The final Friday of the regular season is filled with important games in all classes. Many are head-to-head battles of conference leaders and all will change RPI standings as we fully enter the post-season next week.
CLASS 1A
Kiowa at Elbert
Both teams are unbeaten and for the most part have been unchallenged inside the Black Forest conference so the winner gets the trophy and the loser will end up second. Elbert has the better overall record (14-3) and is 23rd in the RPI compared to 36th for Kiowa so the Bulldogs are favored going in. The game could also serve as a preview for a district semifinal as Elbert is currently seeded second and Kiowa third. Genoa Hugo is 3rd in RPI and will easily be the top district seed.
McClave at Kit Carson
The High Plains league championship and top district seed goes to the winner of this one. Neither team has lost a conference game but Kit Carson has been much more dominant. They’ve outscored four opponents by 180 points compared to just 67 for McClave. Kit Carson also topped the Cardinals 58-28 in the semifinals of the Lamar Tournament back in December. They enter the game riding a 69-game winning streak as they’ve not lost since the first round of the 2016 state tournament. The all-time record for most wins in Colorado is 78 and is held by McClave from 2003-06.
Prairie at Briggsdale
Briggsdale is heavily favored to get the win and if they do so, the Falcons will be the number one seed for next week’s district tournament. A win puts them to 7-1 in the North Central and tied with Fleming atop the standings but the Falcons get the higher seed based on an overall better record (17-1).
CLASS 2A
Yuma at Haxtun
Yuma has clinched the Lower Platte league title and Haxtun cannot move up for down from third place so this game is more for RPI points than conference standings. The clubs will also head to different classes for the post-season as Yuma begins defense of their state championship in the district tournament next week while Haxtun drops into Class 1A and competes with Arickaree/Woodlin for the District 5 championship. Yuma will be the number one seed in 2A District 2 and earns a bye into the semifinals. Haxtun is 11th in RPI, eight spots ahead of Arickaree/Woodlin so the Bulldogs should wrap up the top seed with tonight’s game as it will boost their strength of schedule. Arickaree/Woodlin clinched the 1A YWKC title by beating Idalia earlier this week.
Swink at Limon
Another game on our list that is more for RPI points and post-season bracketing than anything else. Swink is the Eastern division champ of the Santa Fe conference and will look for a fourth consecutive district title next week. Limon is the Union Pacific league champion and will serve as the top seed in District 4; battling the likes of Byers and Denver Christian for that championship.
More importantly, the Badgers are the number one team in the RPI standings and should stay there by playing a one loss team this evening. Limon is trying to stay ahead of Del Norte, Wray, Meeker and Heritage Christian for the top overall seed. Swink is 7th in RPI and could also move up based on playing a quality opponent.
Sanford at Sargent
With Del Norte favored to land the Southern Peaks championship, the winner of this one could end up second behind the Tigers. And if that happens, the loser is likely third so this could be a preview of a semifinal matchup in next week’s district tournament as well. If Sanford wins tonight, their game with Del Norte on Saturday is a winner-take-all game for the conference championship. If Sargent wins this evening, Sanford then needs to beat Del Norte tomorrow night to create a three-way tie for first.
CLASS 3A
Patriot District
Three pigtail games on Friday night open the Patriot district tournament. Losers see an end of their campaign but winners advance to the quarterfinals next Tuesday. Sterling is the highest seed in action as the 6th place Tigers host Frontier Academy. That winner meets #3 Resurrection Christian in the quarterfinals. #7 Liberty Common stays home in Fort Collins to host #10 Valley with the survivor challenging #2 Platte Valley next Tuesday. The final game pits #8 Estes Park at home against #9 Strasburg. That winner has the task of playing regular season champion Eaton in the next round.
CLASS 4A
Fruita Monument at Montrose
Grand Junction at Durango
It’s the final conference game for all four games and three of them remain in contention for at least a share of the Southwestern crown. Grand Junction and Fruita Monument begin play tied for the conference lead (6-2) with Montrose a game back. So, should both Fruita Monument and Grand Junction get road wins, they share the championship and Montrose settles for third.
If Fruita Monument wins and Grand Junction comes up short, then Fruita Monument is the overall champion with Grand Junction and Montrose sharing second. The standings are different if Grand Junction wins and Fruita Monument is beaten. Then the Tigers are the league champs with Montrose second based on a second win over Fruita Monument.
Rifle at Battle Mountain
Glenwood Springs at Palisade
Two games left in the Western Slope league schedule and both are important to the championship race. Glenwood Springs and Battle Mountain split two regular season matchups and share the top spot with identical 9-2 records. Both need wins tonight to secure at least a piece of the crown. Palisade (8-3) is just a game back in third and the Bulldogs can join the first place party with a win and a Rifle upset of Battle Mountain. The Bears (6-5) are locked into fourth place.
Colorado 8 Tournament
The top two finishers from the regular season meet again to determine the conference championship as Skyview hosts Weld Central. The winner earns an automatic bid to the state tournament as a league champion. Skyview topped Arvada 48-15 in round one and then dropped Conifer 35-30 in the semifinals. The Wolverines are making their first appearance in a conference final since the 2001-02 season.
Weld Central knocked off Alameda 60-33 in the quarterfinals and also rolled Riverdale Ridge 68-30 in the semifinals. They’re seeking to avenge a 52-44 setback to the Wolverines from mid-January.
Skyview is 14th in RPI and in position to earn a first round bye in the 48-team 4A bracket. Weld Central is 25th so both teams are safely in the field regardless of the outcome from tonight’s game.
CLASS 5A
Fossil Ridge at Valor Christian
Arapahoe at Cherry Creek
Cherokee Trail at Grandview
While the last two games on the list could affect the Centennial race, the games are more about RPI standings than the conference race. Grandview and Cherry Creek share the Centennial lead (12-1) and they will share the top spot with wins tonight. Upsets are not likely as both teams have won all other league games by at least 18 points.
But all three games will play a major role in determining two of the four number one seeds in the 5A state tournament bracket. Highlands Ranch and Regis seem to have the top two positions sewn up but the race for spots three through six are up for grabs. Fossil Ridge (.670) is currently third with Valor Christian (.668) fourth. Cherry Creek and Grandview (.661) are in a virtual tie for fifth.
Since they play each other, Fossil Ridge and Valor Christian may be able to maintain their spots because both will be boosted by strength of schedule. The loser of course will be hurt in winning percentage but maybe not enough to allow either Creek or Grandview to move past them.
Doherty at Liberty
Rampart at Fountain Fort Carson
Doherty has a one game edge on Fountain Fort Carson and wins the championship outright by beating Liberty. If the Lancers spring the upset, Fountain Fort Carson can earn a share of the title by knocking off Rampart. Doherty also wins the championship with a loss if Rampart also upsets Fountain Fort Carson. For Doherty and Liberty, it’s their second meeting in eight days as the Spartans won 57-48 on February 7th.  FFC topped Rampart 59-34 in their first contest.
