Play-offs begin in two weeks and a lot is still to be determined. This next to last week of the regular season has many important match-ups, some of which will bring change throughout the RPI standings.
Ninth-ranked Caliche (5-2) enters the week 13th in the RPI, but the Buffs likely need to either beat #1 Sedgwick County (7-0, 4th RPI) this week or Haxtun (3-4, 18th RPI) next week to avoid sweating out the hours before the final RPI is released next weekend.
Caliche led Akron (1-6, 30th RPI) 8-0 at halftime last week, and finished off the Rams 34-6 with Dylan Huss rushing for 179 yards and four touchdowns. The defense picked off three passes, one apiece by Seth Marick, Chase Armstrong, and Traevin Jones. Jones took his to the house for a TD. Marick and Huss each added a fumble recovery in the strong defensive effort.
The challenge this week is a Sedgwick County team that ranks second in scoring offense (386 points) and scoring defense (42 points). The Cougars are coming off a bye after beating #4 Dayspring Christian (6-1, 2nd RPI) the week before. In that contest, the Cougars allowed a season-high 16 points to the Eagles. Sedgwick County has won five straight against Caliche, including two last year. In those five games, the Cougars allowed a total of 24 points, 16 in a postseason victory last year.
While Haxtun is in the mix for a postseason berth, the Bulldogs may need two sweep their last two games, beginning with Saturday’s contest at Akron. With the Rams carrying such a low RPI, a win by Haxtun could actually cost the Bulldogs a few spots in the standings, as a number of the teams ahead of them have match-ups with more highly ranked opponents.
The Bulldogs have scored 50 points in each of their last two games, wins over South Park (1-6, 36th RPI) and Byers (1-6, 31st RPI). Ike Andersen rushed for a combined 575 and seven touchdowns in those victories. The sophomore has totaled 938 yards and 13 TDs on the season.
Akron won its season-opener, but has since dropped its last six games. The Rams have only scored 78 points this year, with 46 coming in the first contest. Evan Vogt leads the defense with 58 tackles and three picks, and Xavier Livesay has a team-high seven sacks. Akron has won all eight meetings with Haxtun dating back to 2012, including a 32-17 decision last year.
After falling to Sargent (5-2, 11th RPI) 26-24 last week, Dove Creek (5-2, 17th RPI) now finds itself on the outside of the postseason. That makes Friday’s game at #3 Sanford (7-0, 3rd RPI) even more important for the Bulldogs. The big blow in last week’s loss was a defensive score by Blake Behil of the Farmers on a pick-six. Gage Bailey (146 yards) and Chorbin Cressler (103 yards) each topped the century mark on the ground for the Bulldogs.
Sanford is comfortably in the play-offs, but a win this weekend gives the Indians a share of the Mountain Division title. Sanford can win the division outright a win over Dove Creek this week and Sargent in the regular season finale. The Indians have held five of seven opponents to less than two scores, including Del Norte (2-5, 28th RPI) in a 48-0 shutout last week. The series with the Bulldogs has been very hotly contested, with Dove Creek owning a 5-4 edge in recent meetings. Dove Creek took last year’s clash 52-33, outscoring the Indians 14-0 in the fourth. Cressler rushed for 232 yards and four scores to lead the Bulldogs.
Riding the high of last week’s close victory, Sargent needs a win over Del Norte on Friday to keep its division title hopes alive. On top of the 94-yard pick-six, Behil also tallied a rushing score in the Farmers’ victory over Dove Creek. Kage Peeper added a pair of TDs on the ground, and his 17 tackles were tied with Payton Brown for second on the team. Braxton Asbell led the team with 19. He also recorded a sack and an interception.
The Tigers were 2-1 early in the season, but have since dropped four straight. They’ve been shutout twice in that stretch, and only scored a total of 26 points in that skid. To make matters worse, the opposition has scored 216 points, with three of the four scoring at least 52 points. Sargent has won the last eight match-ups in the series, and has scored at least 53 points in each of the last five. Last season, the Farmers piled up 523 yards of offense in a 65-18 victory.
Sixth-ranked Pikes Peak Christian (6-1, 8th RPI) can lock up the Southern Division crown on Friday, if the Eagles can beat Swink (3-4, 18th RPI) on the road. After dropping its season-opener to #8 Merino (5-2, 7th RPI), Pikes Peak Christian has reeled off six straight wins, three against divisional opponents. The Eagles have outscored the division 164-8 with two shutouts. The 18 points allowed to Merino is two more than PPC has allowed to its other six opponents, combined. Andrew Harris paces the defense with 58 tackles, while Kyle Arnett has a team-high 7.5 sacks.
Swink had been unbeaten in the league prior to last week’s 28-14 loss against Simla (4-3, 15th RPI). The Lions have neither won consecutive games, nor lost consecutive games, all season. If that trend continues, the Lions would tie PPC for the league title and would own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Eagles. Three of their four losses have come against teams that are ranked in the top 10 this week, including two of the top three. This will only be the fourth all-time meeting between Swink and Pikes Peak Christian, with the Eagles winning the last two. That includes a 65-6 romp last year, in which PPC led 43-0 after one quarter.
The winner of Friday’s clash between West Grand (5-2, 10th RPI) and Soroco (6-1, 14th RPI) finishes second in the Northwest, but more importantly, improves its RPI. For the Mustangs, that could mean a possible home game in the first round, while Soroco could move to a more secure position, and possibly even avoid facing a top four team in the opening round.
Soroco rebounded from its loss to #7 Vail Christian (7-0, 1st RPI) two weeks ago to down Rangely (4-3, 12th RPI) 48-34 last week. The Rams ran for 449 yards and seven touchdowns, with Tyler Wixom (190 yards, 4 TD) leading the way. Kody Logan added 132 yards and a score on the ground. Soroco’s defense also registered four takeaways, one apiece by Johnathan Jerome, Jesse Koler, Sam Iacovetto, and Cutter Wiggins.
West Grand recorded its first shutout of the season, blanking Hayden 40-0 last week. Jakob Buller had a big night on offense for the Mustangs, rushing for 221 yards and two scores, and throwing for 82 yards and two more TDs. Jacob Murphy added a sack and a fumble recovery, while the rest of the defense recorded three takeaways. West Grand has dominated the series with Soroco, winning all 12 meetings since 2004. The Mustangs have pitched shutouts in two of the last three.
Front Range Christian (5-2, 16th RPI) heads into the weekend holding down the final play-off spot. The Falcons could make a big climb in the standings if they are able to upset #4 Dayspring Christian (6-1, 2nd RPI) on Saturday at home. One week after falling to #10 Elbert (6-1, 9th RPI) in what served as the Central Division title game, Front Range Christian rebounded to blank Justice (0-6, 39th RPI) 50-0 last week. Luke Hiltman threw for 121 yards and three touchdowns, and Levi Scadden had a big day on both sides of the ball. Scadden caught a pair of TD passes, ran for a score, and returned one of his two fumble recoveries for yet another touchdown.
Dayspring Christian also found itself in a bounce-back game last week, defeating Merino 44-14. The Eagles are primed to finish second in the Plains, but the bigger prize at this stage is the possible #2 seed for the play-offs. They have never faced Front Range Christian.
Elsewhere in 8-man, #2 Fowler (7-0, 5th RPI) hosts Springfield (2-5, 35th RPI) looking to wrap up an outright championship in the Arkansas Valley. It would be the seventh straight win by the Grizzlies over the Longhorns, as they won a wild 46-44 shootout last season.
Vail Christian can complete an unbeaten trek through the Northwest by winning at Plateau Valley (1-6, 33rd RPI) on Saturday. The Saints have outscored divisional opponents 194-78 and are in line for the top overall seed in the postseason.
Merino will try to maintain its play-off position by beating Byers on Saturday in Plains League play. The Rams have lost two of their top players in recent weeks, with Cade Conger and Trent Elliott being sidelined by injuries.
With only divisional champions inside the top 10 of the final bracket being guaranteed a first round home game, Elbert needs to win its last two games to have a shot at not being on the road. The Bulldogs play two of the bottom four teams in the RPI to close out the regular season (Justice, South Park), so even two wins might not be enough to secure that first round home contest.
