This is it.
Week 10 will complete the 2019 Class 5A regular season by late Friday, although a fair amount of shuffling for the 24 playoff spots remains.
The usual powers remain very much in place and a load of hopefuls are poised for their shots. Look for the postseason bracket to be released early next week.
As usual, a dozen games are labeled below for your viewing, so please enjoy:
Best bets …
Fairview (8-1) vs. Rocky Mountain (5-4), Thursday, 6 p.m., French Field
A victory for the Knights clinches the Front Range League title outright; a Fairview loss means its still owns a piece of it. … Talking Fairview football means talking about QB Aidan Atkinson and WR Grant Page. Atkinson holds the Colorado record for TD passes in a half (eight) and for career (120). He’s headed to Northwestern. Page, a sophomore, has 59 catches for an even 1,000 yards and 14 TDs. … The Lobos lost their chance for an outright Front Range crown after a 20-10 setback to Horizon last week. … Junior QB Giles Pooler threw for 222 yards, but was picked off once.
Cherokee Trail (6-3) vs. Eaglecrest (7-2), Friday, 7 p.m., Legacy Stadium
Eaglecrest is ninth in RPI and Cherokee Trail 12th entering the Metro East matchup. … The host Raptors are only 4-8 against the Cougars in their past dozen meetings, including winning the past three. … Cherokee Trail had its chance against league-leading Cherry Creek and got pounded, losing 38-7. … The Cougars had possession for only 16 minutes, 23 seconds. … Eaglecrest beat Arapahoe 28-0 last week as Max Marsh threw for 170 yards and ran for 121 more. … The winner can get at least third place in league, possibly a tie for second.
Grandview (8-1) vs. Cherry Creek (9-0), Friday, 7 p.m., Stutler Bowl
The Metro East title will be decided here – the Wolves are 3-1 and Bruins 4-0. … Since losing by 26-7 to Cherokee trail in Week 7, Grandview beat Arapahoe 14-6 and Overland 38-0. … Junior RB Noah Schmidt continues to pile up the yards, 1,607 (tops in 5A), along with 15 TDs. … Scoring on the Bruins has proved difficult – they lead big schools by permitting only 57 points. … Junior QB Julian Hammond has thrown for 22 TDs for Cherry Creek and tossed for scores in eight-of-nine games. … Grandview owns an 11-7 edge in the series since 2004.
Pomona (6-3) vs. Ralston Valley (9-0), Friday, 7 p.m., NAAC
It’s for the Metro West title. Both teams are 4-0. … No doubt, Pomona started the season slowly, but the Panthers currently are on a five-game roll, none bigger than – and more interesting throughout the class – last week’s 34-33 victory over Columbine. … Brady Ritzmann threw for two TDs and Dominick Nichols ran for two others. … Ralston Valley blew out Lakewood 42-0 last week and also beat Columbine by a point, 24-23 in Week 8. … The Mustangs continue to lead 5A in scoring. They have piled up 389 points.
Also keep an eye on …
Castle View (6-3) vs. ThunderRidge (5-4), Thursday, 7 p.m., Shea Stadium
The two sit 17th and 18th, respectively, in playoff qualifying and smack dab in the middle of the Metro South at 2-2. So lots remain for Castle View (Ian Peirce, 737 yards rushing, six TDs; Zane Wodark 722, seven) and ThunderRidge (Brent Huber 1,793 yards of total offense), including serving as host in the first round.
Chaparral (2-7) vs. Legend (7-2), Friday, 7 p.m., EchoPark Stadium
The Wolverines and the host Titans are two of the four teams tied at 2-2 in the South, and Legend (Blake Rarog 1,229 yards rushing, 17 TDs) already has solidified its best-ever regular season and a first-round home game in the playoffs.
Far Northeast (6-3) vs. Prairie View (6-3), Friday, 7 p.m., Prairie View
In the Metro 10, designed to give struggling programs a chance to regroup toward competitiveness, this one is about feeling good and finishing with a 7-3 record and possibly making the 24-team postseason bracket.
Lakewood (4-5) vs. Mullen (3-6), Friday, 7 p.m., Brother Bernard Kinneavy De La Salle Stadium
Despite their losing records, the Tigers, who have displayed amazing offensive balance (1,110 yards passing to 1,105 yards rushing) and Mustangs (senior RB Damien Cearns 292 yards rushing and three TDs last week against Arvada West) appear to have playoff berths under control, and Mullen looks to earn a first-round home game with a victory in th Metro West.
Overland (3-6) vs. Arapahoe (5-4), Friday, 7 p.m., Littleton Pubic Schools Stadium
Hanging on to a postseason spot, the visiting Trailblazers are running into a Warriors group hat opened the Metro East with a nice 10-7 victory over Cherokee Trail, but are on a three-game slide by a combined 66-13 … and can still host a first-rounder.
Regis Jesuit (9-0) vs. Douglas County (2-7), Friday, 7 p.m., Douglas County Stadium
The Raiders have clinched the South and are seeking their first undefeated regular season since 2010, when they entered the 5A title game 13-0.
Smoky Hill (9-0) vs. Westminster (5-4), Friday, 7 p.m., District 50 Stadium
The Buffaloes and QB Leslie Richardson (2,147 yards passing 20 TDs) have secured the Metro 10’s automatic playoff berth and are seeking their second-consecutive 10-0 regular season.
Valor Christian (8-1) vs. Highlands Ranch (4-5), Friday, 7 p.m., Shea Stadium
One could literally crawl the distance between the two schools, although the defending state champion Eagles and All-America lineman Roger Rosengarten hope to open it up in the Metro South. The host Falcons have won four in a row and realize an opportunity when they see one.
