With the final week of non-conference play in the books, the rankings for Class 5A are likely settled in for the second half of the season.  Class 4A though sees a new number one team this week while the 3A polls are also jumbled a bit thanks to Longmont’s win over Holy Family and Erie’s solid victory over Silver Creek.
Below are the rankings from Colorado Preps.  The polls are not included in the weekly CHSAA votes which are released each Monday and used as the official rankings statewide.
 

CLASS 5A

  1. Valor Christian (5-0)
  2. Eaglecrest (5-0)
  3. Pomona (3-2)
  4. Mullen (2-3)
  5. Regis (4-1)
  6. Columbine (4-1)
  7. Cherry Creek (3-2)
  8. Grandview (3-2)
  9. Fairview (5-0)
  10. Highlands Ranch (4-1)

OTHERS:  Lakewood (5-0), Rock Canyon (4-1), Overland (3-2), Fountain Fort Carson (3-2), Chaparral (3-2), Northglenn (4-1), Arvada West (4-1)
NOTES:  Not many changes in the big school rankings this week despite losses by Pomona, Cherry Creek and Doherty.  Pomona lost to an out-of-state opponent and since they have a win over Mullen, they stay ahead of the Mustangs again this week.  Cherry Creek lost just one spot as they played top ranked Valor Christian well for about three and a half quarters plus they have a win over Grandview.  Doherty was dropped from the poll because of their loss to Fountain Fort Carson.  The Spartans are replaced by Highlands Ranch who gets the nod over unbeaten Lakewood due to a stronger schedule.
 

CLASS 4A

  1. Ponderosa (5-0)
  2. Pine Creek (4-1)
  3. Windsor (4-1)
  4. Chatfield (4-1)
  5. Fruita Monument (4-1)
  6. Pueblo West (5-0)
  7. Pueblo South (4-1)
  8. Loveland (5-0)
  9. Monarch (5-0)
  10. Skyline (5-0)

OTHERS:  Standley Lake (4-1), Montrose (3-2), Vista Ridge (3-2), Rampart (3-2), Golden (4-1), Cheyenne Mountain (4-1), Brighton (3-2), Greeley West (3-2), Broomfield (2-3), Air Academy (4-1)
NOTES:  Pine Creek was the only member of our top 10 to suffer a loss in week five and since the Eagles were beaten by a 5A club we toyed with keeping them at number one.  After all they won’t compete with Ralston Valley for the 4A crown.  But we dropped the defending champs down one spot simply because Ponderosa has been playing such good football they deserve the chance to move up.  Pine Creek lost just one spot as they have a win over Windsor and we kept them ahead of the Wizards.
 

CLASS 3A

  1. Mead (5-0)
  2. Palmer Ridge (5-0)
  3. Roosevelt (4-1)
  4. Erie (5-0)
  5. Berthoud (5-0)
  6. Silver Creek (3-2)
  7. Longmont (2-3)
  8. Holy Family (4-1)
  9. Skyview (5-0)
  10. Harrison (5-0)

OTHERS:  Rifle (4-1), Canon City (4-1), Palisade (3-2), Frederick (4-1), Evergreen (4-1), Denver North (5-0), Thomas Jefferson (4-1), Fort Morgan (2-3), Durango (3-2)
NOTES:  Not completely surprised that Longmont beat Holy Family but the margin of victory sure was an eye opener.   In ranking teams though, one has to remember that the Tigers lost standout QB Stone Samaras just four plays in.  Despite that injury, we moved Longmont back into the rankings one spot ahead of the Tigers based on head-to-head.  The Trojans are still below five hundred for the season but they’ve played a much stronger schedule than unbeatens Skyview and Harrison.  Longmont has losses to top ranked Mead and 3rd ranked Roosevelt while neither Skyview nor Harrison has faced a team that’s spent any time in the rankings this year.  Another key result saw Erie pick up a win over Silver Creek so the Tigers move up to fourth and the Raptors slide down to sixth this week.