Copyright The Denver Post
The CHSAA state football playoffs are down to 16 teams in the top three classifications. Here’s a look at this weekend’s slate in all three with quarterfinal spots up for grabs. Class 5A The chalk Upsets happen all the time in prep football. But regarding these matchups, the underdogs have their work cut out for them. No. 17 Fountain-Fort Carson (8-3) at No. 1 Cherry Creek (10-0), 7 p.m. Friday: The Trojans were the only road team to win in the first round of the 5A playoffs last weekend. Now comes a trip to Stutler Bowl, where Creek hasn’t lost in three years. Even more pressing: The Bruins have allowed 27 total points over their last six games. No. 14 Eaglecrest (7-4) at No. 3 Mountain Vista (10-0), 7 p.m. Friday: Mountain Vista’s Marquise Reese enters the playoffs on a serious heater, with the junior QB averaging 310.4 yards and 4.4 TDs on 67.7% passing over the last five games. As impressive as Eaglecrest was in limiting Legacy to 10 points last week, this will be a major step up. No. 12 Erie (7-4) at No. 5 Valor Christian (8-2), 7 p.m. Friday: Speaking of red-hot quarterbacks, Valor sophomore Titus Huard has been just short of flawless since assuming the starting job last month. The Valor defense (20 points allowed over last four games) hasn’t been too bad, either. Erie has proven it can trade punches with 5A’s heavyweights. Another tough test awaits. The toss-ups As is often the case, the toughest games to call are those in the 8-9 and 7-10 games. No. 10 Mullen (7-4) at No. 7 Pine Creek (7-3), 7 p.m. Friday: The Mustangs enter the Round of 16 riding their longest win streak (6) since 2016 — which is also the last time they reached the 5A quarterfinals. Pine Creek made its bones pounding the rock with 195-pound junior Xavier Lukes (231 carries, 1,429 yards). Expect a slugfest. No. 9 Arapahoe (7-4) at No. 8 Fairview (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday: Fairview’s lone loss was by a point at No. 6 Arvada West, the Knights average 51.5 points per game, and they’re a year removed from stunning No. 2 Mountain Vista. Arapahoe, which has won six of seven and just got 330 yards from senior Jayden Tackitt last week, got one tough draw. Upset watch Only three double-digit seeds have reached the 5A quarterfinals since 2021, so consider these a shot in the dark. No. 15 Columbine (6-5) at No. 2 Ralston Valley (10-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday: Ralston Valley has rolled over everything in its path this fall, and senior quarterback Zeke Andrews is back after missing the team’s final two regular-season games. So why list this game here? Because it’s Andy Lowry, Columbine and four quarters of heck. No. 13 Fort Collins (9-2) at No. 4 Legend (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday: Congratulations, Titans. Your reward for a nine-win regular season is having to tackle 5-foot-10, 205-pound Jack McKeon for four quarters on a Friday night. The senior running back just tore through ThunderRidge to the tune of 370 yards and four TDs. No. 11 Grandview (6-5) at No. 6 Arvada West (9-1), 4 p.m. Friday: Few teams are more battle-tested than Grandview, which faced (and lost to) three of the top four teams in the 5A bracket. The Wolves just pummeled Chatfield, 32-13, in the first round — the same team A-West needed a last-minute two-point conversion stop to beat on Oct. 24. Class 4A The chalk There appears to be a clear line between the top three teams in 4A and everyone else. That’s why all three of their games are listed here. No. 16 Golden (8-3) at No. 1 Dakota Ridge (10-0), 7 p.m. Friday: The last time these two teams met on Oct. 24, Dakota Ridge dominated the Demons with seven offensive TDs and just 189 total yards allowed in a 49-10 romp. Has enough changed in the ensuing two weeks for Golden to flip the script? No. 15 Frederick (8-3) at No. 2 Montrose (10-0), 1 p.m. Saturday: Montrose has won at least one playoff game each of the past four years, reached the quarterfinals seven straight years and posted double-digit-win seasons four times since 2020. All of which is to say, a November trip to the Western Slope is no walk in the park. No. 14 Mesa Ridge (6-5) at No. 3 Palmer Ridge (10-0), 7 p.m. Friday: Palmer Ridge has been knocking on the door of a 4A title ever since the Bears made the leap to the classification in 2020. They already beat Mesa Ridge once this year, 35-7, back on Sept. 26, but the Grizzlies are 5-1 since then. Has Mesa Ridge turned a corner? The toss-ups Just like in Class 5A, the toughest games to call are those in the 8-9 and 7-10 games. No. 9 Northfield (9-2) at No. 8 Pueblo West (7-3), 6 p.m. Friday: Northfield may be the hottest team in 4A outside of the top three seeds, having won eight straight since a one-point overtime loss to Heritage on Sept. 11. Now comes a trip down south to face a Pueblo West defense that’s allowing just 11.6 points per game. Buckle up. No. 10 Riverdale Ridge (11-0) at No. 7 Monarch (8-2), 6 p.m. Friday: The CHSAA seeding index might not be all that impressed by Riverdale Ridge’s unbeaten season, but it’s safe to assume the Ravens defense (7.1 points allowed/game) will travel. A Monarch attack averaging 40.9 points per game is certain to put that theory to the test. Upset watch To be clear, any one of these would constitute a major upset. But we’ve got to put something here, right? No. 13 Ponderosa (7-4) at No. 4 Durango (8-2), noon Saturday: Durango’s only two losses this season have come against the second- and third-seeded teams in the 4A bracket. The Demons have outscored everyone else on their schedule 275-45. Can a Pondo team that’s won four of five make things interesting in Southwest Colorado? No. 12 Grand Junction (9-2) at No. 5 Heritage (7-3), 6 p.m. Friday: Consider this a nod to Grand Junction’s explosive offense more than any skepticism of Heritage, which is 7-1 against teams below the 5A level. The Tigers have won six straight and topped 40 points five times during that run. This could be a track meet. No. 11 Vista Ridge (8-3) at No. 6 Broomfield (8-2), 7 p.m. Friday: Kashus Clarvoe is easily the best freshman running back in the state after piling up 1,566 yards and 16 TDs in his first season in Broomfield. Since upsetting Columbine in Week 0, Vista Ridge dropped marquee matchups with Palmer Ridge and Durango. Do the Wolves have another gear? Class 3A The chalk There’s no such thing as a guarantee in 3A, but consider these top seeds the best of the best in what could be a top-heavy bracket. No. 16 Severance (4-6) at No. 1 Windsor (10-0), 1 p.m. Saturday: If Windsor was hoping for a gimme in the first round, the CHSAA seeding index provided no such thing. It’s possible Severance is the best six-loss team in the state. The last time these two teams met on Sept. 19, the Silver Knights led 3-0 at halftime. Yikes! No. 15 Coronado (7-3) at No. 2 Pomona (9-1), noon Saturday: Pomona has lost only two games to 3A competition since dropping down two classifications before the 2024 season. But Coronado and senior QB Thomas Buckmiller, who just dropped 70 points and 317 passing yards on Pueblo Central, are no push-overs. No. 13 Lewis-Palmer (6-4) at No. 4 Mead (8-2), 1 p.m. Saturday: Mead is looking to make a repeat run to the 3A title game, and the first hurdle is a team the Mavericks hammered 50-9 on their own field in late September. Lewis-Palmer has only lost once since, but it’s going to be tough to fare any better in Longmont. No. 12 Thompson Valley (7-3) at No. 5 Holy Family (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday: Defending 3A champion Thompson Valley closed out the regular season with back-to-back losses at Roosevelt and at Pomona. Now the Eagles must hit the road yet again to face a Holy Family team that’s won six straight and scored 299 points doing it. No. 11 Pueblo County (7-3) at No. 6 Roosevelt (7-3), 7 p.m. Friday: Roosevelt has looked dangerous since dropping back-to-back road games to the top two seeds in the 3A bracket (Windsor and Pomona). The Roughriders also have two wins against teams still alive in the 4A bracket (Northfield and Ponderosa). If you’re looking for a dark horse, these guys are it. The toss-ups Yes, of course, we’re looking at 8-9 and 7-10 matchups to produce drama. No. 9 Pueblo South (8-2) at No. 8 Conifer (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday: Throw out an overtime loss to Eagle Valley, and Conifer has been a runaway freight train this fall. The defense has five shutouts. The offense is averaging 43.9 points per game. And senior WR Solomon Washer (54 catches, 851 yards) is a problem. A big first-round test for the Colts. No. 10 Lutheran (7-3) at No. 7 Eagle Valley (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday: A humbling 28-10 loss at Palisade in Week 10 was followed by a bye week for Eagle Valley, giving the Devils a rare rest advantage against perennial 3A power Lutheran. If the Devils are going to get their first playoff win in 13 years, the Lions will no doubt make them earn it. Upset watch Wait, just one game in “upset watch” in the one classification that consistently produces the most chaos in Colorado?!?! Yes, just one. No. 14 Timnath (6-4) at No. 3 Palisade (8-2), noon Saturday: It may seem silly to have the No. 3 seed as the lone upset candidate in 3A. But the Timnath Bears are not what their record says they are. They shut out defending 3A champion Thompson Valley, went toe to toe with Mead and Windsor, and beat a 4A team in Poudre. The Bulldogs better bring their “A” game.
