Because only a few games on tonight’s schedule impact league championships, our Friday Five report has been retitled Friday’s Best. Because many conference titles have already been decided, it’s getting difficult to find five games in each class that affect the races and top district seeds. In fact, one classification is void of any games in our selection process.
CLASS 1A
Kiowa at Evangelical Christian
Arickaree/Woodlin at Briggsdale
Kim/Branson at Walsh
NOTES: Kiowa’s upset of Pikes Peak Christian earlier this week sets up a Black Forest league championship battle with Evangelical Christian. Both teams are unbeaten in conference play so the winner takes over the top spot. Evangelical Christian also clinches the title but Kiowa cannot since they have a game remaining with third place Elbert. The winner between Walsh — Kim/Branson lands the Ark Valley title and top district seed. The Eagles are in first at 3-0 with the Mustangs one game back at 2-1. The game is the conference finale for both teams. Arickaree/Woodlin — Briggsdale is a non-league game but will impact regional brackets if both teams advance from their respective district. Arickaree/Woodlin is 9th in RPI with Briggsdale 13th.
CLASS 2A
Highland at Denver Christian
Limon at Byers
Sargent at Del Norte
Vail Christian at Paonia
Peyton at Dolores Huerta
NOTES: Highland (9-0) and Denver Christian (8-1) sit one-two in the Mile High standings so the winner takes over first place. For the Huskies, a win clinches the championship as they would earn a two-game lead with two games remaining. Denver Christian forces a tie with a win but the Thunder would then have a tiebreaker in head-to-head. The survivor between Limon-Byers is the Union Pacific champion but neither is likely to earn a top district seed as each has a loss to Denver Christian. Sargent and Del Norte start the battle for the Southern Peaks championship. Each has also a game remaining with Sanford next week. Vail Christian clinches a top two district seed by beating Paonia. If that happens, the Saints can officially wrap up the top seed by beating North Park on Saturday. A loss in either makes their game with Soroco next week extremely important. Peyton clinches the Black Forest title with a win at Dolores Huerta Prep.
CLASS 3A
Montezuma Cortez at Centauri
Gunnison at Grand Valley
Lutheran at Colorado Academy
NOTES: Centauri (5-2) is alone in first in a very crowded Intermountain chase. They lead Montezuma Cortez and Bayfield (both 5-3) by one game so based on results from tonight, the Falcons keep sole possession of the lead or fall into a likely three-way tie with the Wolverines and Panthers. Bayfield is favored against Monte Vista. If Centauri falls tonight, then the game with Alamosa on Saturday becomes more important. The winner between Gunnison — Grand Valley stays one game back of first place Delta in the Western Slope. Both have one league loss and are tied with Roaring Fork in second place. The Rams should keep pace as they host Cedaredge. Delta has beaten both Grand Valley and Roaring Fork and will play Gunnison next week so the game could be more important to the Cowboys. Lutheran must beat Colorado Academy to stay one game behind Metro leader Manual. The Lions have a date with Manual next week so they remain in the title discussion but those hopes could be dashed with a loss this evening.
CLASS 4A
No games are listed here because there’s not much suspense left in the league races. Harrison has a two-game edge in the CS Metro and Wheat Ridge is ahead of Golden by two games in the Jeffco. Longmont has clinched the Northern, Pueblo West is the South Central champion and Lewis Palmer has locked up the Pikes Peak title. Glenwood Springs and Steamboat Springs meet tomorrow for the Western Slope title and Mead and Holy Family will decide the Tri Valley crown when they meet for a second time next week. Conifer beat Alameda last week to take over the Colorado 8 lead and that league tournament starts next week.
CLASS 5A
Greeley West at Fairview
ThunderRidge at Chaparral
Regis at Mountain Vista
Denver East at Thomas Jefferson
NOTES: Fairview (9-0) and Greeley West (8-1) hold down the top two spots in the Front Range league so the winner should end up with the championship. Fairview can only clinch with a win if Boulder also loses to Loveland. The Panthers are two games off the pace in third but still have a game with Fairview on tap next week. Regis, Mountain Vista, ThunderRidge and Chaparral are all 6-1 and tied for the Continental lead so the winners stay in first and the losers drop into a third place tie with Legend if the Titans get by Rock Canyon. Denver East can take another step to the DPL title by beating Thomas Jefferson. The Spartans have one league loss and are tied with Lincoln and George Washington in second place. Denver East has a win over Lincoln and plays GW in their finale on the 16th.
