian and Strasburg enter the poll this week replacing Platte Valley and Buena Vista.  Platte Valley opened strong by blanking Sterling in zero week but was taken out by Roosevelt 45-6 last Friday.  Buena Vista lost to St Mary’s and it cost them a spot in the rankings as well.   CS Christian is already 2-0 after beating Salida on Friday and Strasburg went on the road to Bailey and completely controlled traditional 2A power Platte Canyon 40-0.  The Indians are hoping to challenge the likes of Brush, Eaton and Platte Valley in the Patriot race.  Gunnison and Coal Ridge also made a splash in week one.  The Cowboys drilled 1A state power Rye with ease on Friday while Coal Ridge scored a nice win over a bigger school (Eagle Valley).  The Titans qualified for the playoffs for the first time ever last year and apparently have carried that momentum into the new season.

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CLASS 1A

1. Burlington (1-0)
2. Hotchkiss (1-0)
3. Wray (1-0)
4. Akron (1-0)
5. Limon (1-0)
6. Lutheran (2-0)
7. Resurrection Christian (2-0)
8. Lyons (0-1)
9. Wiggins (1-1)
10. Rye (0-1)

NEW:  Resurrection Christian (2-0)

DROPPED OUT:  Monte Vista (0-1)

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Byers (2-0), Yuma (1-0), Custer County (1-0), John Mall (1-1)

NOTES:  The best game of week one took place in Limon where the Badgers held off Wiggins 12-7 in a game that was delayed in the fourth quarter by weather.  Wiggins entered the game ranked 8^th in the poll and only lost one spot because of the narrow road loss against a quality opponent.  Rye was another team that suffered an opening loss as they were beaten by 2A Gunnison.  Despite the wide margin, Rye’s recent tradition and the fact they were playing a bigger school kept them in the rankings.  The Thunderbolts get another test with Akron in week two.  Making waves early on this season are Lutheran and Resurrection Christian.  The Lions scored a quality road win at Lyons in zero week and then blew past Cornerstone Christian easily on Saturday.  Resurrection is averaging almost 53 points in wins over Denver Christian and Highland.  They have future matchups with Lyons and Lutheran later in the season and also will tangle with Holyoke in week four.  Burlington and Hotchkiss flexed their muscle in opening wins over 2A opponents.  The Cougars dropped Lamar 20-9 on the road and Hotchkiss took out Roaring Fork 35-6 in their home opener.  Hotchkiss in fact, was the only member of the Western Slope league to post a win in week one.   They have a huge non-league showdown with Aspen in week three.

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EIGHT MAN

1. Hoehne (1-0)
2. Dayspring Christian (1-0)
3. Merino (1-0)
4. Caliche (1-1)
5. Norwood (1-0)
6. Springfield (1-0)
7. West Grand (1-0)
8. Walsh (0-1)
9. Kiowa (0-0)
10. Granada (1-0)

NEW:  Granada (1-0)

DROPPED OUT:  Cheyenne Wells (0-1)

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Simla (1-0), Haxtun (1-0), La Veta (1-0), Swink (1-0), Fowler (1-0), Soroco (1-0)

NOTES:  There was only one surprise in the opening week of eight man football and that took place in Southeast Colorado where Granada blasted Cheyenne Wells 45-0.  The Tigers were ranked ninth in the pre-season while Granada drew top ten consideration but many expected the Bobcats to be a year away from making a playoff run.  If week one is any indication, then the Bobcats are ready right now.  With momentum from the week one shutout, the Bobcats could challenge Walsh and Springfield the Ark Valley title.  They also replaced Cheyenne Wells in the rankings this week.  Walsh was the only other ranked team to suffer a loss in week one but since they fell to defending state champion Hoehne, their fall was only four spots to eighth.  Hoehne collected their 14^th straight win the victory.  Caliche bounced back from a zero week 11-man loss to Yuma by taking out Antonito.  That recovery kept them in the top four.  Norwood, Springfield and West Grand all moved up with the loss by Walsh.  Kiowa also bumped up a spot despite not playing.  Their game with Gilpin County was postponed because of lightning on Friday and at this point, a makeup date has not been announced.

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SIX MAN

1. Otis (1-0)
2. Fleming (1-0)
3. Eads (1-0)
4. Hi Plains (1-0)
5. Deer Trail (1-0)
6. Weldon Valley (1-0)
7. Cotopaxi (1-0)
8. Pawnee (1-0)

NEW:  Weldon Valley (1-0), Pawnee (1-0)

DROPPED OUT:  Idalia (0-1), Edison (0-1)

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Pikes Peak Christian (1-0)

NOTES:  For the first time in the nine year history of Colorado Preps, Idalia is not included in the six man rankings.  The Wolves are the two-time defending state champions but feature an almost completely new lineup and that inexperience was on display in the opening 53-14 loss at Weldon Valley.  The Wolves defense could not contain the outside speed of the Warriors.  Weldon Valley used the win to replace the Wolves and vault to sixth in this week’s poll.  Pawnee is the other newcomer after beating Woodlin.  They replace Edison who surrendered 81 points in a loss to Eads.  The top five teams in this week’s poll were unchallenged in their openers winning by a combined 272 points.  The top four are unchanged from the pre-season poll with Deer Trail bumping up because of the Idalia loss.

As in the past, you can follow virtually every game in the state as we provide updates of games in progress.  You can see those scores at www.coloradoscores.com.  Simply click on football, then select the scoreboard icon.  All the scores will be available on the front page but you can sort by league or by class by using the filter.  If you have questions or cannot find the score you need, contact us at kevin@coloradopreps.com or toll free at 866.534.6257.

Our ninth season of the Scoreboard Show will open on Friday September 2^nd.  If you have interest in helping us track scores of your favorite team, contact us through the same methods.

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CLASS 5A

1. Mullen
2. Grandview
3. Cherokee Trail
4. Regis
5. Chaparral
6. Columbine
7. Ralston Valley
8. Bear Creek
9. Grand Junction
10. Highlands Ranch

TEAMS TO WATCH: Pomona, Arvada West

NOTES:  Quarterback play will be crucial for most of the top big school programs as they try to end the recent dominance of Mullen.  The Mustangs have won three consecutive championships and four of the last seven.  They’ve also played in six of the last seven state finals and are heavily favored to line up again at Sports Authority Field at Mile High this December.  Cyler Miles is a returning signal caller for Mullen and is considered the top QB in 5A to open the season.  There is plenty of talent at quarterback across the division however.  Grandview returns 13 starters including Jordan Schlehuber who threw for over 1,000 yards as a junior.  Cherokee Trail went 11-2 a year ago with losses to coming to state champion Mullen and fellow state finalist Regis.  After passing and running for 1,000 yards last year, Thomas Singleton is back to direct the Cougars attack.  Regis features Eystin Salum.  He threw for almost 600 yards and eight touchdowns while splitting time with Luke Longfield during their 13-1 run a year ago.  Chaparral is the only top five team in our pre-season poll without a returning starter at QB but the Wolverines offensive line anchored by Shane Callahan should give the new signal caller time to make the proper decisions.  The Wolverines also have eight starters returning on defense.  Two other QB’s to keep an eye on are Sean Flanagan at Bear Creek and Sean Rubalcaba in Grand Junction.  Flanagan returns as a starter and will be in charge of the Bears spread attack.  Rubalcaba headlines 17 returning starters and a senior class of 31 for the Tigers.  Against Northglenn in the first round of the playoffs last year, Rubalcaba hit 11 of 12 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns and added 148 yards through the air.  In his final four games of the season, he ran for 638 yards.

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CLASS 4A

1. Valor Christian
2. Monarch
3. Wheat Ridge
4. Longmont
5. Pine Creek
6. Castle View
7. Broomfield
8. Loveland
9. Ponderosa
10. Dakota Ridge

TEAMS TO WATCH: Pueblo West, Montrose, Greeley West

NOTES: Nearly half of the 33 teams in this division will qualify for the playoffs but every school is chasing Valor Christian for the state championship.  The Eagles spent their first year in Class 4A last year by winning their second consecutive state championship.  They also captured the 3A crown in 2009 and are heavily favored to land a third straight Gold Ball.  Castle View appears to be the best team in South Metro this year and the Sabercats open the year ranked sixth.  They’re deep on offense and have talent up front.  League wise, the best race again appears to be the Mountain Plains.  Monarch, Wheat Ridge and Dakota Ridge feature great tradition.  Wheat Ridge has won two of the last five state titles and made the finals last year and Monarch is always in the mix.  Dakota Ridge may finish third behind the big two but the Eagles are typically in the playoff mix.  They’ve been to the state semi-finals three times in the past seven years under Coach Ron Woitalewicz.  Another great race will take place in the Northern Conference.  Longmont is the slight favorite over Loveland with Greeley West also considered a challenger.  The Spartans just missed out on the top ten.  Pine Creek has ruled the Pikes Peak conference of late and the Eagles should continue that trend this year.  Their last three playoff losses have been against teams that went on to either win the Gold Ball or reach the state finals.  Outside the top ten, Pueblo West and Montrose are both expected to improve from last year and we expect both to make appearances in the rankings throughout the season and again reach the post-season.

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CLASS 3A

1. Palisade
2. Vista Ridge
3. Silver Creek
4. Windsor
5. D’Evelyn
6. Palmer Ridge
7. Canon City
8. Glenwood Springs
9. Lewis Palmer
10. Kennedy

TEAMS TO WATCH: Evergreen, Pueblo Centennial, Holy Family, Frederick, Mountain View, Rifle, Elizabeth

NOTES: It may come as a shock to some that we don’t have Elizabeth in our pre-season top ten.  The Cardinals rolled to a perfect 14-0 season to win their first ever football crown last Fall but the Cards return just two starters on offense and one defense.  Based on their tradition under coach Chris Cline, Elizabeth should still and a playoff spot and push Evergreen for the Metro South crown but they are not in our top ten to begin the season.  Palisade again appears to be the top team out west and they earn the number one spot in our rankings.  They suffered through crucial turnovers in their playoff loss to Silver Creek a year ago and that outcome should motivate the Bulldogs this year.  Vista Ridge may have been the number one team but they underwent a sudden coaching change just before the season as Dean Huffman was replaced by assistant Les Johnson on August 12^th just three days before practice opened.  Silver Creek and Windsor appear to be top teams up north and both have the talent to contend again this year.  Both lost in round two a season ago.  D’Evelyn features a wide open attack and talented QB Caleb Flack.  They should improve on their 6-4 mark from a year ago as their youthful defense from last season is now a year older.  They started six sophomores on that side of the ball in 2010.  Palmer Ridge, Canon City and Lewis Palmer will again be factors from the South Central.  Those three could also be pushed by an improving Pueblo Centennial team in the league chase.  Glenwood Springs was not included in our pre-season top ten poll a year ago and they raced to the state finals before falling to Elizabeth.  We won’t make the same mistake again this season as they should push Palisade for the Western Slope title.  Kennedy could be considered a surprise entrant to the pre-season rankings.  This is the first time in the nine year history of Colorado Preps that the Commanders are included in the first football poll.  According to coaches around the state, the Commanders performed well in seven on seven tournaments over the summer and feature great speed.  Health and how well they play up front may determine their playoff chances.

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CLASS 2A

1. Florence
2. Kent Denver
3. Faith Christian
4. Brush
5. Aspen
6. Olathe
7. Bennett
8. Platte Valley
9. Bayfield
10. Buena Vista

TEAMS TO WATCH: Platte Canyon, Lamar, St Mary’s, Pagosa Springs, Eaton

NOTES: The division could be considered wide open this year as any of the top six teams in our poll could lay claim to the top spot.  In feedback from coaches, Florence received the most consideration as the team to beat as they return a good share of the club that lost by four points to eventual champion Olathe in the state semi-finals last year.  Defensively, the Huskies must replace nine starters but quarterback Cody Nichols is back for his senior year and will be in his third year as a starter.  Olathe has won two of the last four state titles and probably don’t earn enough respect in our pre-season poll but they lost standout Kyle Piatt to graduation.  He led the Pirates in rushing, tackles, kicking and punting last year and finding someone or a few players to fill his shoes will be difficult for coach Ryan Corn.  His track record though still keeps the Pirates as a state championship contender but they will get pushed by Aspen again for the Western Slope title.  Kent Denver, Faith Christian and Brush could also be put in virtually any order as all three are traditional 2A powers and will again be in the mix in 2011.  Bennett looks to step past Platte Canyon as the second qualifier in the Colorado conference.  Platte Canyon is young this year and may be a bit thin in spots but look for them to be in the playoff picture by November.   Platte Valley returns 24 lettermen and the Broncos also visit the post-season on a regular basis.  Bayfield and Buena Vista were the post-season entrants from the Mountain conference and they return the most key players this season but the league has new coaches at four of the seven schools.  That includes Buena Vista where Matt Flavin succeeds Bob Marken who retired at the end of last year.  Pagosa Springs may also be in that chase under new coach Olin Garrison.

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CLASS 1A

1. Burlington
2. Hotchkiss
3. Wray
4. Akron
5. Limon
6. Rye
7. Lyons
8. Wiggins
9. Lutheran
10. Monte Vista

TEAMS TO WATCH: Yuma, Hayden, Dolores, Resurrection Christian, Paonia, John Mall

NOTES: The usual suspects can be found atop the Class 1A rankings.  According to coaches, the top three teams are Burlington, Hotchkiss and Wray.  Burlington beat Hotchkiss in the semi-finals and then moved past Wray to win the state championship a year ago and based on the pre-season rankings, a similar scenario could take place again in 2011.  Behind the top three are traditional powers Akron and Limon.  The Rams and Badgers will battle Burlington and Wray for the top spots in the North and South Central conferences.  Those two leagues have dominated the 1A ranks for several years.  Hotchkiss appears to be a step ahead of the rest in the Western Slope.  The matchup between Paonia and Hayden on September 30^th could determine the second playoff qualifier from that conference.  Rye lost several key players but we still expect them to roll through the Santa Fe conference and make a deep playoff run.  The Thunderbolts get a couple of strong non-conference tests in September against Akron and Monte Vista.  Wiggins is a returning playoff team and this year they hope to move past Yuma for the third spot in the North Central.  Yuma has a new coach (Ryan Burkholder) but should contend for a playoff spot.  Lutheran and Lyons appear to be the top teams from the Metro South and North respectively.  Lutheran is merging two programs into one this year and they should provide them with solid depth.  Lyons has great tradition and that should continue again in 2011.  Monte Vista is the favorite in the Southern Peaks but could get pushed by Dolores who is under the direction of Tony Goodwin who replaces Don Story.  Story will coach in New Mexico this season.

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EIGHT MAN

1. Hoehne
2. Dayspring Christian
3. Caliche
4. Merino
5. Walsh
6. Norwood
7. Springfield
8. West Grand
9. Cheyenne Wells
10. Kiowa

TEAMS TO WATCH: Stratton, Simla, Sedgwick County, Granada, Swink

NOTES: Hoehne is the defending state champ and the unanimous choice for all the coaches we polled as the pre-season number one.  They return seven starters on offense and five on defense as they look to repeat their 2010 championship.  Dayspring Christian had played in three consecutive state finals before last year and with the return of standout quarterback Ben Sanderford, they again will be a threat to win it all.  He missed much of last season with a knee injury but is back nearly at one hundred percent for this season.  Caliche and Merino will again be in the mix in both the Plains conference and the statewide race.  The Ark Valley could be very balanced as Walsh, Springfield and Granada should challenge for the crown.  Walsh may be a slight favorite as they return starters at key positions.  Norwood has been the top team out west and that will not change this year.  The Mavericks have reached the state semi-finals each of the past two years.  West Grand is very experienced while Cheyenne Wells has good numbers and Kiowa appears to be the top team in the Black Forest.  They used quite a few freshman last season and those kids are now a year older and stronger with experience.

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SIX MAN

1. Otis
2. Fleming
3. Eads
4. Hi Plains
5. Idalia
6. Deer Trail
7. Edison
8. Cotopaxi

NOTES: While the names in the top five are familiar, new faces can be found in the final three spots.  Deer Trail, Edison and Cotopaxi are among the three teams trying to break into the top tier of the six man ranks.  Idalia has dominated the division winning eight state titles since 2000.  They enter this season as the two time defending state champs having beaten Fleming (70-36) last year and Hi Plains (68-22) in 2009.  Despite their recent success, the Wolves are only fifth to start the season.  Otis is the pre-season number one team as they’re coming off a two loss season where both setbacks came at the hands of Idalia.  They scored just 26 points in the two losses but were not held under 42 by any other opponent.  Quarterback Jared Allacher is their key as he returns as leader after throwing for over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior.  Fleming has been very close to state championships in a couple of sports.  They’ve finished runner-up in 1A state baseball each of the past two years and equaled that effort on the gridiron last year.  Like Otis, the Wildcats were 10-0 against the state but 0-2 against Idalia and like the Bulldogs, they’re hoping 2011 is the year they bypass the tradition rich Wolves.  They lost leading rusher Josh Stone but return a talented trio of juniors led by Tyler Vandenbark, Trevor Chintala and Tanner Serrato.  Serrato threw for 12-hundred yards and 24 touchdowns while Vandenbark (571) and Chintala (393) provided spark in the running game.

CLASS 5A

#1 Mullen (9-0)

#2 Regis (9-0)

#3 Ralston Valley (9-0)

#4 Chaparral (7-2)

#5 Rangeview (9-0)

#6 Columbine (8-1)

#7 Cherokee Trail (8-1)

#8 Grand Junction (8-1)

#9 Fort Collins (8-1)

#10 Lakewood (8-1)

DROPPED OUT:  Highlands Ranch

NEW:  Lakewood

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Pomona (6-3), Fountain Fort Carson (7-2), Cherry Creek (6-3), Denver South (7-2), Bear Creek (6-3)

NOTES:  Even though several teams are in different positions this week, the order of the top ten does not change much.  Columbine slipped three spots to number six because of their loss to Mullen so Ralston Valley, Chaparral and Rangeview all bump up one position.  Highlands Ranch lost their second straight to drop out of the rankings from the 8^th spot last week.  Lakewood replaces the Falcons in the poll as the Tigers make their first ever appearance inside the Colorado Preps top ten edging Pomona for the final spot.  All ten teams in the rankings will be at home in round one of the playoffs this weekend.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  All first round playoff games

CLASS 4A

#1 Wheat Ridge (9-0)

#2 Broomfield (8-1)

#3 Monarch (8-1)

#4 Valor Christian (6-3)

#5 Pine Creek (8-1)

#6 Pueblo West (6-3)

#7 Falcon (8-1)

#8 Ponderosa (6-3)

#9 Dakota Ridge (6-3)

#10 Loveland (5-4)

DROPPED OUT:  Widefield, Longmont

NEW:  Loveland, Dakota Ridge

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Castle View (6-3), Pueblo South (5-4), Mesa Ridge (6-3), Greeley West (5-4), Prairie View (5-4)

NOTES:  Three top ten teams from last week suffered losses so a new week finds the trio in different positions this week.  Longmont (9^th last week) and Widefield (10^th last week) no longer are members of the poll while Ponderosa (6^th last week) dropped two positions to 8^th because of a three point loss to 4^th ranked Valor Christian.  Because of that result, both Pueblo West and Falcon were able to improve by one spot this week.  The top five remains in the same order as a week ago but that will change next week as Wheat Ridge and Monarch collide to determine the Mountain Plains championship.  Newcomers are Dakota Ridge and Loveland.  The Eagles are third inside the rugged Mountain Plains while Loveland jumps in after blasting Longmont 40-17 last week.  They can secure second place in the Northern by beating Greeley West on Thursday.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Pueblo West at Pueblo South, Loveland at Greeley West, Monarch at Wheat Ridge, Golden at Prairie View, Montrose at Durango

CLASS 3A

#1 Elizabeth (9-0)

#2 Glenwood Springs (8-1)

#3 Mountain View (8-1)

#4 Palisade (8-1)

#5 Lewis Palmer (8-1)

#6 Roosevelt (8-1)

#7 Erie (7-2)

#8 Silver Creek (7-2)

#9 Centaurus (7-2)

#10 Vista Ridge (7-2)

DROPPED OUT:  Skyview

NEW:  Vista Ridge

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Englewood (8-1), Windsor (7-2), Evergreen (7-2), Canon City (6-3), Palmer Ridge (6-3)

NOTES:  Roosevelt makes the biggest move this week.  Thanks to their win over Erie on Friday, the Roughriders improve by two spots and take over the sixth position this week.  The win also created a four team tie for the Northern conference lead and all four teams still have a chance at the league title in the final week.  Despite the loss, Erie slides just one position to seventh as we kept them ahead of Silver Creek since they beat the Raptors earlier this season.  Skyview was upset by Kennedy and the Wolverines fell from the rankings.  They were replaced by Vista Ridge who is making their first ever appearance in the Colorado Preps rankings.  They’ve already won the Southern championship.  The top five remains intact from last week as each collected solid wins.  Englewood and Windsor continue to push for a top ten spot.  Both can win league championships this week but the Pirates have the much taller order when they line up against top ranked Elizabeth.  The Cardinals are the lone unbeaten team left in the division.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Centaurus at Skyview, Elizabeth at Englewood, Mountain View at Erie, Silver Creek at Roosevelt, Frederick at Windsor

CLASS 2A

#1 Florence (9-0)

#2 Kent Denver (7-2)

#3 Platte Canyon (8-1)

#4 Brush (7-2)

#5 Faith Christian (7-2)

#6 Buena Vista (8-1)

#7 Colorado Springs Christian (8-1)

#8 Olathe (7-2)

#9 Aspen (7-2)

#10 Eaton (7-2)

DROPPED OUT:  Bennett

NEW:  Eaton

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Bayfield (7-1), Pagosa Springs (7-2), Platte Valley (6-2), Basalt (6-3), Lamar (6-4)

NOTES:  Like many other classes, the top five teams all picked up wins over the weekend so they remain in the same positions this week.  Of the top five, Brush is the only team that has not locked up a playoff berth but all they need to do to advance is beat Estes Park on Friday.  They’ll be heavily favored.  Olathe probably scored the biggest win of the weekend.  Their 24-14 decision over Aspen gave them a third consecutive Western Slope championship.  It also pushed them up two spots to number eight in the poll this week.  Aspen slides from sixth to ninth and their loss allows Buena Vista and Colorado Springs to also move up.  The Demons have captured the Mountain title while Colorado Springs Christian needs a win over Manitou to clinch second in the Tri Peaks and earn a post-season bid.  Bennett lost their second straight game (Kent Denver) so the Tigers are out of the rankings this week and replaced by Eaton.  The Reds can finish either first, third or fourth in the Patriot depending on how they fare against Platte Valley this week.  A win gives them the title while a loss could send them to fourth if Strasburg also beats Weld Central.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  The Academy at Machebeuf, Bayfield at Pagosa Springs, Eaton at Platte Valley, Colorado Springs Christian at Manitou Springs

CLASS 1A

#1 Wray (9-0)

#2 Burlington (8-1)

#3 Rye (8-1)

#4 Hotchkiss (8-1)

#5 Limon (8-1)

#6 Byers (8-1)

#7 Akron (6-3)

#8 Lyons (7-2)

#9 Monte Vista (7-2)

#10 Yuma (6-3)

DROPPED OUT:  None

NEW:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Hayden (5-4), John Mall (6-3)

NOTES:  Virtually the entire 1A division was focused on the big matchup between Burlington and Limon for the South Central title.  The Cougars came out on top 35-14 to win the crown and they used the victory to jump up one spot to number two in the Colorado Preps top ten.  It’s their highest ranking of the season.  Limon tumbles three spots to number five and were passed in the poll by both Rye and Hotchkiss.  The Thunderbolts also scored a nice win over John Mall to collect the Santa Fe championship.  Yuma also tumbled four spots to tenth following their second straight loss (47-30 to Akron).  We even dropped the Indians behind Lyons even though they beat the Lions 14-7 at mid-season.  Right now it seems that the Lions are playing better football than the defending state champions and they’ll need be as they host red-hot Akron in round one.  Both Limon and Yuma must recover quickly from losses as they collide in the opening round of the playoffs.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  All first round playoff games

EIGHT MAN

#1 Caliche (8-1)

#2 Hoehne (9-0)

#3 Norwood (9-0)

#4 Dayspring Christian (8-1)

#5 Merino (7-2)

#6 Stratton (7-1)

#7 Walsh (8-1)

#8 Springfield (8-1)

#9 Elbert (8-1)

#10 Swink (8-1)

DROPPED OUT:  West Grand

NEW: Swink

TEAMS TO WATCH:  La Veta (7-2), Cheyenne Wells (6-3), Sedgwick County (5-4)

NOTES:  With cross divisional games played last weekend, most of the favorites collected victories to qualify for the post-season.  The lone exceptions were probably Mancos and West Grand.  West Grand was the Central conference champion and we thought they had a great chance to be the first team from that league to win a cross divisional game against the Plains conference.  It didn’t happen as Sedgwick County picked up a nice 42-14 decision to reach the playoffs.   Now the Cougars will challenge Walsh in the first round.  Mancos was the runner-up to Norwood out west but was bounced from a potential playoff berth by Sierra Grande.  The Panthers were just 2-6 going in but outscored the Bluejays 54-48 on the road to score the not anticipated upset.  Swink is the lone newcomer to the rankings.  The Lions are back in following the West Grand loss.  They pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Granada last Saturday.  The top eight teams are in the same order as last week and other than Norwood and Dayspring Christian exchanging positions, our poll from last week is the same as the top eight seeds in the playoff bracket.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  All first round playoff games

SIX MAN

#1 Idalia (8-0)

#2 Fleming (8-1)

#3 Otis (8-1)

#4 Eads (7-1)

#5 Bethune (6-3)

#6 Deer Trail (6-3)

#7 Hi Plains (5-4)

#8 Cotopaxi (7-1)

DROPPED OUT:  Edison, Flagler, Pawnee

NEW:  Deer Trail, Hi Plains, Cotopaxi

TEAMS TO WATCH:  None

NOTES:  The cross divisional pairings brought us a few surprises and those results bring changes to the rankings this week.  Southwest champion Edison was upset by fourth place Hi Plains (Southeast) 45-44 and that loss eliminated the Eagles from playoff consideration.  Hi Plains joins the poll at number seven this week.  Cotopaxi was at home but still considered the underdog against Flagler on Saturday but the Pirates led from start to finish to gain a playoff berth in their first year of six man football.  It’s their visit to the post-season since 2001.  It may be short-lived as the Pirates must visit defending state champion Idalia in round one.  Deer Trail is the third newcomer to the rankings.  We probably should have had the Eagles in the rankings the week before but they’re back in after blasting Weldon Valley in the qualifying round.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  All first round playoff games

CLASS 5A

#1 Mullen (8-0)

#2 Regis (8-0)

#3 Columbine (8-0)

#4 Ralston Valley (8-0)

#5 Chaparral (6-2)

#6 Rangeview (8-0)

#7 Cherokee Trail (7-1)

#8 Highlands Ranch (7-1)

#9 Grand Junction (7-1)

#10 Fort Collins (7-1)

DROPPED OUT:  Pomona

NEW:  Fort Collins

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Fountain Fort Carson (6-2), Lakewood (7-1), Bear Creek (5-3), Denver East (5-3), Denver South (6-2)

NOTES:  Highlands Ranch and Pomona were the only two top ten teams to be upset last week and both lost to fellow ranked opponents.  Highlands Ranch was blown out by Chaparral (42-0) on Thursday and with the loss dropped four spots to number eight.  The Falcons can start the climb back if they upset 2^nd ranked Regis this weekend.  Pomona suffered a late 23-20 loss to Ralston Valley in the Super Six championship.  That loss cost the Panthers their position in the rankings (9^th last week).  They were replaced by Fort Collins who clinched the Front Range title in week eight.  The West Metro and Continental are the only conferences who have yet to crown a champion.  Mullen and Columbine collide for the West Metro title.  Regis claims the Continental title by beating Highlands Ranch.  Other champions include Ralston Valley (Super Six), Fort Collins (Front Range), Grand Junction (Southwestern), Fountain Fort Carson (CS Metro), Cherokee Trail (Creek) and Rangeview (East Metro).  A tiebreaker will be needed to determine the Denver conference as Lakewood, Denver East and Denver South will share the championship if all three win this weekend.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Columbine at Mullen, Regis at Highlands Ranch, Montrose at Fruita Monument, Denver South at George Washington, Lincoln at Denver East

CLASS 4A

#1 Wheat Ridge (8-0)

#2 Broomfield (7-1)

#3 Monarch (7-1)

#4 Valor Christian (5-3)

#5 Pine Creek (7-1)

#6 Ponderosa (6-2)

#7 Pueblo West (5-3)

#8 Falcon (7-1)

#9 Longmont (6-2)

#10 Widefield (7-1)

DROPPED OUT:  None

NEW:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Dakota Ridge (5-3), Loveland (4-4), Pueblo South (4-4), Castle View (5-3)

NOTES:  Not much change in the division this week as eight of the ten teams were easy winners during the week.  The top seven remain unchanged and Falcon moves up one spot to number eight because Longmont fell short against Broomfield.  Widefield was the other upset victim.  They fell to Pueblo South 29-14 last Friday.  Both the Trojans and Gladiators stay in the rankings because honestly, there are not many teams to choose from to fill those positions.  Dakota Ridge is probably the best choice to move into the rankings but the Eagles moved to just 5-3 with their come-from-behind win over Prairie View (20-19).  As a result, Longmont falls just one spot to number nine and Widefield stays put in tenth.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Dakota Ridge at Golden, Wheat Ridge at Prairie View, Widefield at Pueblo West, Longmont at Loveland, Ponderosa at Valor Christian

CLASS 3A

#1 Elizabeth (8-0)

#2 Glenwood Springs (7-1)

#3 Mountain View (7-1)

#4 Palisade (7-1)

#5 Lewis Palmer (7-1)

#6 Erie (7-1)

#7 Skyview (6-2)

#8 Roosevelt (7-1)

#9 Silver Creek (6-2)

#10 Centaurus (6-2)

DROPPED OUT:  Rifle

NEW:  Silver Creek

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Palmer Ridge (6-2), Canon City (5-3), Windsor (6-2), Vista Ridge (6-2), Englewood (7-1)

NOTES:  Silver Creek pulled off the biggest upset of the week in any class as the Raptors took out top ranked Mountain View 27-7 and handed the Lions their first regular season loss since 2008.  The Lions took over the top spot in week three and held it until their loss last Friday.  They’re now third this week.  Silver Creek used the win to re-enter the rankings.  They’re ninth and replace Rifle who lost at Moffat County in overtime.  The Mountain View loss also creates room at the top for Elizabeth.  The Cardinals are ranked number one by Colorado Preps for the first time ever and they’re well deserving.  They’ve outscored opponents 396-70 on the season.  Despite the dominance, Coach Chris Cline’s bunch has not wrapped up the league title just yet.  They meet Conifer and Englewood in the final two weeks and those two are tied with Englewood in second.  In fact none of the top ten teams in 3A have clinched a league championship.  Second ranked Glenwood Springs can wrap up the Western Slope if they beat Delta and Palisade also beats Rifle.  Erie leads the Northern Conference but they face Roosevelt this week and Mountain View in week ten.  Lewis Palmer is part of a three way for the South Central lead.  The schedule is in their favor as they have games remaining with Discovery Canyon and Classical Academy.  Skyview has a one game lead over Centaurus in the Metro North.  Windsor and Frederick meet in week ten to determine the Northern title while Vista Ridge is in good shape in the Southern Conference.  They have a two game edge on Harrison, Pueblo County and Sierra.  They clinch by beating either Mitchell this week or Harrison next week.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Glenwood Springs at Delta, Palisade at Rifle, Roosevelt at Erie, Canon City at Palmer Ridge, D’Evelyn at Holy Family, Conifer at Elizabeth

CLASS 2A

#1 Florence (8-0)

#2 Kent Denver (6-2)

#3 Platte Canyon (7-1)

#4 Brush (6-2)

#5 Faith Christian (6-2)

#6 Aspen (7-1)

#7 Buena Vista (7-1)

#8 Bennett (7-1)

#9 Colorado Springs Christian (7-1)

#10 Olathe (6-2)

DROPPED OUT:  Strasburg

NEW: Olathe

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Coal Ridge (6-2), Basalt (5-3), Eaton (6-2), Bayfield (6-1), Pagosa Springs (5-2), Machebeuf (6-2)

NOTES:  Coal Ridge scored the biggest win of the week as they handed Aspen (#2 last week) their first loss of the season.  The loss resulted in a drop of four positions for Aspen who is now ranked sixth in the state.  The win was not enough for Coal Ridge to break back into the top ten.  They were beaten out by league rival Olathe who now stands alone atop the Western Slope standings.  It’s the first time they’ve been ranked since week two.  With Aspen’s loss, Kent Denver, Platte Canyon, Brush and Faith Christian all moved up one position and they join top ranked Florence in the top five.  Colorado Springs Christian lost to Florence so the Lions also lost two spots.  They’re still in good shape for a playoff berth.  Bennett is in the same boat.  The Tigers suffered their first loss of the season (Platte Canyon) and they will try to regroup against Kent Denver this weekend.  A loss means they will wait for a wildcard invitation.  Brush created some havoc in the Patriot.  Their win over Strasburg created a four way tie with the Indians, Eaton and Platte Valley in first place.  All four teams remain in contention for the league title and the two that don’t qualify for the post-season automatically should get strong wildcard consideration at this point.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Aspen at Olathe, Coal Ridge at Basalt, Strasburg at Platte Valley, Bennett at Kent Denver, Platte Canyon at Sheridan, Buena Vista at Montezuma Cortez, Machebeuf at Faith Christian

CLASS 1A

#1 Wray (8-0)

#2 Limon (8-0)

#3 Burlington (7-1)

#4 Rye (7-1)

#5 Hotchkiss (7-1)

#6 Yuma (6-2)

#7 Byers (7-1)

#8 Akron (5-3)

#9 Lyons (6-2)

#10 Monte Vista (6-2)

DROPPED OUT:  John Mall

NEW:  Monte Vista

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Crowley County (5-3), Dolores (5-3), Hayden (4-4), Lutheran (6-2)

NOTES:  Wray and Byers scored wins that caused a minor shakeup in the top ten this week.  The top ranked Eagles blew by defending state champion 49-6 to clinch the North Central crown.  The outcome also left Yuma in the sixth spot after being ranked fourth the previous week.  The Indians must rebound quickly as they battle Akron this week.  That game will determine second place in the North Central and a guaranteed playoff berth.  Byers also moved up one spot thanks to their wild 41-38 win over Lyons in one of the best games of the week statewide.  Because of the loss by Yuma, Rye and Hotchkiss moved into the top five.  For Hotchkiss, it’s the first visit there this season.  Monte Vista replaces John Mall in the tenth spot.  The Pirates are tied with Dolores for the Southern Peaks lead and they barely edged out Crowley County for the final spot in the poll.  Crowley County greatly improved their playoff chances by beating John Mall last week.  For the Panthers, the loss snapped a six game winning streak but they can still win the league title by upsetting Rye.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Akron at Yuma, Rye at John Mall, Custer County at Crowley County, Dolores at Monte Vista, Meeker at Hotchkiss, Limon at Burlington, Byers at Lutheran

EIGHT MAN

#1 Caliche (7-1)

#2 Hoehne (8-0)

#3 Norwood (8-0)

#4 Dayspring Christian (7-1)

#5 Merino (6-2)

#6 Stratton (7-1)

#7 Walsh (7-1)

#8 Springfield (7-1)

#9 West Grand (6-2)

#10 Elbert (7-1)

DROPPED OUT:  None

NEW:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Swink (7-1), Cheyenne Wells (5-3), Soroco (6-2), La Veta (6-2), Simla (5-3)

NOTES:  The regular season came to a close last weekend with a great contest between Walsh and Springfield.  After spotting the Longhorns an early 21-0 lead, Walsh charged all the way back for a 36-28 win.  The rally also brought them the Ark Valley championship.  It also moved them up one spot in the top ten poll.  They’ve won seven straight following an opening loss to Hoehne.  Stratton was also able to move up one spot because of Springfield’s narrow loss.  Stratton is the only team that has qualified for the playoffs.  They are the I-70 champs and since the Black Forest has only three teams, the Eagles get a bye in cross divisional play and thus they are in the playoff bracket.  Springfield was the only top ten team to suffer a loss last week so the top five and final two positions remain unchanged from a week ago.

KEY GAMES:  Cross divisional games will determine the 16-team playoff bracket

SIX MAN

#1 Idalia (8-0)

#2 Fleming (7-1)

#3 Otis (7-1)

#4 Eads (6-1)

#5 Edison (7-1)

#6 Flagler (5-3)

#7 Bethune (5-3)

#8 Pawnee (4-2)

DROPPED OUT:  None

NEW:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Deer Trail (5-3), Hi Plains (4-4), Cotopaxi (6-1)

NOTES:  Idalia once again appears they are the team to beat in the six man division.  In a matchup with 2^nd ranked Fleming, the Wolves jumped a commanding lead at halftime and were never pushed in the second half.  We billed the matchup as a preview of the state finals and if that’s the case, then the title is Idalia’s to lose.  They’ve been dominant in every game this season.  Now it’s difficult to know if Fleming or Idalia had their full roster intact.  Week eight of the regular season is always affected by the FFA convention and several teams are missing key players during the week.  Otis maintained the third positing with their 50-14 win over Flagler.  We had that score backwards until corrected this morning.  Flagler also earned a very impressive 50-14 win over an Otis team battling injuries.  The loss dropped Flagler one spot to sixth as Edison moves into the top five for the first time in school history

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Cross divisional games will determine playoff qualifiers

CLASS 5A

#1 Mullen (7-0)

#2 Regis (7-0)

#3 Columbine (7-0)

#4 Highlands Ranch (7-0)

#5 Ralston Valley (7-0)

#6 Chaparral (5-2)

#7 Rangeview (7-0)

#8 Cherokee Trail (6-1)

#9 Pomona (5-2)

#10 Grand Junction (6-1)

DROPPED OUT:  Arvada West, Arapahoe

NEW:  Pomona, Grand Junction

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Fort Collins (6-1), Bear Creek (5-2), Fountain Fort Carson (5-2), Cherry Creek (5-2), Lakewood (6-1)

NOTES:   While Mullen and Regis each posted another easy, Columbine, Highlands Ranch and Ralston Valley may have put together their strongest performances of the campaign.  Columbine kept a share of first place in the West Metro with their 48-27 win over Arapahoe (ranked 10^th last week); Highlands Ranch rallied for the final 28 points of the game in their 35-12 win over ThunderRidge and Ralston Valley bested Arvada West (ranked 6^th last week) to build a two game advantage in the Super Six.  The Mustangs are tied for the conference lead with Pomona who also scored a big win over Fairview to make a return to the rankings.  The two leaders square off this week to determine the title.  Grand Junction is the second newcomer.  The Tigers beat out Fort Collins on strength of schedule.  Both are 6-1 on the season but the Lambkins lone loss came against Grandview (3-4).  Grand Junction has won six in a row since a seven point loss to Highlands Ranch (7-0).  The Tigers have also beaten Fountain Fort Carson (5-2) and are coming off a great performance against a Montrose team which has spent several weeks in the top ten.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Mullen at Arapahoe, Columbine at Bear Creek, Ralston Valley at Pomona, Highlands Ranch at Chaparral, Grand Junction vs Fruita Monument, Cherokee Trail vs Cherry Creek

CLASS 4A

#1 Wheat Ridge (7-0)

#2 Broomfield (6-1)

#3 Monarch (6-1)

#4 Valor Christian (4-3)

#5 Pine Creek (6-1)

#6 Ponderosa (5-2)

#7 Pueblo West (5-2)

#8 Longmont (5-2)

#9 Falcon (6-1)

#10 Widefield (7-0)

DROPPED OUT:  Dakota Ridge (4-3)

NEW:  Widefield

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Prairie View (5-2), Mesa Ridge (5-2)

NOTES:  The top five teams all posted wins in the past week so they remain in the same order in the new rankings.  If Pine Creek makes another deep post-season run, they may look back at their one point loss to Pueblo West as the turning point of the season.  That loss seemed to get the Eagles re-focused as they took their frustration out on Falcon in a 47-14 win over the Falcons.  That win kept Pine Creek solid at number five but dropped the Falcons three spots to number nine.  Staying down south, Widefield finally gets into the poll.  We’ve had concerns about their schedule but after awhile, the wins start to add regardless of the competition.  Now at 7-0, the Gladiators make their first appearance in the poll.  They play host to an improved Pueblo South team in week eight.  Wheat Ridge was the only member of the top five to get pushed this week but they scored a solid 28-14 win over Dakota Ridge.  That loss cost the Eagles their spot in the rankings.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Broomfield at Longmont, Widefield vs Pueblo South, Grand Junction Central at Montrose, Prairie View at Dakota Ridge

CLASS 3A

#1 Mountain View (7-0)

#2 Elizabeth (7-0)

#3 Glenwood Springs (6-1)

#4 Palisade (6-1)

#5 Lewis Palmer (6-1)

#6 Erie (6-1)

#7 Skyview (5-2)

#8 Roosevelt (6-1)

#9 Rifle (6-1)

#10 Centaurus (5-2)

DROPPED OUT:  D’Evelyn, Englewood

NEW:  Rifle, Centaurus

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Windsor (5-2), Evergreen (6-2), Silver Creek (5-2), Palmer Ridge (5-2), Vista Ridge (5-2)

NOTES:  Since the top eight teams were all winners during the past week, those squads remain in the same order as week six.    Of the top eight, Lewis Palmer may have scored the most important win as they downed Canon City 24-16 on the road.  The host Tigers entered the contest with a one game lead on three other teams but with the loss, four teams now share the South Central lead.  Canon City will again be involved in maybe the top conference game as they battle Pueblo East.  East has spent time in the top ten and is one of the four teams atop the standings.  Top ranked Mountain View did not have an easy time against Skyline.  They led the Falcons by just four points (20-16) in the fourth quarter before pulling away for a 35-16 decision.  The Lions may have suffered a mild letdown from their big win over Roosevelt the previous week but the win was enough to keep them at number one.  Rifle and Centaurus are newcomers to the poll.  Rifle shares the Western Slope lead with Glenwood Springs and they scored a crucial league win over Delta (14-10) last Friday.  It’s their first appearance in the rankings since 2007.  Centaurus handed D’Evelyn (ranked 9^th last week) a critical loss and also moved into the top ten.  The Warriors have a key game against Kennedy this week and that outcome may determine second place in the Metro North.  Both have one league loss.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Rifle at Moffat County, Mountain View vs Silver Creek, Pueblo East at Canon City, Centaurus vs Kennedy, Englewood at Conifer, Sterling at Frederick, Sierra at Harrison

CLASS 2A

#1 Florence (7-0)

#2 Aspen (7-0)

#3 Kent Denver (5-2)

#4 Platte Canyon (6-1)

#5 Brush (5-2)

#6 Faith Christian (5-2)

#7 Colorado Springs Christian (7-0)

#8 Bennett (7-0)

#9 Buena Vista (6-1)

#10 Strasburg (4-3)

DROPPED OUT:  None

NEW:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Eaton (5-2), Bayfield (6-1), Pagosa Springs (6-2), Olathe (5-2), Machebeuf (5-2), Platte Valley (4-2)

NOTES:  Here’s where the biggest movement occurred this week.  Both top ranked Platte Canyon and 3^rd ranked Brush were knocked off in conference play and they both fell at least two spots.  Platte Canyon, which held the top spot for three weeks, dropped to fourth with their shutout loss to Kent Denver.  They must regroup quickly this week as they face Bennett is a game that could determine an automatic playoff berth.  Kent Denver jumped two spots with the win.  The Sun Devils were the pre-season number one team and have played very well against a difficult schedule.  Brush put together a furious rally against Eaton but still fell short in the end.  They trailed the Reds 21-7 on the road before taking a 29-28 lead but Eaton then scored the final touchdown of the game and with it stayed in the Patriot league chase.  The ‘Diggers are now ranked fifth and they didn’t drop farther because of their win over Faith Christian earlier in the season.  Eaton failed to crack the top ten because no member of the second member suffered a loss including 10^th ranked Strasburg who now sits alone atop the conference.  They meet Brush this Friday in a very important contest.  Florence is the new number one.  They’re the fourth team to hold down that spot this season.  Because of their success against a difficult early schedule, there’s been an argument to put the Huskies atop the rankings and that’s where they’re at this weekend.   At number two, Aspen has their highest ever ranking by Colorado Preps.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Colorado Springs Christian at Florence, Aspen at Coal Ridge, Brush vs Strasburg, Bennett at Platte Canyon, Montezuma Cortez at Bayfield

CLASS 1A

#1 Wray (7-0)

#2 Limon (7-0)

#3 Burlington (6-1)

#4 Yuma (6-1)

#5 Rye (6-1)

#6 Hotchkiss (6-1)

#7 Lyons (6-1)

#8 Byers (6-1)

#9 Akron (4-3)

#10 John Mall (6-1)

DROPPED OUT:  None

NEW:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Monte Vista (5-2), Meeker (5-2), Denver Christian (5-2), Paonia (3-4), Dolores (4-3)

NOTES:  When all ten ranked teams pick up wins by considerable margins, the rankings become increasingly easy to put together.  That’s the situation here in Class 1A this week as each ranked team won by at least 32 points.  In looking at the rundown, a pair of Bulldogs collected the most important and maybe the most impressive victories.  Hotchkiss whipped Hayden 52-20 to take over sole possession of first place in the Western Slope and Byers also downed Denver Christian 49-7 to earn control of the Metro South race.  The top teams start to square off in conference play this week and next so the rankings will change again before the playoffs as those results are known.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Yuma at Wray, Crowley County at John Mall, Sargent at Dolores, Hotchkiss at Paonia, Hayden at Meeker, Byers at Lyons

EIGHT MAN

#1 Caliche (6-1)

#2 Hoehne (7-0)

#3 Norwood (7-0)

#4 Dayspring Christian (6-1)

#5 Merino (5-2)

#6 Springfield (7-0)

#7 Stratton (6-1)

#8 Walsh (6-1)

#9 West Grand (6-2)

#10 Elbert (6-1)

DROPPED OUT:  Swink, Mancos

NEW:  West Grand, Elbert

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Genoa Hugo (5-2), Fowler (5-2), Soroco (5-2), Cheyenne Wells (4-3), Sedgwick County (4-3), Sanford (4-3), La Veta (5-2), Dove Creek (5-2)

NOTES:  Caliche, Hoehne and Norwood all collected important wins over top ten opponents in week seven and now the trio holds down the top three spots in the statewide poll.  Caliche beat Dayspring Christian 37-14 to grab the Plains conference crown and keep the number one spot.  Hoehne blasted Swink 46-0 to win the Southern crown and Norwood dumped Mancos 34-13 to win the Western championship.  Those two were able to bump up on spot because of the Dayspring Christian loss.  The Eagles tumbled three spots to number four, in part because of the loss to Caliche and in part to the key injury (Sanderford) that they suffered against Haxtun the week before.  We of course kept them ahead of Merino since they beat the Rams earlier this season.  West Grand and Elbert are newcomers to the rankings.  The Mustangs are in the poll for the first time this season.  They basically clinched the Central title with their win over Soroco.  In two weeks, they look to become the first Central team to win a cross division game with the Plains conference.  Elbert gained the tenth ahead of Genoa Hugo because of their play against 7^th ranked Stratton.  The Bulldogs fell to the Eagles by just 14 points while the Pirates surrendered 59 points and lost by 29 to Stratton.  The Pirates though remain in good shape in the I-70 and stand to be second behind Stratton because of their win over Cheyenne Wells last Saturday.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Springfield at Walsh, Fowler at Swink, Sanford at La Veta, Norwood at Dove Creek

SIX MAN

#1 Idalia (7-0)

#2 Fleming (7-0)

#3 Otis (6-1)

#4 Eads (6-1)

#5 Flagler (5-2)

#6 Edison (6-1)

#7 Bethune (4-3)

#8 Pawnee (4-2)

DROPPED OUT:  Deer Trail

NEW:  Pawnee

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Weldon Valley (3-4), Hi Plains (3-4), Cotopaxi (5-1)

NOTES:  Other than the top two teams Idalia and Fleming, six-man football has been a toss-up this season.  The Wolves and Wildcats have dominated opponents this year and they square off in a non-conference game this Friday in what should be a state championship preview, but the remaining teams have not been consistent throughout the season.  The best example is the Southeast conference where three teams are tied for the conference lead.  Flagler blasted Bethune earlier this year, Bethune then outscored Eads in week six but the Eagles turned around and handled Flagler last Friday.  The same situation is taking place in the Northern conference where Weldon Valley, Pawnee and Briggsdale are tied for second going into the final week.  Those situations make it difficult to rank teams each week.  Tiebreakers will be needed in each conference as the final week games are all non-league affairs.   The schedule is set up that way on purpose since many of the schools will be missing kids as they’re away at the annual FFA convention.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Fleming at Idalia, Flagler at Otis, Edison at Hilltop Baptist, Mountain Valley at Cotopaxi

CLASS 5A

#1 Mullen (6-0)

#2 Regis (6-0)

#3 Columbine (6-0)

#4 Highlands Ranch (6-0)

#5 Ralston Valley (6-0)

#6 Arvada West (4-2)

#7 Chaparral (4-2)

#8 Rangeview (6-0)

#9 Cherokee Trail (5-1)

#10 Arapahoe (5-1)

DROPPED OUT: Bear Creek, Fort Collins

NEW: Rangeview, Arapahoe

TEAMS TO WATCH: Grand Junction (5-1), Pomona (4-2), Cherry Creek (4-2),

NOTES: It’s getting more difficult to rank the bottom seven of the big school ranks. Through the first six weeks of the season, Mullen and Regis have distinguished themselves as the top two teams while Columbine has survived two overtime games to stay unbeaten but after those three, ranking the next seven has proven difficult. Arapahoe’s win over Bear Creek caused the most disruption in the rankings. Not only did Arapahoe move into the top ten for the first time this season but that result also provided the much awaited opportunity for Rangeview to crack the rankings. The Raiders beat the Warriors very early in the season so we moved them into the rankings at number eight while Arapahoe entered at number ten. Bear Creek and Fort Collins were the hard luck teams. The Bears only dropped a four point decision on a late touchdown to Arapahoe but that dropped the Bears from 5th to outside the rankings. Fort Collins blasted Poudre 48-0 but still dropped from tenth to outside the rankings because of strong play and more quality wins than Rangeview and Arapahoe. Grand Junction is also seeking space in the top ten. Other than a narrow loss to Highlands Ranch, the Tigers have not lost. They face a critical game with 4A Montrose on Friday. There was also a change near the top of the rankings. We flip-flopped Regis and Columbine in the second and third spots since the Raiders have been a bit more dominant than the Rebels. As mentioned, Columbine has had to survive for wins in overtime the past two weeks.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK: Arapahoe at Columbine, ThunderRidge at Highlands Ranch, Ralston Valley at Arvada West, Pomona at Fairview, Cherokee Trail at Grandview, Fort Collins at Rocky Mountain, Lakewood at Denver East, Rangeview at Northglenn

CLASS 4A

#1 Wheat Ridge (6-0)

#2 Broomfield (5-1)

#3 Monarch (5-1)

#4 Valor Christian (3-3)

#5 Pine Creek (5-1)

#6 Falcon (6-0)

#7 Ponderosa (4-2)

#8 Dakota Ridge (4-2)

#9 Pueblo West (4-2)

#10 Longmont (4-2)

DROPPED OUT: None

NEW: None

TEAMS TO WATCH: Widefield (6-0), Loveland (3-3), Prairie View (4-2), Castle View (4-2)

NOTES: For the first time in three weeks, we have a new number one. Pine Creek held the top spot for the previous two weeks but dropped to fifth this week because of a one point loss to Pueblo West (22-21) on Saturday. That was the only contest where a top ten team was knocked off so other than the Eagles there is not much change. With Pine Creek’s loss, Wheat Ridge takes over the top spot. The Farmers are used to being at or near the top. They’ve won two of the last four state titles. They’re followed by Broomfield, Monarch and Valor Christian who all moved up one spot. We kept Pine Creek ahead of Pueblo West because even with the loss, the Eagles have been more consistent than the Cyclones this year. It’s also difficult to drop a number one team eight spots on a one point loss to a fierce rival. As a result the second five remains in the same order as last week but two important games this week will likely change the rankings next week. That’s when Falcon meets Pine Creek and Wheat Ridge faces Dakota Ridge. Those results may finally leave some room for Widefield. The Gladiators moved to 6-0 by beating Mesa Ridge on Saturday but couldn’t get into the rankings since nine of the ten ranked teams from last week pulled off victories.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK: Pine Creek at Falcon, Dakota Ridge at Wheat Ridge, Greeley West at Longmont, Valor Christian at Castle View

CLASS 3A

#1 Mountain View (6-0)

#2 Elizabeth (6-0)

#3 Glenwood Springs (5-1)

#4 Palisade (5-1)

#5 Lewis Palmer (5-1)

#6 Erie (5-1)

#7 Skyview (4-2)

#8 Roosevelt (5-1)

#9 D’Evelyn (4-2)

#10 Englewood (6-0)

DROPPED OUT: Pueblo Centennial, Holy Family

NEW: Skyview, Englewood

TEAMS TO WATCH: Silver Creek (5-1), Rifle (5-1), Vista Ridge (5-1), Canon City (4-2), Pueblo East (4-2), Windsor (4-2), Delta (4-2), Harrison (4-2)

NOTES: With a second straight win over a top ten opponent, Skyview shoots into the poll at number seven. This is the first time in the eight year history of Colorado Preps that the Wolverines are in the rankings. They’ve beaten D’Evelyn and Holy Family in the last two weeks and those opponents were ranked second and tenth when they lost to the Wolverines. Because of those high quality wins, the Wolverines have proven they are not a fluke and deserve to be listed among the top ten teams in Class 3A. They are currently alone in first place in the Metro North. Englewood is another newcomer to the rankings. The Pirates were off last week but entered the poll because of losses by Pueblo Centennial and Holy Family. They face a strong challenge against Evergreen as they try to maintain their perfect record later this week. Because of their 6-0 mark, Englewood edged out Silver Creek, Rifle and Vista Ridge for the final spot in the poll. If the Pirates stumble against Evergreen or if other teams suffer losses, look for at least one of those teams to break into the poll next week. The top five teams are unchanged this week. Mountain View solidified their hold on the top spot with their 21-14 win over Roosevelt. Despite the loss, the Riders remain at number eight because they basically fell two yards of short of forcing overtime against the number one ranked team in the state.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK: Erie at Silver Creek, Delta at Rifle, Lewis Palmer at Canon City, Windsor at Sterling, Kennedy at Holy Family, Centaurus vs D’Evelyn, Englewood at Evergreen

CLASS 2A

#1 Platte Canyon (6-0)

#2 Florence (6-0)

#3 Brush (5-1)

#4 Aspen (6-0)

#5 Kent Denver (4-2)

#6 Faith Christian (4-2)

#7 Colorado Springs Christian (6-0)

#8 Bennett (6-0)

#9 Buena Vista (5-1)

#10 Strasburg (3-3)

DROPPED OUT: Eaton

NEW: Strasburg

TEAMS TO WATCH: Lamar (4-3), Montezuma Cortez (4-2), Bayfield (5-1), Coal Ridge (5-1), Gunnison (4-2), Pagosa Springs (4-2)

NOTES: Very little movement can be found in the Class 2A poll this week as the top eight teams all posted wins and most of those wins were lopsided. Colorado Springs Christian has the most difficult game as they traded touchdowns before outlasting Lamar 28-21. That win pushed the Lions to the verge of a playoff spot. They’re currently tied with Florence for the Tri Peaks East lead. Eaton (ranked 9th last week) was the only member of the top ten to suffer a loss. They were upended by Strasburg 14-7 inside the Patriot conference. That win kept the Indians tied for first with Brush and also moved them into the top ten for the first time this season. It’s been a long way back for the Indians who opened the campaign at 0-3 before winning their first three league contests. Despite the 500 record, the Indians beat out the likes of Bayfield, Coal Ridge and Gunnison for the 10th spot. All three of their losses are against teams ranked in either 2A or 1A including narrow decisions to Platte Canyon and Bennett. This coming week shapes up to be a very important weekend for the division as several top games are on the schedule. In several cases, those games pit conference leaders against one another including a much anticipated battle between Platte Canyon and Kent Denver.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK: Florence at Lamar, Kent Denver at Platte Canyon, Pagosa Springs at Montezuma Cortez, Middle Park at Machebeuf, Coal Ridge at Olathe, Brush at Eaton

CLASS 1A

#1 Wray (6-0)

#2 Limon (6-0)

#3 Burlington (5-1)

#4 Yuma (5-1)

#5 Rye (5-1)

#6 Hotchkiss (5-1)

#7 Lyons (5-1)

#8 Byers (5-1)

#9 Akron (3-3)

#10 John Mall (5-1)

DROPPED OUT: Meeker

NEW: John Mall

TEAMS TO WATCH: Denver Christian (5-1), Hayden (3-3), Lutheran-Parker (5-1), Monte Vista (4-2), Dolores (3-3)

NOTES: When the top nine teams earn wins during the week, the rankings become very easy to put together. We just keep them in the same order as the previous week. That’s the case in the 1A this week. As we expected, those top nine teams picked up relatively easy wins against lower division opponents. The only ranked team to get upset was Meeker and the Cowboys fell hard at Paonia (37-0). That loss knocked the Cowboys out of a first place tie with Hotchkiss in the Western Slope and also out of the top ten. John Mall replaces Meeker in tenth. The Panthers are in the rankings for the first time in Colorado Preps history. They’ve won five straight since an opening loss to Akron. Again they’re close to Akron as they find themselves just one spot behind the Rams. Denver Christian and Lutheran-Parker were two teams that generated quite a bit of interest to rejoining the poll. The Crusaders were ranked 8th in our pre-season poll but have not gained much consideration since their opening loss to Sheridan. They’ve won five straight since but against a somewhat lackluster schedule. They get a shot at gaining their best win when they face Byers this weekend. Lutheran-Parker responded nicely from a loss to Byers by beating Lutheran for the first time ever. The Lions are hoping for a Denver Christian win over Byers as that will keep them in title contention for the Metro South crown.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK: Rye at Custer County, Hayden at Hotchkiss, Denver Christian at Byers, Monte Vista at Sargent

EIGHT MAN

#1 Caliche (5-1)

#2 Dayspring Christian (6-0)

#3 Hoehne (6-0)

#4 Norwood (6-0)

#5 Merino (4-2)

#6 Springfield (6-0)

#7 Stratton (5-1)

#8 Swink (6-0)

#9 Walsh (5-1)

#10 Mancos (5-1)

DROPPED OUT: None

NEW: None

TEAMS TO WATCH: West Grand (5-1), Cheyenne Wells (4-2), Elbert (5-1), Soroco (5-1), Sedgwick County (3-3), Dove Creek (4-2), La Veta (4-2), Fowler (4-2), Genoa Hugo (4-2)

NOTES: Caliche picked up the most important win of the week as they ended a 16-game losing streak to Merino. That high quality win did two things for the Buffs. It kept them number one in the rankings and also kept them tied with 2nd ranked Dayspring Christian atop the Plains conference. The standing and rankings will change however when the two collide on Saturday. The winner takes over first place and also moves into the favorite’s role to land the number one overall playoff seed. Despite suffering a second loss in three weeks, Merino slides just one spot to number five. The Rams will still be a factor come playoff time. Their loss to Caliche was by just one point while the loss to Dayspring Christian came on a long touchdown with four seconds left. The Rams are still among the top teams in the state. Norwood exchanges positions with the Rams as they bump to fourth. They’ll get tested this week against a Mancos team that also scored a nice win over Dove Creek last weekend. West Grand failed to reach the top ten despite picking up an important victory over Justice. That gave the Mustangs sole possession of first place in the Central conference but because no top ten team suffered a loss, they remain outside the rankings. League titles will be up for grabs at many locales this week as virtually every game listed below could determine conference crowns.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK: Caliche at Dayspring Christian, Soroco at West Grand, Swink vs Hoehne, Stratton at Simla, Norwood at Mancos, Sanford at Antonito

SIX MAN

#1 Idalia (6-0)

#2 Fleming (6-0)

#3 Flagler (5-1)

#4 Otis (5-1)

#5 Eads (5-1)

#6 Edison (5-1)

#7 Deer Trail (5-1)

#8 Bethune (3-3)

DROPPED OUT: Pawnee

NEW: Bethune

TEAMS TO WATCH: Pawnee (3-3), Cotopaxi (4-1), Hilltop Baptist (4-2)

NOTES: Idalia and Fleming again established themselves as the top two teams in the classification. Idalia downed Otis by 38 points in their top five clash while Fleming slammed Peetz 54-0. Idalia has outscored six opponents by 248 points while Fleming’s point differential is 310 points. They meet in week eight in what could be a preview of the state championship game. Other than the Wolves and Wildcats, Bethune scored the best win of the week downing Eads 60-54. That win was the third straight for the Bobcats and pushed them into the rankings for the first time this season. They are 3-1 in league play and trail Flagler by one game in the Southeast conference. The Bobcats replace Pawnee in the 8th spot even though the Coyotes fought past Prairie 68-39. We dropped Pawnee from the rankings because of their forfeit to Briggsdale. If that decision had been made before last week’s poll, the Coyotes would not have received the 8th spot.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK: Deer Trail at Idalia, Flagler at Eads, Mountain Valley at Edison

CLASS 5A

1. Mullen (5-0)
2. Columbine (5-0)
3. Regis (5-0)
4. Highlands Ranch (5-0)
5. Bear Creek (4-1)
6. Ralston Valley (5-0)
7. Arvada West (3-2)
8. Chaparral (3-2)
9. Cherokee Trail (4-1)
10. Fort Collins (4-1)

DROPPED OUT:  Mountain Vista

NEW:  Fort Collins

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Lakewood (5-0), Rangeview (5-0), Arapahoe (4-1), Grand Junction (4-1), Denver East (4-1), ThunderRidge (4-1), Pomona (3-2)

NOTES:  Mullen, Columbine and Regis all picked up wins to solidify their hold on the top three positions.  Highlands Ranch and Ralston Valley made the biggest moves as both bumped up two spots.  The Falcons and Mustangs both stayed unbeaten with wins last weekend.  Bear Creek was able to stay put at number five since they played very well in the loss to top ranked Mullen.  Arvada West was not as fortunate.  They dropped three spots following a disappointing loss to arch-rival Pomona on Friday.  Despite their unbeaten record, Lakewood and Rangeview were again unable to crack the rankings.  That decision is based completely on strength of schedule.  Fort Collins earned the nod over both teams and picked up a return ticket to the top ten.  They replace Mountain Vista which fell to ThunderRidge last Thursday.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  ThunderRidge at Chaparral, Highlands Ranch at Mountain Vista, Arapahoe at Bear Creek, Legacy at Ralston Valley, Fairview at Arvada West

CLASS 4A

1. Pine Creek (5-0)
2. Wheat Ridge (5-0)
3. Broomfield (4-1)
4. Monarch (4-1)
5. Valor Christian (2-3)
6. Falcon (5-0)
7. Ponderosa (3-2)
8. Dakota Ridge (3-2)
9. Pueblo West (3-2)
10. Longmont (4-2)

DROPPED OUT:  Montrose

NEW:  Longmont

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Golden (4-2), Widefield (5-0), Greeley Central (4-2), Rock Canyon (2-3), Mesa Ridge (4-1)

NOTES:  Right now it appears the top four teams in our rankings might be a step ahead of the rest of the division.  Those four have played consistent football throughout the first half of the season and one of their two losses is against one another (Broomfield beat Monarch).  Other than that contest, the group is unbeaten against 4A opponents as Broomfield’s lone loss came against 5A Legacy.  After the top four, there is plenty of movement as Dakota Ridge, Pueblo West and Montrose all suffered losses during the week.  A second straight loss for Montrose cost the Indians their spot in the poll.  They’re out of the top ten for the first time all season.  Replacing Montrose is Longmont.  The Trojans are back in the rankings after beating Thompson Valley.  Their losses are against Arvada West and Wheat Ridge so they’ve played a stronger schedule than Widefield and that’s why they earned the final spot ahead of the unbeaten Gladiators.  Other than 0-1 teams early in the season, Valor Christian is the highest ever ranked team in Colorado Preps history with a losing record.  The Eagles played their first 4A opponent over the weekend and easily took out Pueblo South 3-2.  Look for them to continue winning as conference play opens this weekend.  Falcon picked up their best win of the season as they Mesa Ridge in a battle of unbeatens.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Pueblo West at Pine Creek, Valor Christian at Rock Canyon, Mesa Ridge at Widefield, Wheat Ridge at Golden

CLASS 3A

1. Mountain View (5-0)
2. Elizabeth (5-0)
3. Glenwood Springs (4-1)
4. Palisade (4-1)
5. Lewis Palmer (4-1)
6. Pueblo Centennial (4-1)
7. Erie (4-1)
8. Roosevelt (5-0)
9. D’Evelyn (3-2)
10. Holy Family (4-1)

DROPPED OUT:  Silver Creek

NEW:  Holy Family

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Rifle (4-1), Vista Ridge (4-1), Palmer Ridge (4-1), Pueblo East (3-2), Skyview (3-2), Englewood (5-0), Windsor (3-2)

NOTES:  Skyview’s win over D’Evelyn caused a major shakeup in the rankings this week.  D’Evelyn tumbled seven spots down to ninth with the upset loss in conference play.  That result let many teams move up in the rankings including Elizabeth.  The Cardinals as expected beat Jefferson 77-0 in a name your score type of game.  Coach Chris Cline’s team this week received their highest ever ranking by Colorado Preps.  Glenwood Springs, Palisade, Lewis Palmer, Pueblo Centennial and Erie all moved up spot because of D’Evelyn’s loss.  Roosevelt also bumped two positions since Silver Creek (ranked 9^th last week) was also upset.  The Roughriders challenge Mountain View this week in the conference opener for both.  A win there will push them up the rankings at rapid speed.  Holy Family won a title battle over Englewood for the tenth spot.  The Tigers have played a bit tougher schedule as their only loss is against Erie in week one.  The Pirates are 6-0 but are still looking for that elusive first quality win.  With Skyview beating D’Evelyn last week, their game with Holy Family suddenly becomes very important.  The winner will have at least a share of first place in the Metro North and be in line for a playoff bid.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Mountain View at Roosevelt, Silver Creek at Berthoud, Moffat County at Glenwood Springs, Palmer Ridge at Lewis Palmer, Holy Family at Skyview

CLASS 2A

1. Platte Canyon (5-0)
2. Florence (5-0)
3. Brush (4-1)
4. Aspen (5-0)
5. Kent Denver (3-2)
6. Faith Christian (3-2)
7. Colorado Springs Christian (5-0)
8. Bennett (5-0)
9. Eaton (4-1)
10. Buena Vista (4-1)

DROPPED OUT:  Bayfield, Coal Ridge

NEW:  Eaton, Buena Vista

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Lamar (4-2), Olathe (3-2), Pagosa Springs (5-1)

NOTES:  With the top six teams all posting wins in week five, there is finally stability in the 2A rankings.  It’s the first time all season, there is no change among the top five.  Each of the top four teams probably has an argument to be ranked number one but we continue to go with Platte Canyon.  The Huskies haven’t been challenged all season and probably won’t be against Denver West again this week, but Coach Mike Schmidt’s team has played important games in November and that tradition keeps them in the top spot.  Florence had the week off while Brush and Aspen were again impressive in posting double digit wins.  Colorado Springs Christian took advantage of the Bayfield loss to improve by one slot.  Coming off a bye, the Lions had their hands full with an improving Trinidad team but still picked up an important Tri Peaks league win.  Another tough game against Lamar is set for this weekend.  Buena Vista is the team that beat Bayfield and because of that win, the Demons make their first appearance in the 2A rankings.  The win also pushed them into a first place tie with Pagosa Springs and Montezuma Cortez atop the Mountain conference.  Eaton also cracks the poll (finally).  The Reds were hurt by the lack of quality opponents, but at 4-1 and coming off a win over University (42-8), Coach Bill Mondt’s team is in at number nine.  They replace Coal Ridge which lost to Gunnison.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Faith Christian at Middle Park, Buena Vista at Pagosa Springs, Strasburg at Eaton, Lamar at Colorado Springs Christian

CLASS 1A

1. Wray (5-0)
2. Limon (5-0)
3. Burlington (4-1)
4. Yuma (4-1)
5. Rye (4-1)
6. Hotchkiss (4-1)
7. Lyons (4-1)
8. Byers (4-1)
9. Akron (2-3)
10. Meeker (4-1)

DROPPED OUT:  Lutheran Parker

NEW:  Meeker

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Crowley County (4-1), John Mall (4-1), Monte Vista (3-2), Wiggins (3-2), Denver Christian (4-1)

NOTES:  The biggest question inside the rankings this week is what to do with Akron.  The Rams are 2-3 and lost three straight but since those losses are to Wray, Limon and Burlington (ranked 1-2-3), they are still very worthy of a top ten billing.  Then there’s the question of the game with Rye.  As we’ve mentioned several times this year, head to head matchups are probably the most important factor in ranking the teams.  Since Akron beat Rye in week two this year, it’s difficult to drop the Rams behind the Thunderbolts but that’s the decision for this week.  A team with a three game losing streak, despite the competition, needs to fall in the rankings.  With Akron falling four spots, Rye, Hotchkiss and Lyons all bump up one spot and Byers moves up two.  The Bulldogs actually scored the most important win of the week when they downed Lutheran-Parker.  Those two were expected to battle for the Metro South title and because of Saturday’s win, the Bulldogs now have the inside track to the league crown.  They must still contend with improving Denver Christian (4-1).  Meeker is the lone newcomer to the poll.  They replace Lutheran-Parker.  The Cowboys are 4-1 following their blowout win at Lake County.  Tradition carried them past the likes of Crowley County and John Mall.  The Western Slope has recently performed better than the Santa Fe in the playoffs so we’ll go the Cowboys ahead of the Chargers and Panthers.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Wiggins at Yuma, Crowley County at Rye, Meeker at Paonia

EIGHT MAN

1. Caliche (4-1)
2. Dayspring Christian (5-0)
3. Hoehne (5-0)
4. Merino (4-1)
5. Norwood (5-0)
6. Springfield (5-0)
7. Stratton (4-1)
8. Swink (5-0)
9. Walsh (4-1)
10. Mancos (4-0)

DROPPED OUT:  Soroco

NEW: Mancos

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Elbert (4-1), West Grand (4-1), Fowler (3-2), Cheyenne Wells (3-2), Dove Creek (4-1)

NOTES:  Stability can also be found in this division as the top seven teams all posted wins.  Those victories came very easily as the teams won by an average of 41 points.  Springfield’s 35-14 win over Granada was the closest of the bunch.  The top six order could change next week as Caliche and Merino are set to do battle.  Stratton, Swink and Walsh are all up one spot from last week.  They all posted wins but Soroco (ranked 7^th) could not.  The Rams dropped a costly conference opener to Justice in overtime Friday night and it cost them their spot in the rankings. Replacing the Rams in the poll is surprising Mancos.  Quietly, the Bluejays are 3-0 and have not been pushed at all this season.  In week four, they caught our attention by taking out Nucla with ease and they followed up that win with another crushing win over Plateau Valley.  They should get tested for the first time this week when they battle Dove Creek.  Dove Creek fell to Elbert last week and that loss probably kept them out of the rankings.  They’ll get their chance against Mancos this weekend.  Elbert, West Grand, Fowler and Cheyenne Wells all have a case to be in the top ten but the eight man field is very crowded this year.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Merino at Caliche, Simla at Cheyenne Wells, West Grand at Justice, Mancos at Dove Creek, Walsh at Granada

SIX MAN

1. Idalia (5-0)
2. Fleming (5-0)
3. Otis (5-0)
4. Eads (5-0)
5. Flagler (4-1)
6. Edison (4-1)
7. Deer Trail (3-2)
8. Pawnee (3-1)

DROPPED OUT:  None

NEW:  None

TEAMS TO WATCH:  Briggsdale (3-2), Cotopaxi (3-1)

NOTES:  It’s extremely rare when we don’t have any movement in a top ten poll but that’s the case in the six man ranks.  Since all of the top eight teams from last week posted wins, they remain in the same order as last week.  The order could change this week when top ranked Idalia faces third ranked Otis in a game that should determine the Central conference crown.  The order may also change before games this weekend if the result between Pawnee and Briggsdale from week four is changed.  As of last Friday, Pawnee was still considered the winner but CHSAA later in the day indicated the Coyotes could be banned from the post-season if the “proper resolution” didn’t happen.  Just like last week, we’ll take a wait and see attitude on the eventual outcome and make the necessary changes in the rankings if the need arises.

KEY GAMES THIS WEEK:  Idalia at Otis, Prairie at Pawnee, Mountain Valley at Hilltop Baptist