Starting out the season hot is nothing new to this current batch of Denver West football players. After all, last year the Cowboys were 3-0 and had scored 40 or more points in each game.

The task now for head coach Cristobal Velasquez and his group is to try and avoid a midseason slump in order to make a push for the Class 2A playoffs. And trust us when we say it’s been a long drought for Denver West when it comes to its football team making the postseason.

Records indicate that Denver West last made the postseason in 1995 as a 5A program, losing to Doherty that year by a slim 14-12 margin. There have been many thin years since.

On Sept. 20, Denver West (4-0) walloped Jefferson 50-0 and despite coming off a bye week, the Cowboys moved into this week’s Colorado Preps media poll at No. 10. They have beaten two teams with winning records so far (Prospect Ridge and Englewood) and another that sits at 2-2 (Manual). A group with hardly any seniors has matured fast, with sophomore quarterback Marcelo Ortiz (328 passing yards, 224 rushing yards, 11 combined TDs) guiding an offense that has averaged 288 yards a game. The defense has produced 13 turnovers and 11 sacks, as well, with juniors Aries Uong and Robert Wittke leading the way.

This week, the Cowboys travel to play Mitchell — a team that is in the bottom third of the CHSAA 2A Selection & Seeding Index. The possibility exists that they could be bringing a 5-0 mark into their Oct. 11 matchup with No. 1 ranked The Classical Academy.

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Five spot

Among the small-school ranks, there are still seven teams that are 5-0 — including three in 6-man.
And for Primero, the return of coach Jose Esquivias has prompted an overall resurgence for the Bulldogs. Their most recent win last week was a good one, beating Kiowa 36-24 with Jairo Vicente Dominguez’s 76-yard interception return for a touchdown a key play in the teams’ first meeting in the MaxPreps era.

Senior Brett Kendall has simply been unstoppable so far in his bid to take the program to new heights. He’s passed for 763 yards and 15 TDs, while also rushing for 747 yards and 17 TDs. Junior Gabe Sintas is up to 13 touchdown receptions. Junior Kailain Sanford has torched opposing offensive lines for seven sacks.

The Bulldogs (No. 6 in the Index) will have their biggest test to date Friday, traveling to Sierra Grande (4-0; No. 5 in the Index).

Ralston tossing bombs

Only two other quarterbacks in the state have attempted more passes than Plateau Valley’s Colter Ralston — those being Ralston Valley’s Zeke Andrews (155) and Thomas Jefferson’s Nick Radi (154). While Andrews does have eight touchdowns against no interceptions, Ralston’s 1,153 yards and 16-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio has certainly put the junior in elite status regardless of classification.
The 8-man Cowboys are 3-2 and host Hayden this Friday night.

Top billing

Lamar at La Junta, Friday night at 7 p.m.: Always a pretty fun rivalry game, the Thunder will be looking to improve to 5-0 and stop a three-game losing streak in the series when the teams clash on Friday night. Both teams had bye weeks last week and La Junta will be looking to shake off two really tough losses against stalwarts Strasburg and TCA. Last year’s meeting was a 24-22 thriller in favor of the Tigers.

Wellington at Berthoud, Friday night at 7 p.m.: The pair of 3-1 teams will be focused on opening league play on the right note. Wellington’s last two games have been decided by a field goal or less (1-1 record). The Spartans won last year’s meeting 38-6.

Yuma at Burlington, Friday night at 7 p.m.: Burlington is one point away from being 3-1 and likely higher in the Index than 14th (lost to Lamar, 7-6, on Sept. 20). Yuma is actually 3-1 but its past two wins have come by a combined eight points, including a 27-24 nailbiter at Brush last week. The Cougars will key in on Jonathan Thomson, the Yuma QB who ran 31 times for 223 yards and four touchdowns against the Beetdiggers.