To close out the regular season there are plenty of Class 1A football games that should engage fans this week. Three different games will feature matchups between teams ranked in the top 10 of the CHSAANow.com coaches poll.
Two teams in Limon and Monte Vista have a chance to complete a perfect regular season but both have tough tests ahead of them. With the playoffs now just a week away, the slate of 1A games still holds an enormous amount of importance this week.
(7) Yuma at (1) Limon
Limon has faced its share of tough teams this season and has beaten every single one. Last week was their latest top-10 win as they got a 34-14 win over Wiggins. Gabe Schubarth ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns and Jordan Rockwell needed just six completions to threw for 127 yards and a touchdown. The defense picked off Wiggins quarterback Cole Kerr four times to provide a balanced performance on the field.
Yuma is currently on a two-game losing streak and lost a nail biter to Holyoke last Friday. Nash Richardson threw for 143 yards and a score while Ethan Goeglein rushed for 134 yards and a score, but the team just couldn’t walk off the field with the win.
(2) Wray at (8) Wiggins
Wray’s only loss to a Colorado team this year was to Limon on Oct. 8. The Eagles have very much looked like the second-best team in 1A and their record supports it. They beat Burlington 27-7 thanks in big part to Brady Collins rushing for 113 yards and a touchdown. Casey Midcap and Samuel Meisner also rushed for touchdowns in that win.
Although Kerr threw four interceptions in Wiggins’ loss to Limon last week, he also threw for two touchdowns and rushed for 126 yards. His play could be a deciding factor in the Tigers scoring an upset over Wray to close out the regular season.
Platte Canyon at (3) Strasburg
Since losing to Limon back on Sept. 10, Strasburg has looked dominant on the field. They won each game since then by at least 27 points and are in a position to take the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. In last week’s win over Jefferson, Zach Marrero rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns while Landen Martin completed all five passing attempts for 114 yards and two scores.
(6) Centauri at (4) Monte Vista
Monte Vista has a chance to finish the regular season undefeated, the only team other than Limon with a chance to do so. But in order to do that, the Pirates will have to beat the defending 1A champion. They’ll likely go in with a similar game plan to last week as the team rushed for 279 yards and five scores. DeAngelo Archuleta led the way with 165 yards and two touchdowns.
The Falcons started the year 1-2 before embarking on a five-game winning streak. In last week’s 41-8 win over Ignacio, Austin Stockebrand ran for 133 yards and four touchdowns. Keeping the ball on the ground will be the key strategy for each of these teams and the one to do it more effectively will likely walk away with the win.
(5) Buena Vista at Cedaredge
Elijah Flowers and Diego Venegas each recovered a fumble and took it for a touchdown as the Demons rolled to a win over Olathe last week. They’ll try to ride that momentum to close out the season with a 7-2 record They also sit at No. 4 in the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index which could give them a couple of home games in the postseason.
Rocky Ford at (10) Rye
A 16-6 win over Banning Lewis helped Rye make its way into the top 10 for the first time this season. Dylan Hurne turned out 181 rushing yards and a touchdown in the effort and will be a key piece as the Thunderbolts try and finish the regular season on a high note.
