After a chaotic Week 1 of the high school football season, a new set of CHSAANow.com rankings has been released and teams are ready for another great week of competition.
Below is a glance of this week’s games involving ranked teams ahead of kickoff on Thursday.
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Class 5A
(1) Cherry Creek at St Edward OH (Sat)
The defending 5A champions head to Ohio after getting a gritty win over Ralston Valley. St. Edward is 2-0 after wins over Central Catholic (Toledo) and Central Catholic (Pittsburgh).
(2) Regis Jesuit at Oaks Christian CA (Sat)
Fresh off a 23-17 overtime win over No. 5 Valor Christian, the Raiders also head out of state. Exander Carroll is looking to build on his 150-passing yard, two touchdown performance in the win over the Eagles.
(3) Grandview at Fossil Ridge (Thurs)
The Wolves got off a fast start to take down Overland in Week 1. The Sabercats edged Loveland as Tyler Kebab threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns. Trek Keyworth and Mac Busteed each went over 100 receiving yards and combined to score three touchdowns.
(4) Columbine at (4A 7) Dakota Ridge
This is easily the biggest Jeffco area game of the week as Columbine looks to move to 2-0 while Dakota Ridge is looking for some footing after falling to Pueblo West last week. The ground game looks as strong as ever for Columbine after Marquane Taylor and Josh Snyder combined to run for over 260 yards. Dakota Ridge’s Noah Triplett will try to keep pace after rushing for 97 yards and a score in Week 1.
(5) Valor Christian vs (7) Pine Creek
This is a very important game for both teams. Valor looks to get settled in with new coach Bret McGatlin as Week 1 slipped away from the Eagles’ reach. Roman Bradley was the highlight as he carried the ball five times for 93 yards and a score. Pine Creek had a successful trip to Vegas, beating Las Vegas High School 43-3. Sophomore quarterback Cameron Cooper went 7-for-9 with 260 yards and three touchdowns.
(6) Ralston Valley at Colonial FL
After battling with Cherry Creek, the Mustangs head to Florida for some out-of-state action. Logan Madden threw for 217 yards and a touchdown last week and looks to build on that performance in the Sunshine State.
(8) Legend vs Pomona (Thurs)
This should be another fun battle of teams who both got wins in Week 1. Junior Alex Martinez ran for 201 yards and two scores as the Titans beat Vista Ridge while Sawyer Woods threw for two scores to lead Pomona over Thomas Jefferson.
(9) ThunderRidge at Douglas County
Alexander Kambesis powered the Grizzlies with 132 rushing yards and three touchdowns as they beat Arvada West. Jake Stonebraker had a strong rushing performance of his own, going for 180 yards and two touchdowns, as Douglas County topped Horizon in its season opener.
(10) Arapahoe at Heritage
A narrow win over Legacy keeps Arapahoe in the No. 10 spot this week. Charlie Eckhardt had 105 receiving yards and score the game’s only touchdown. Jayden Chaney scored the lone touchdown for Heritage in its loss to Mountain Vista.
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Class 4A
(1) Palmer Ridge vs Mesa Ridge
Derek Hester threw for 289 yards and ran for 120 to lead Palmer Ridge over Montrose and back to the No. 1 spot in 4A. The Bears will have to slow down Mesa Ridge sophomore quarterback Bryce Riehl who threw for 251 yards and five touchdowns in a win over Kennedy.
(2) Ponderosa at Chaparral
After beating then No. 1 Erie, Ponderosa looks to move to 2-0. Quarterback Zach Stryker threw for two touchdowns and running back Ethan Rodriguez ran for two scores for Pondo last Friday. Defensively, the Mustangs will be challenged by Chaparral receiver Braden Munroe who caught six passes for 127 yards in a loss to Rocky Mountain.
(3) Pueblo West at Pueblo County
There is a lot of hype for the latest edition of the Pigskin Challenge. Jacob Trader’s 128 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown helped the Cyclones beat then-No. 3 Dakota Ridge last week while Pueblo County knocked off Pueblo South in its season opener.
(4) Erie at Mullen
The Tigers are looking to shake off the hit they took from Ponderosa and get back in the win column against a tough 5A opponent in Mullen.
(5) Montrose at (10) Fruita Monument (Thurs)
The Red Hawks fell into an early hole against Palmer Ridge in Week 1 and couldn’t battle their way back. They’ll get another top-10 showdown with Fruita Monument. The Wildcats rushed for over 300 yards as a team with Kaison Stegelmeier and Wyatt Sharpe each finding the end zone.
(6) Broomfield vs (3A 4) Holy Family
The Eagles weren’t short on offense in their win over Longmont last week. Cole LaCrue threw for three touchdowns while Luke Francis and Ryland Boehmer each ran for two. They see a tough 3A Holy Family team led by Chase McNaughton who ran for 151 yards and a touchdown.
(8) Vista Ridge vs Far Northeast
Brayden Dorman looks to be in peak for as he threw for 476 yards and five touchdowns to keep Vista Ridge within reach of Legend in Week 1. Far Northeast will try to control the ball on the ground as it had three players rush for over 100 yards and six different players record rushing touchdowns.
(9) Loveland at Mountain View
The Red Wolves are trying to bounce back after a close loss to Fossil Ridge. Garrett Harstad ran for 250 yards and four touchdowns in that loss. Mountain View nearly battled back after falling behind Riverdale Ridge 21-0 but fell one point short of the comeback.
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Class 3A
(1) Roosevelt at Kennedy (Sat)
The Roughriders are trying to move to 2-0 after a nice win over Palisade in Week 1. Bronco Hartson threw for 175 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
(2) Mead vs (5) Lutheran
This is perhaps the most important game of any classification in the state. Danny Brewington led the seemingly unstoppable Mavericks rushing attack with 209 yards and three touchdowns in a Week 1 win over Windsor. Lutheran quarterback Ryken Daugaard threw for 189 yards and a touchdown but was picked off three times as the Lions fell to Lutheran (MO) in Week 1.
(3) Durango at Piedra Vista NM
The Demons face their second straight opponent from New Mexico. In last week’s 56-7 win over Farmington, quarterback Tyler Harms only needed to complete five passes, three of which went for touchdowns.
(6) Resurrection Christian vs Orangewood Christian (FL)
The Cougars got off to a fast start to the year getting a 36-6 win over Moffat County. They head to Florida in an effort to improve to 2-0.
(7) Northridge vs Evergreen (Sat)
A 29-0 first quarter was all Northridge needed in its Week 1 win over Gateway. Isaac Kness ran for 151 yards and four touchdowns in that effort. Jack Johnson’s two rushing touchdowns helped Evergreen top Battle Mountain in its season opener.
(8) Frederick at Monarch
The Golden Eagles came up just short of a win over Holy Family in Week 1. Cruz Zamudio should lead the effort to get his team its first win of the year after rushing for 130 yards and two touchdowns last week.
(9) Green Mountain vs Severance
The Rams see their first in-state opponent after beating Florida’s Hollins 47-0. Zach Wallace threw for two scores while the Rams rushed for over 260 yards as a team. Severance opened its season with a 21-5 win over Canon City.
(10) Fort Morgan at (9) Brush (2A)
Defending 3A champion Fort Morgan lost a close one to Conifer and now has to take on a tough 2A foe in Brush. The Beetdiggers are also 0-1 after losing to Wiggins.
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Class 2A
(1) Classical Academy vs Harrison
Evan LaPoure’s four field goals lifted TCA over defending 2A champion Eaton last week. The Titans will try to keep that momentum going as they take on Harrison.
(2) Delta at Eagle Valley
Ty Reed threw for 114 yards and ran for 132 yards and three scores to lead the Panthers over University. Reed will try to have another big game against Eagle Valley, who fell to Basalt in Week 1.
UPDATE: Eagle Valley has forfeited the game. The Panthers are now 2-0.
(3) Eaton at (7) University (Thurs)
With both teams coming off a loss, this is a crucial showdown in the 2A landscape. Walker Martin threw for 151 yards and two touchdowns for Eaton last week, but it wasn’t enough as TCA came away with the win Logan Getting led the Bulldogs ground game with 83 yards in their loss to Delta.
(4) Elizabeth at Burlington
Ethan Stone powered the Cardinals to a win over D”Evelyn by rushing for 209 yards and three scores. For Burlington, Garrett Richardson will have to try and keep pace as he ran for 130 yards and three touchdowns.
(5) Platte Valley at Weld Central (Thurs)
The Broncos will try and ride the momentum of their 21-20 win over Kent Denver into Week 2.
(6) Basalt vs Battle Mountain (Thurs)
A strong first half got Basalt in the win column over Eagle Valley in Week 1. Cooper Crawford ran the ball 12 times for 59 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
(8) La Junta at Pagosa Springs
The Tigers battled back in the fourth quarter to get a Week 1 win over Burlington. Luke Garner threw for 158 yards and three touchdowns to lead the La Junta offense. Pagosa Springs couldn’t hang with defending 1A champion Centauri.
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Class 1A
(1) Limon vs (7) Meeker
After a big win over 2A’s Florence, the Badgers look to improve to 2-0 on the year. Gabe Schubarth led the offense with 100 rushing yards and a touchdown. Meeker looked good with a 28-0 shutout win over North Fork. Clay Crawford ran for 102 yards and a touchdown which should setup a fun ground battle between Schubarth and Crawford on Friday.
(2) Centauri vs (2A 10) Florence
Fresh off a win against Pagosa Springs, the defending 1A champion takes on another 2A opponent in Florence. The Huskies got beat by Limon a week ago and are hoping to have better luck against their second tough 1A opponent in a row.
(3) Wray vs Goodland KS
The Eagles take on an out-of-state foe after beating Highland 46-0 last week. Brady Collins had a solid rushing effort with 96 yards and a touchdown.
(4) Wiggins at (6) Strasburg
Wiggins raised some eyebrows after getting a good win over Brush in Week 1. Cole Kerr had a solid game, throwing for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Zach Marrero ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns to lead Strasburg over Holyoke.
(8) Yuma at Burns WY
Yuma put together a dominant performance to get a 56-14 win over Sterling last week. Jack Blecha ran for 108 yards and a touchdown in the win. Now Yuma heads north to take on an out-of-state foe to try and improve to 2-0.
(10) Gunnison vs Alamosa
Gunnison looked dominant in its season-opening win against Aspen last week. They see an Alamosa team that is likely angry following a 40-29 loss to Pueblo Central. Kasey Jones threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns for the Mean Moose in that losing effort.
8-Man
(1) Haxtun at Holyoke (11-man game)
The Bulldogs jump up to the 11-man ranks as they kickoff the 2022 season with hopes of defending their 8-man championship. The Dragons lost to Strasburg a week ago and are looking to get into the win column for the first time this season.
(2) Akron vs St Mary’s
Ryan McCaffrey completed just three passes but they all went for touchdowns as Akron beat Byers 50-26 in Week 1. This games marks the first time St. Mary’s has taken the football field since the spring of 2021.
(3) Mancos vs Monticello UT
The Bluejays are looking to put on a show for some out-of-state guests as Hail Wayman and Ayden Mathews each ran for over 100 yards and combined to score six touchdowns last week.
(4) Dove Creek vs Rangely
Kade Hankins ran for 114 and three touchdowns on just three carries as the Bulldogs shutout Plateau Valley in Week 1. Rangely is coming off a tough loss to Caliche.
(5) Merino vs McClave
The Rams rolled to a 44-0 win over Pikes Peak Christian in Week 1. The Cardinals are looking to avoid dropping to 0-2 after falling to Crowley County.
(6) Sanford at (9) Swink
A lot of people had Sanford having a “down” year in 2022 but the Mustangs erased that theory with a 34-20 win over Dayspring Christian to start the year. They’ll be tested again against Swink. The Lions pulled out a 44-34 win over Fowler.
#8 Simla vs Fowler
The Cubs made a statement with their 50-6 win over Hoehne to kickoff the season. They’ll try to improve to 2-0 as they take on a Fowler team reeling from a loss to Swink.
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6-Man
(1) Stratton at (3) Granada
Cyler Notter scored four total touchdowns to help Stratton avenge a state championship game loss to Cheyenne Wells. Brandon Gonzalez had himself a day in Granada’s win over Branson/Kim, throwing for 292 yards and seven touchdowns.
(2) Fleming vs Idalia
Nolan Japp’s 117 rushing yards and two touchdowns powered Fleming to a 45-12 win over North Park. Braylen Feather threw for 178 yards and two scores giving the Wildcats a balanced offense which should give them a shot at moving to 2-0 this week.
(4) Cheraw vs Branson/Kim
A 55-36 win over Prairie has Cheraw off to a solid start to the year. The Wolverines will try to improve to 2-0 when they take on Branson/Kim.
(5) Cheyenne Wells vs Cheylin KS
The season didn’t start the way the defending 6-man champion was hoping for after falling to Stratton. The Tigers take on Cheylin with a chance to right their ship this week.
(6) Sierra Grande at Eads
The Panthers’ high-octane offense put up 78 points in a win over Manzanola. Angelo Lucery rushed for 175 yards and scored five touchdowns in the win. Eads’ defense gave up 70 points in a loss to Genoa-Hugo and it’ll be interesting to see how the Eagles respond in Week 2.
(7) Genoa-Hugo at Kit Carson
Konner Rowden-Stum rushed for 158 yards and scored eight total touchdowns as the Pirates beat Eads 70-50. Kit Carson struggled in 2021 and those woes have bled into 2022 as the Wildcats were shutout by Otis in Week 1.
(8) Arickaree at North Park
Logan Wright put on a show as he rushed for 227 yards and five touchdowns as the Bison shutout Bethune in Week 1. They’re aiming for a 2-0 start as they head to North Park.
(9) Briggsdale vs Otis
The Falcons didn’t need to score a lot of points to get out of Week 1 with a 13-7 win over Idalia. Tanner Fiscus ran for 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the win. This should be a fun showdown as Otis put up 53 points in a win over Kit Carson.
(10) Prairie vs Peetz (Thurs)
Prairie’s loss to Cheraw to start the season almost makes the Week 2 showdown with Peetz a must-win. The Bulldogs are coming off a 49-0 win over Kiowa.
