With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, a few Class 4A football teams can start thinking about claiming league championships as a few games on the schedule this week could decide titles.  Our weekly preview dives into the most important matchups.
Friday, October 26: Standley Lake Gators at #7 Fruita Monument Wildcats
In the three contests within the new Pioneer league, 7th-ranked Fruita Monument (6-2, 3-0) has averaged 51.6 points per game. In order to win their second consecutive league championship, the Wildcats need to get through Standley Lake and then Vista PEAK next weekend. This is the third straight season that Fruita and Standley Lake meet each other. The Wildcats won the previous two meetings.
Standley Lake (6-2, 3-0) scored a 35-19 victory last Friday over Vista PEAK — the third Pioneer League squad still relevant in the championship race. A Gators win on the Western Slope this Friday would present the opportunity for them to face Centaurus (winless in league play) next week looking for a second consecutive 8-win season, a league title, and a guaranteed playoff berth.
Friday, October 26: Air Academy Kadets at Rampart Rams
The entertainment coordinators did a good job optimizing the schedule for Rampart (6-2, 3-0). The Rams have two wins to claim for a third consecutive, undefeated league title. Their remaining opponents are the two squads still valid in any conversation about a Pikes Peak crown. Pueblo West is next week. First, this Air Academy (6-2, 2-1) crew that might arrive into this with a salty ‘tude.
Last Friday, the Kadets took a hard hit during a proofing opportunity against 8th-ranked Pueblo West. That 42-0 loss can be forgotten quickly if Air Academy can reestablish a three-way possibility in league — if they can stifle Rampart at D20 Stadium.
These two teams haven’t played since their mini-series this decade that ran from 2012 to 2015. Rampart won all four of those games by average differential of 28 points.
Saturday, October 27: #3 Montrose Indians at #6 Ponderosa Mustangs
This is a fact: Phil the photographer, assigned to shoot this clash of contenders for Colorado Preps Network is very excited about his Metro League date in Parker this Saturday. This one sells itself to all of us.
3rd-ranked Montrose (8-0, 3-0) is impressively motorin’ through their Metro opponents in pursuit of a first league championship since 2014. Considering they have already beaten #9 Heritage and host a one-win Aurora Central team next week, this is the definitive regular-season moment for the Indians.
Ponderosa (6-2, 3-0) is a little, multi-part story about two early losses (with no excuses yet some notes) and then the current six-game win streak. And now comes chapter three featuring back-to-back battles with the best of what their league can launch at ‘em. Win two. Take the title. And definitely earn a fourth consecutive postseason berth.
Saturday, October 27: Grand Junction Central (6-2, 3-0) at #2 Pine Creek (7-1, 3-0)
To their credit, Pine Creek (7-1, 3-0) conditions us to make assumptions — like this Southern League is theirs to own going into the playoffs. And it doesn’t make underdog backers crank their heads if they notice the Eagles have held their last four opponents to just single-digits.
However… what if recall triggered the part of about Grand Junction Central (6-2, 3-0) having a Top 10 win, yielding 5.2 points per game in their six victories, and yet to allow any of their previous eight opponents to post 20 points on the scoreboard. The Warriors already beat 2nd-place Vista Ridge at the start of league play, so it is factual that they could win an outright league title next week if they convoy back over the Divide in victory formation this Saturday.
Other games with reasons to track:
Thursday, October 25: Chatfield at Grand Junction (JEFFCO)
Thursday, October 25: Skyline at Fort Collins (LONGS PEAK)
Thursday, October 25: Windsor at #4 Greeley West (NORTHERN)
Thursday, October 25: Bear Creek at Golden (JEFFCO)
Friday, October 26: #5 Broomfield at Brighton (NORTHERN)
Friday, October 26: Dakota Ridge at Wheat Ridge (JEFFCO)
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