1A FOOTBALL – WEEK 9

Seven conferences make up Class 1A football and only three can determine league champions in week nine.  Platte Canyon (Foothills), Rocky Ford (Santa Fe) and Centauri (Southern Peaks) all have a chance to make league title official but several other teams can stay in their title picture and many others look for important wins to boost RPI numbers.
 

Top Five Games

Limon (6-1) at Wray (5-2)
The last two weeks of the season provide two road challenges for Limon as the Badgers visit Wray this week and then head to Holyoke in week ten.  They’ll need wins in both to clinch the North Central league title outright.  Wray is coming off a loss to Holyoke (34-14) last week but are very much alive for at least a part of the conference crown.  Those chances though go out the window if they fall short on Friday.
Limon is more explosive on offense as they’ve tallied 260 points through seven games compared to just 140 for Wray.  The Eagles are slightly better on the defensive side; giving up 98 points compared to 110 for the Badgers.  Limon has won the last three in the series and has allowed just six combined points over the last two meetings.  Wray last won in 2010 with a 49-6 playoff victory.  The teams did not play between 2011-15.
Kory Tacha leads the Badgers offense with 845 yards and six TD’s on the ground.  Those numbers include a high level game against Burlington where he finished with 245 yards.  He also added 48 yards receiving a week ago.
Other weapons include Jeremiah Leeper (538 yards rushing – 12 TD’s) and Alex Carr (14 receptions – 327 yards – 3 TD’s).  Carr stands about 6-5 and the tight end is a tough matchup for most defenses.  His matchup with Junior Arambula could be a good one.  The Wray defender has four interceptions and two fumble recoveries on the season.
Sophomore QB Trey Hines continues to improve.  He’s thrown for 590 yards with 8 TD’s.  But he lost three fumbles against Burlington last week.
Wray averages 209 yards per game on the ground and wants to keep the Limon offense on the sideline by getting three to four yards a carry.  Emmanuel Huerta tops the ground game with 536 yards and six scores while Arambula has totaled 270 yards with four TD’s.  QB Tyler Collins has five rushing TD’s.  He’s at 542 yards on the ground with another 375 through the air.
With RPI, Limon is #2 and trails only Holyoke in that race.  The Badgers have a loss to #3 Straburg and would likely be seeded behind the Indians if the bracket was determined this week.  Wray is 9th and still has a chance to play at home since the rule guaranteeing league champs a home game is no longer in effect.
Florence (7-0) at Centauri (6-1)
A very late but very important non-conference game between two clubs hoping to build their playoff resume.  Centauri is 10th in RPI and even though they’re outside the conference, they clinch the Southern Peaks title if Dolores beat Ignacio.  If not the Falcons must get by Ignacio next week to make their championship official.  Florence still has a big date with Colorado Springs Christian for the Tri Peaks crown and is fourth in RPI.  Should the Huskies win out, they have an argument to be the number one overall playoff seed.
Neither team has been pushed of late.  Florence has outscored opponents 267-44 on the season and has outscored league opponents Rye, St Mary’s and Buena Vista 131-19.  So this will be a great prep for next week’s clash with CS Christian and the playoff run.  Centauri has won five in a row and the offense has totaled 41 points in four of the last five outings.  They’ve outscored the opposition 271-51.
Both teams feature big-play threats.  Centauri’s Mason Claunch scored on runs of 78 and 53 yards plus returned a punt for a touchdown in the first quarter during last week’s 43-8 rout of Dolores.  He finished with three TD’s and 140 yards on just five rushing attempts.  Zach Burr also added a 36-yard TD run in the first quarter blitz.
Owen Busetti paces the Huskies attack.  He exploded for 287 yards and four TD’s in the key league win over Rye.  Busetti has added a combined 247 yards and six touchdowns in victories against St Mary’s and BUena vista.  On the season, he’s at 1,130 yards with 20 TD’s.  Jacob Kennedy, with 585 yards and eight scores, is a very good second option.
Olathe (3-4) at Meeker (6-1)
Safely in the playoff bracket at #5 in the RPI, Meeker can completely focus on landing another Western Slope crown.  A win here sets up a winner-take-all matchup with Hotchkiss for the league championship next week provided the Bulldogs also get by Cedaredge.  Meeker beat Hotchkiss 28-7 in a non-conference game back in the season opener.
First up though is a tough test with an Olathe club battling for a playoff berth.  They dropped to #19 in RPI following last week’s loss to Hotchkiss.  They allowed a whopping 420 yards on the ground in the loss and must be better against Meeker.  The Cowboys are known for throwing the football but the running game averages 188 yards a night.  Jeremy Woodward paces the Cowboys with 655 yards and nine TD’s.  Then there’s Ryan Phelan as the junior QB has 1,701 yards and 15 TD’s through the air.
Burlington (2-5) at Yuma (4-3)
The teams have combined for just one conference win but each has a playoff berth within reach.  Yuma is 15th in RPI and Burlington 17th so the game is extremely critical for both clubs and their post-season chances.
Yuma can still get to third in the North Central.  If Wray falls to Limon this week and Yuma beats Burlington this week and the Eagles next week, they get the spot.  And traditionally, that’s been a good enough league finish to earn a post-season bid.  Burlington has not missed the playoffs for the last 33 years but that streak takes a major hit with a loss this week.
The Cougars defense has given up 943 yards over the last two weeks in losses to Holyoke and Limon.  The Yuma defense limited Wiggins to just 180 yards in last week’s 16-6 decision.
Rye (5-2) at Buena Vista (4-3)
The game will decide third behind Florence and Colorado Springs Christian in the Tri Peaks, but more important are the RPI rankings for both clubs.  Each is very close to wrapping up a playoff berth as the Thunderbolts are #12 in RPI and Buena Vista #14.
Neither team has had any success against top level opponents.  Rye has losses to Florence (38-6) and Colorado Springs Christian (88-12) by a combined 76 points.  Buena Vista dropped games to the Huskies (56-6) and Huskies (46-7) by a combined 89 points.
 

Others to Watch

Clear Creek (2-5) at Manual (2-5)
If Clear Creek gets the win, then Platte Canyon can clinch the Foothills crown and a playoff berth by beating Lake County.  That’s highly probable as Lake County has had to forfeit many games down the stretch due to low numbers.  Manual starts the week tied with Sheridan in second and one game back of Platte Canyon.  They stay alive with a win because they meet the Huskies next week.
The league champion will be the only playoff entrant.  Platte Canyon is #22 in RPI, and Manual is #35.  Clear Creek is #30 but the ‘Diggers are out of the title picture with two conference losses.

Trinidad (1-6) at Rocky Ford (4-3)
Again not a marquee matchup statewide but it makes our list as the Meloneers clinch their first playoff berth since 2010 with a win.  A win pushes them to the Santa Fe crown thanks to earlier wins over Peyton and Crowley County.  They’re 13th in RPI and that ranking could drop as the strength of schedule will take a hit with this game and next week’s finale against John Mall.  Opponents currently have a winning percentage of .548.
Peyton (4-3) at Crowley County (3-4)
The winner most likely ends up second to Rocky Ford in the Santa Fe and that team stays alive for a possible wildcard.  Peyton is 16th in RPI and Crowley County 20th so the loser is probably eliminated.  Teams must also consider climbing into the RPI Top 15 to feel secure since Platte Canyon is outside the Top 16 but could still be a playoff team as the Foothills conference champion.
Crowley County has won two straight; beating Trinidad 51-6 and John Mall 45-20.  They had scored just 43 points on the season before those wins.  The Chargers ran for 432 yards including 387 and four touchdowns from Adam Schulz.  That number nearly doubled his season total as the junior had just 489 yards and three TD’s going in.
Peyton’s defense was top level against Rocky Ford; allowing just 156 yards of offense in the 19-12 loss.  The offense though generated just 119 yards on the ground and turned it over five times.