Using league races and current RPI to select the playoffs qualifiers and the consensus rankings to seed the teams, Colorado Preps again projects the playoff pairings through games in week eight.  As in the past, we had to make some assumptions on league races as several have two, three or four teams sharing the top spot at this point.  To break those ties, we simply selected the team with the highest RPI.

Again remember, that league champions are guaranteed a spot in the bracket regardless of their final RPI standing.  Then RPI is used exclusively to select the remaining playoff qualifiers.  The consensus rankings only come into play after the playoff qualifiers are determined and the committee has the option of using them in the seeding process.

Pairings are listed in bracket order.

 

SIX-MAN

#1 Cheyenne Wells vs #16 Eads

#8 Cheraw vs #9 Kim/Branson

#4 Fleming vs #13 Hanover

#5 Idalia vs #12 Briggsdale

#3 Granada vs #14 Hi Plains

#6 Sierra Grande vs #11 Genoa Hugo

#2 Stratton vs #15 Mountain Valley

#7 Prairie vs #10 Arickaree/Woodlin

NOTES:  This is a very good bracket concerning the lack of the conference matchups in the opening round.  The only conflict is at the top between Cheyenne Wells and Eads so the 15th and 16th seed could flip in the final bracket.

 

EIGHT-MAN

#1 Mancos vs #16 Byers

#8 Akron vs #9 Holly

#4 Dayspring Christian vs #13 Pikes Peak Christian

#5 Sanford vs #12 Simla

#3 Vail Christian vs #14 Swink

#6 Dove Creek vs #11 Merino

#2 Haxtun vs #15 Fowler

#7 Sedgwick County vs #10 Calhan

NOTES:  No conference matchups in round one of these brackets so travel would be the only consideration.  Could swap Byers and Fowler in the lowest two seeds as Fowler is about 100 miles closer to Mancos than Byers.  The same could happen between Simla and Merino in spots 11-12 as the Cubs are a little less than 100 miles closer to Dove Creek than Merino.  But the committee could easily leave things as is because there is major travel to Mancos and Dove Creek in the first round regardless of opponent.

 

CLASS 1A

#1 Limon vs #16 Peyton

#8 Strasburg vs #9 Wiggins

#4 Buena Vista vs #13 Gunnison

#5 Wray vs #12 Highland

#3 Florence vs #14 Monte Vista

#6 Holyoke vs #11 Yuma

#2 Centauri vs #15 Bennett

#7 Meeker vs #10 North Fork

NOTES:  Two conference conflicts in Holyoke-Yuma and Meeker-North Fork but those can be eliminated by simply exchanging Yuma and North Fork in the bracket.  Some major travel would be added to the bracket but we believe avoiding conference pairings in round one grabs more attention that travel.  Otherwise, the bracket looks good including the travel aspect with Gunnison going to Buena Vista and Monte Vista to Florence.  Please note this bracket has Bennett and Peyton as champions of the Foothills and Santa Fe conferences but those entries could easily be Platte Canyon and Banning Lewis.  We chose Bennett and Peyton based on RPI numbers this week.  Those titles should be determined this week as Bennett meets Platte Canyon and Peyton faces Banning Lewis.

 

CLASS 2A

#1 Eaton vs #16 Kent Denver

#8 Bayfield vs #9 Elizabeth

#4 Moffat County vs #13 Alamosa

#5 Severance vs #12 Platte Valley

#3 Resurrection Christian vs #14 Academy

#6 Delta vs #11 University

#2 Classical Academy vs #15 Northfield

#7 Brush vs #10 Basalt

NOTES:  The lone conference conflict is between Resurrection Christian and Academy as both are members of the Patriot West.  Moving the Wildcats to the 15th seed and bumping Northfield to #14 takes that issue away and travel is not greatly increased, if at all.  Otherwise, the travel concerns deal with Alamosa-Moffat County and University-Delta.  Not sure if the committee would swap Alamosa and University because they are two spots apart but that might be a solution.  University to Craig instead of Delta saves the Bulldogs about 75 miles and of course Alamosa to Delta is much shorter than north to Craig for the Moose.

 

CLASS 3A

#1 Roosevelt vs #16 George Washington

#8 Frederick vs #9 Pueblo East

#4 Mead vs #13 Discovery Canyon

#5 Durango vs #12 Green Mountain

#3 Fort Morgan vs #14 Northridge

#6 Holy Family vs #11 Evergreen

#2 Lutheran vs #15 Steamboat Springs

#7 Palisade vs #10 Pueblo South

NOTES:  Fort Morgan and Northridge are in the same conference so that matchup would likely be changed.  Moving the Grizzlies to #13 and dropping Discovery Canyon to #14 solves that issue and the rest of the bracket could be left alone.  Green Mountain to Durango is a heck of a drive but the committee can flip the Rams with Discovery Canyon since the Thunder are in the same conference as Durango.  Flipping Green Mountain with Evergreen doesn’t change the travel distance much at all.  Evergreen instead could be exchanged with Pueblo South in spots 10-11 as Evergreen is closer to Palisade than Pueblo.  One note on the conferences; we have George Washington in as the DPL champion but they are currently tied with Thomas Jefferson in first and those two meet up this weekend.  We selected GW for the pairings since they are higher in the RPI.  Thomas Jefferson would also be the 16th seed in a projected bracket at this point.

 

CLASS 4A

First Round Byes

#1 Montrose

#2 Pine Creek

#3 Dakota Ridge

#4 Palmer Ridge

#5 Erie

#6 Loveland

#7 Ponderosa

#8 Chatfield

First Round

#9 Fountain Fort Carson vs #24 Grand Junction Central (winner plays Chatfield)

#10 Vista Ridge vs #23 Skyline (winner plays Ponderosa)

#11 Golden vs #22 Vista Peak (winner plays Loveland)

#12 Pueblo West vs #21 Falcon (winner plays Erie)

#13 Bear Creek vs #20 Aurora Central (winner plays Palmer Ridge)

#14 Fruita Monument vs #19 Broomfield (winner plays Dakota Ridge)

#15 Denver South vs #18 Longmont (winner plays Pine Creek)

#16 Mesa Ridge vs #17 Windsor (winner plays Montrose)

NOTES:  Probably wouldn’t be any changes to this bracket as surprisingly there are no conference pairings in the opening round.  Travel for Grand Junction Central and Broomfield is long but again the trade offs don’t amount to much change in distance so the bracket probably remains in place as is.

 

CLASS 5A

First Round Byes

#1 Valor Christian

#2 Cherry Creek

#3 Legend

#4 Arapahoe

#5 Ralston Valley

#6 Columbine

#7 Grandview

#8 Regis

First Round

#9 Pomona vs #24 Denver East (winner plays Regis)

#10 ThunderRidge vs #23 Rocky Mountain (winner plays Grandview)

#11 Arvada West vs #22 Fairview (winner plays Columbine)

#12 Legacy vs #21 Lakewood (winner plays Ralston Valley)

#13 Cherokee Trail vs #20 Castle View (winner plays Arapahoe)

#14 Smoky Hill vs #19 Chaparral (winner plays Legend)

#15 Fort Collins vs #18 Douglas County (winner plays Cherry Creek)

#16 Mullen vs #17 Mountain Vista (winner plays Valor Christian)

NOTES:  We are surprised to find no conference conflicts among the first-round pairings.  Some leagues currently have five or six members qualifying for the playoffs so not having any of those clubs match up in the opening round is somewhat surprising.  Travel is not a concern in the 5A ranks because all the teams are locked into the I-25 corridor so this bracket would likely be as is.  Please note we have Denver East in as the Metro 2 champion because they’re the highest ranked team in RPI but the Angels are tied with three others in the league standings.  Right now, it appears the survivor of that bunch will end up as the 24th seed.