With only two weeks left in the regular season for Classes 2A, 1A and eight-man, teams are on the verge of claiming league championships and playoff invitations. And entering the final week of regular season action in six-man, four of the five conference winners have already been crowned. We lay out what’s on the line in each class.
Coverage of all the games on our list and all others will be included in our Friday Night Scoreboard Show. It airs from 9:30-11:00pm tonight on the Colorado Preps Radio Network. Scores of games plus interviews with coaches who pick up important wins are included each week.
CLASS 2A
Kent Denver (7-0) at Machebeuf (7-0)
Delta (3-4) at Bayfield (7-0)
Salida (6-1) at La Junta (7-0)
Basalt (6-1) at Moffat County (4-3)
It’s a solid list of four games and in each one a team has a chance to clinch a league championship and playoff berth. Kent Denver and Machebeuf share the Colorado lead and the Sun Devils are the champions with a win. Machebeuf grabs the title with a victory if Elizabeth also beats Englewood. Delta is one of the three teams at 2-1 in the Intermountain conference and all three are looking up at first place Bayfield (3-0). The Wolverines are the league champions once again with a win if Pagosa Springs also downs Alamosa on Saturday. If Alamosa wins, then the Moose challenge Bayfield in the final week for the crown. Delta is also 20th in RPI points to a win improves their playoff chances. La Junta is the Tri Peaks champion if they beat Salida. A Salida win creates a three-way tie for the conference lead provided Classical Academy also beats Lamar as expected. If La Junta and TCA win, they’re 1-2 in the league with Salida third regardless of outcomes in week nine. Basalt clinches the Western Slope championship by winning at Moffat County. The Bulldogs have a game against third-place Aspen next week and cannot clinch tonight unless the Skiers are upset at Steamboat Springs.
CLASS 1A
Platte Canyon (6-0) at Clear Creek (6-1)
Cornerstone Christian (5-2) at Strasburg (6-1)
Peyton (6-1) at Buena Vista (3-4)
Meeker (7-0) at Paonia (6-1)
If Bennett gets by Manual as expected today, then Platte Canyon must win at Clear Creek to keep pace with the top ranked Tigers inside the Foothills. If both win, their week nine matchup determines first and second. Clear Creek though can move very close to second place with a win this weekend. All three clubs appear playoff bound as Bennett is 1st, Platte Canyon 6th and Clear Creek 8th in the RPI standings this week. Manual is 21st. Strasburg wraps up the Northern title by beating Cornerstone Christian. The opposite result leaves the two teams tied with Highland in first if the Huskies beat Estes Park tonight. Strasburg is 4th in the RPI and should get a playoff berth either way. Cornerstone is 11th and Highland 12th even though the Huskies won the head-to-head battle. Peyton and Buena Vista play for the outright lead in the Tri Peaks. The host Demons clinch the title with a win. Peyton faces third-place CS Christian next week so they only clinch with a win if the Lions lose to Lake County. Paonia clinches the Western Slope title by beating Meeker. The Cowboys wrap it up with a win if Olathe also falls at Hotchkiss.
EIGHT-MAN
McClave (6-1) at Holly (5-1)
Wiley (2-5) at Springfield (4-3)
Sedgwick County (6-0) at Caliche (3-4)
Simla (1-6) at Hoehne (6-1)
Sargent (4-3) at Sanford (1-6)
Some of these matchups may be lopsided but we list because teams have a chance to win league titles and earn playoff bids. That’s the case for Sedgwick County and Hoehne as wins by both teams give them conference crowns. Sedgwick County in the Plains and Hoehne in the South. Sargent needs a win to keep pace with Mancos atop the Southwest division. The Bluejays moved to 4-0 by beating Dove Creek on Thursday and Sargent matches that record with a win over a long-time rival. Sargent and Mancos play in week nine. McClave and Springfield share the Southeast lead but Holly is only a game back. The Wildcats must beat McClave tonight to stay in the league championship discussion. Holly is also 11th in RPI points so another loss puts them on the fence concerning a wildcard spot as well. McClave is 10th in RPI and Springfield 19th so each could use a win as well in case they don’t land the championship. McClave and Springfield face off in week nine.
SIX-MAN
Cheyenne Wells (6-1) at Eads (4-3)
Prairie (7-0) at Fleming (4-3)
Otis (6-1) at Arickaree/Woodlin (4-3)
Sierra Grande (6-1) at Cotopaxi (5-1)
With Genoa Hugo, Stratton/Liberty, Prairie and La Veta already clinching league titles, there’s only one game on our list that has league championship implications. And that’s the first one. Cheyenne Wells must beat Eads to officially clinch the Southeast title. A win by Eads sets up a three-way tie between the two clubs and Kit Carson if the Carson beats Walsh this evening as well. The remaining three games are for conference finishes and RPI standings. The winner between Otis-Arickaree/Woodlin is second behind Stratton/Liberty in the East Central. The Sierra Grande-Cotopaxi winner is runner-up to La Veta in the Southwest. Otis is 5th in RPI and Arickaree/Woodlin 15th. Cotopaxi is 9th and Sierra Grande 11th this week so only Arickaree/Woodlin is squarely on the bubble. Prairie is battling Stratton/Liberty for the top overall playoff seed as the teams are separated by just .031 in first and second. Fleming is 13th in RPI but still should get a post-season bid.
