It’s the penultimate week of the Class 2A football regular season and several ranked teams can go a long way to ensuring a playoff berth.
Eight of the CHSAANow.com top 10 teams are in action as Montezuma-Cortez gets its bye ahead of a big showdown with Delta. There is just one clash between top-10 teams which gives most squads a chance to firm up their current position in the Selection and Seeding Index.
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Kent Denver at (1) The Classical Academy
The Titans are just two wins away from locking up a league championship. They’ve looked dominant in every win except the three-point win over Eaton. Last week against Englewood, Ethan Aragundi rushed for a team-high 203 yards and a touchdown. The defense forced three turnovers to make the performance solid on both sides of the ball.
(2) Delta at Bayfield
After a week off, Delta gets back to action and could be the recipient of good news. After an injury early in the year, quarterback Ty Reed could return as the Panthers look to tighten things up ahead of the playoffs. Not that there’s a problem with Landon Clay. The junior threw for 92 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 54 yards and three scores in a 41-0 win over Salida last week.
Faith Christian at (3) Eaton (Thursday)
Eaton hasn’t allowed more than a touchdown to its opponents since August when it lost to TCA. Last week against Berthoud, Eaton jumped out to a quick lead and never looked back in a 34-6 win. Walker Martin has a typical day with 218 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Coal Ridge at (4) Basalt
The Longhorns have emerged as one of four teams that could really be in play for the 2A title this season. They’ve outscored their opponents 255-90 and even taken on some tough tests in that stretch. That includes last week’s win over Moffat County where Trevin Beckman and Cooper Crawford each ran for over 150 yards and combined for three touchdowns.
(5) Florence at (8) Alamosa
This will likely decide the Tri-Peaks title as both teams have looked strong all year. In last week’s 39-0 win over Woodland Park, Huskies quarterback Levi Paxton threw for 195 yards and three touchdowns. Josiah Cornwell hauled in five catches for 106 yards and one score.
The Mean Moose rolled to a 54-12 win over Manitou Springs and Kasey Jones led the way with 267 passing yards and five touchdowns. Kade Jones led the receiving effort with 138 yards and three touchdowns. Friday night should be a fun air show between two talented teams.
(6) The Academy at Berthoud
It was business as usual for the Wildcats last week against Fort Lupton. Isaiah Eliot threw for 204 yards and a touchdown. Derrek Rael was the primary target and he finished the day with 144 receiving yards and a touchdown.
A loss to Eaton knocked Berthoud out of the top 10 and a win here could get the Spartans back into the poll for the final week of the regular season.
Aspen at (9) Moffat County
The Bulldogs are looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Basalt last week. Evan Atkin had a standout day, rushing for 163 yards and three touchdowns. A performance like that against the Skiers could get Moffat County back in the win column before its regular season finale next week.
