With conference races continuing to heat up, our list of top football games for week nine is expanded a bit. We’ve tried to include all matchups that have a direct impact on league championship races so almost every first-place team is on our list. Colorado Preps will provide in-depth previews of each game and more with our weekly classification reports. They’re published every Tuesday through Thursday.
CLASS 5A
Valor Christian at ThunderRidge
Cherokee Trail at Cherry Creek
Pomona at Columbine
Regis at Fountain Fort Carson
Fairview at Poudre
NOTES: It’s a very big week in the big school ranks as most of the games on our list involve a battle of first place teams. Valor Christian and ThunderRidge play for the outright lead in the Metro South while Pomona and Columbine do the same in the Metro West. Regis and Fountain Fort Carson are also both unbeaten in the South. Fairview can clinch the Front Range title with a win over Poudre and Cherry Creek needs a win over Cherokee Trail to remain alone in first atop the Metro East.
CLASS 4A
Broomfield at Greeley West
Brighton at Longmont
Dakota Ridge at Chatfield
Vista Peak at Standley Lake
Pueblo West at Air Academy
NOTES: Broomfield-Greeley West is the headliner this week as the winner of the top five battle takes over the Northern conference lead. The loser is tied with the Brighton-Longmont winner in second place. Chatfield has the lead by one game over four teams in the Jeffco. Dakota Ridge is one of those four. Vista Peak and Standley Lake are 2-0 and tied with Fruita Monument atop the Pioneer conference. And it’s the same scenario in the Southern 2 as Pueblo West and Air Academy are 2-0 and tied with Rampart for the league lead.
CLASS 3A
Thomas Jefferson at Palmer Ridge
Green Mountain at Evergreen
Mead at Holy Family
Frederick at Denver North
Pueblo South at Durango
Pueblo County at Pueblo East
Glenwood Springs at Battle Mountain
Harrison at Sierra
Roosevelt at Erie
Thompson Valley at Fort Morgan
NOTES: The only game on the list that features unbeaten league teams squaring off is in the Mt. Metro between Green Mountain and Evergreen. That winner takes over sole possession of the conference lead. The remaining games will help sort out conference standings. Thomas Jefferson needs to rebound from last week’s loss to Discovery Canyon or else they fall two games back of the Thunder and Palmer Ridge. Mead and Frederick share the North Metro lead while opponents Denver North and Holy Family share lead. It’s the same setup in the South Central as Durango and Pueblo East are both 2-0 and are challenged by third place squads Pueblo County and Pueblo South. Battle Mountain is tied with Palisade on the Western Slope while Glenwood Springs is one game back in third. Harrison is the unbeaten leader in Southern and faces one of our teams tied for second. Erie and Fort Morgan top the North Valley with Roosevelt and Thompson Valley tied for third.
CLASS 2A
Englewood at Machebeuf
Bennett at D’Evelyn
Bayfield at Pagosa Springs
La Junta at Classical Academy
Basalt at Rifle
NOTES: Machebeuf shares the Colorado lead with Kent Denver and plays the Sun Devils next week. So they need a win over third place Englewood to make that game a winner take all for the title. D’Evelyn and Faith Christian are tied for the Foothills lead and they collide next week as well so the Jags need a win to keep pace with the Eagles. Bayfield is tied with Salida at 2-0 atop the Intermountain and will stay there by downing their local rivals. La Junta can clinch the Tri Peaks title by beating Classical Academy. They’ve beaten the Titans three times in the past two years. Basalt is alone atop the Western Slope can clinch a top two finish by downing Rifle. The Bears are coming off a frustrating one-point loss to Aspen last week. It knocked them from the ranks of the unbeaten.
CLASS 1A
Crowley County at Peyton
Manual at Clear Creek
Wray at Limon
Strasburg at Estes Park
Meeker at Olathe
Centauri at Florence
NOTES: The game we expected to determine the Santa Fe championship is finally here as Peyton and Crowley County are both 3-0 and tied for the lead. Manual is tied with Platte Canyon for the Foothills lead with Clear Creek one game back. The Golddiggers must win to stay in the championship discussion. Manual and Platte Canyon play next week. Limon leads Holyoke and Burlington by one game in the North Central chase. Wray is fourth and battling for a playoff berth. Limon clinches at least a share of the league title with a win. Strasburg has the outright lead in the Northern and needs a win over Estes Park to stay there. The Bobcats are one of three teams at 2-1 and tied for second. Meeker’s win over Paonia gave them the Western Slope lead and a win over Olathe this week gives them the league championship. An Olathe win creates a three-way with Paonia. A very rare non-conference game this late in the season is very important to the playoff picture as Centauri and Florence are both 6-1. The Falcons have already clinched the Southern Peaks title while Florence will battle Colorado Spring Christian for that honor in the Tri Peaks next week.
EIGHT MAN
Caliche at Sedgwick County
Holly at McClave
Fowler at Springfield
Soroco at West Grand
NOTES: The Plains conference championship goes to the winner of Sedgwick County-Caliche. The Cougars are also battling West Grand for the top overall seed and a win over the once-beaten Buffs could get them to the number one spot. Hoehne is alone atop the Ark Valley but four teams behind them are battling for league positioning and a playoff berth. Holly and Springfield are both 3-1 and share second with Fowler and McClave at 2-2 and tied for fourth. West Grand clinches the Northwest championship with a win over Soroco. The Rams could use an upset to boost their playoff chances. They’re currently tied for third with Vail Christian and Plateau Valley.
SIX MAN
Otis at Arickaree/Woodlin
Walsh at Granada
Idalia at Genoa Hugo
Prairie at Cotopaxi
Briggsdale at North Park
NOTES: With all six league champions already crowned, the pickings are slim for important games in this division. The winner between Otis-Arickaree/Woodlin nabs second in the East Central and that teams also has a great chance to play at home in round one of the playoffs. Granada needs a win over Walsh to sew up second place behind Kit Carson in the Southeast. Genoa Hugo has clinched a league championship but the Pirates are only 13th in RPI. They would like to climb into the top eight to get a home game in round one. Idalia is 9th in RPI. Prairie (8th) and Cotopaxi (11th) are also battling for a top eight berth for a chance to not travel in their opening playoff game. Briggsdale and North Park are battling for fourth place in the North Central but more importantly a playoff berth could be on the line. The Falcons are 15th in RPI this week and the Wildcats are 17th. They’re separated by just .034 points.
