The playoffs are officially kicking into gear in Class 5A, 4A and 3A.

The quarterfinals are now here in all classes and there are slew great matchups as teams continue their quests for state championship glory.

There are plenty of interesting storylines to follow and here are a few to digest.

Class 5A

No. 5 Valor Christian (10-1) at No. 4 Columbine (10-1), noon, Saturday

Valor Christian has been a perennial state power for years. The Eagles have a chance to flex their muscles by upending the reigning 5A state champion Columbine.

Valor is coming off a narrow No. 12-seeded Regis Jesuit 24-17 last week. Versatile junior wide receiver Cash Spence scored two touchdowns to help power Valor to the win.

Valor QB Dawson Olk enters this game with 2,224 yards passing and 19 TDs. The Eagles’ top rusher is Chase Hansoh. The junior has run for 910 yards and scored 12 TDs.

Spence (60 receptions for 800 yards and 11 TDs) and senior Ben Herbek (26 catches, 458 yards, 3 TDs) are the team’s top targets.

Defensively Moises Freeman has a team-high 84 tackles, including 9.5 tackles for a loss.

Columbine didn’t look great in its 42-21 win over Cherokee Trail last week, but the Rebels did enough to win, which is all that matters at this point in the season.

The hero last week for the Rebels was standout running back Mark Snyder. The junior had three TDs upping his season total to 20 scores. He has 1,425 yards rushing this season.

As good as Snyder has been, he isn’t even the team’s leading rusher – that honor goes to James Basinger who has 1,636 yards rushing and 24 TDs.

The winner of this game will depend on whether Valor can contain Columbine’s old-school smashmouth running attack or if Columbine has the defense to neutralize Valor explosive running game.

This game should be as good as advertised.

Class 4A

No. 5 Broomfield (10-1) at No. 4 Palmer Ridge (10-1), 7 p.m., Friday, Don Breese Stadium

This should be a battle for sure.

Broomfield enters this game riding a six-game winning streak, with latest victory being a 49-7 decision over Vista Ridge last week.

Senior QB Darien Jackson has 1,776 yards passing, while tossing 23 TDs. He was stellar against Vista Ridge throwing for 222 yards and four scores. His top target was Mikhail Benner who had four catches for 95 yards and three TDs. Benner has caught 17 passes for 445 yards and nine scores.

Defensively, Broomfield is paced by Brendan Fritch. The senior has a team-best 62 tackles.

Palmer Ridge, which comes into this game riding a six-game winning streak, is no stranger to big games and if the Bears are going to win this tight match-up they are going to need both its offense and defense.

Offensively Palmer Ridge RB Avier Elvira has 1,430 yards rushing and 17 TDs. Zack Crisler has been the team’s leading receiver with nearly 300 yards on receptions.

Defensively, Isaac Burks (55 total tackles) and Jackson Mabe (53 tackles) set the tone for the Bears.

This game is going to come down to whether Jackson can keep his momentum going or whether Palmer Ridge can use the home field to its favor while utilizing Elvira to establish the pace of the contest.

Class 3A

No. 6 Windsor (10-1) at No. 3 Pomona, 3:30 p.m., Saturday

Can the Wizards continue to work some magic. They cast a spell on Mountain View on the way to claiming a 36-0 victory over Mountain View last week.

Windsor is riding a 10-game victory binge since losing its season opener to Green Mountain 19-13 on Aug. 29. The Windsor have outscored their last two opponents – Greeley Central and Mountain View by a combined total of 82-0.

The Wizards are led by the rushing attack of senior Tripp Thomas (880 yards rushing and 17 TDs) and junior Adrian Czyszczon who had nine carries for 101 yards and two scores in the win over Mountain View.

Defensively, Brayden Fernandez has been a star for Windsor. The senior has 86 tackles, including 12.5 tackles for a loss.

Pomona, which lost to top-seeded Thompson Valley 16-7 to end the regular season, bounced back with a 49-28 shootout win over Conifer in the first round of the playoffs last week. In that game, juniors Emmitt Munson (141 yards rushing and two TDs) and Ethan Vu (112 yards rushing, 2 TDs) led the charge for the Panthers.

Munson leads the team with 1,072 yards on the ground and 11 TDs.

Defensively, Conor Craver has a team-high 84 tackles.

There’s no question Pomona is battle-tested with its tough schedule. Will that experience in big game translate this week against Windsor? Or will the Wizards be too much for the Panthers to handle?

Those questions will be answered Saturday.