Playoffs draw much of the attention on the gridiron this week but Classes 3A and 4A also conclude the regular season and that’s the focus of our Friday GameDay report. Several league championships are on the line in both divisions and many other clubs are battling for a playoff berth.
Each game on our list below involves a league championship game. Winners of these games earn automatic berths in playoff brackets announced on Sunday.
CLASS 4A
Bear Creek at Chatfield
Skyline at Loveland
Rampart at Pueblo West
Ponderosa at Heritage
NOTES: Dakota Ridge won on Thursday and they’re the Jeffco league champions if Chatfield gets by Bear Creek tonight. Bear Creek though lands the title with a win. The Loveland-Skyline winner is the Longs Peak champion as both are 4-0 in league play. It’s the same scenario between Rampart-Pueblo West in the Southern 2 division. Ponderosa sits alone atop the Metro and a win gives them the championship but a loss should leave them tied with Heritage and Montrose in first. League champions already crowned are Pine Creek and Greeley West. Fruita Monument plays Vista Peak on Saturday to help decide the final race.
CLASS 3A
Mead at Frederick
Erie at Fort Morgan
Discovery Canyon at Palmer Ridge
Durango at Pueblo East
NOTES: The top four teams on the list are all unbeaten in league play so winners claim conference championships. Mead and Frederick meet for the North Metro crown and Erie-Fort Morgan for the North Valley title. Fort Morgan is the only one of the four on the playoff bubble as they enter the game 16th in RPI. Palmer Ridge has a one game edge on Discovery Canyon in the Central but the winner is the league champion. Pueblo South won on Thursday so Pueblo East must win to grab the South Central championship outright. Durango creates a three-way tie for the title with a road win. Green Mountain, Harrison and Palisade all have wrapped up league championships.
Playoffs open in the remaining three classes with most of the activity on Friday involving Class 5A. The field has expanded to 24 teams so winners this weekend advance to meet the top eight seeds in the second round next week. 9th ranked Fairview is the highest seeded team on the field tonight as they host #24 Denver East. The winner meets ThunderRidge next week.
In Class 2A, there’s one playoff game featuring defending state champion Bayfield. The Wolverines are the top seed and welcome in league rival Montezuma Cortez. The lone 1A game has #4 Colorado Springs Christian at home against #13 Monte Vista. Two games are on the eight man slate as #1 West Grand is home to Front Range Christian and #7 Sargent entertains Holly. In six man, #4 Arickaree/Woodlin opens their playoff run at home against #13 Genoa Hugo.
We’ll track all the scores across the state tonight and tomorrow with our Scoreboard. It’s the easiest to read in Colorado and we track every game in every class.
FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD
