Kevin Shaffer, ColoradoPreps.com
Special to MaxPreps.com
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Kickers Have Great Week
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It doesn't happen very often in Colorado, but field goal kickers grabbed most of the headlines from week six.
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Alamosa's Dustin Bolt booted a 62-yard field goal in a 64-0 rout of Woodland Park. That kick was the second best all-time in Colorado high school history, trailing only the 64 yard effort by Dustin Griffiths of Eaglecrest in 2001. It was also just the fourth time in history that a kicker has been successful from more than 60 yards.
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Fort Collins sidewinder Phil Welch also kicked a 56-yard field goal, leading the Lambkins past Legacy, 16-14, in the Front Range first place battle. This kick had more pressure than Bolt as it came in the second half and gave the Lambkins a one-point lead. Welch's boot was the 10th best all time.
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Four Unbeatens Remain in Class 5A
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With three weeks remaining in the regular season, only four Class 5A teams remain perfect. All four face strong challenges in week seven.
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Top-ranked Mullen plays Fairview in a key Centennial contest. Mullen leads three teams, including Fairview, by just one game in the league race. Searching for a fifth-consecutive league title, the Mustangs have not been challenged this year, having won each game by at least 22 points.
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Defending state champion Douglas County battles Highlands Ranch in the Continental. Coach Jeff Ketron's Huskies have won 19-straight games and their defense has posted two-straight shutouts while giving up just 30 points all season. Mountain Vista is also unbeaten and must avoid looking past Chaparral before its first place showdown with Douglas County next week.
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Fort Collins is the fourth unbeaten in Class 5A and stayed that way by downing Legacy, 16-14, a week ago. That win all but wrapped up the Front Range crown. Now the Lambkins face a strong non-conference challenge from No. 8 Thomas Jefferson. Behind the strong running of Nigel Nelson, who needs just nine yards this week to reach 1,200 for the season, the Spartans are 6-1.
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Traditional Powers Clash in Class 1A
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Two of the more tradition rich small school programs are Akron and Lyons, and the two teams meet on Friday in Lyons to determine the North Central crown. One of the two, or both, have played in the state finals four of the last five years.
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Akron is ranked first and Lyons third in the latest statewide polls. The winner should also grab one of the top two seeds in the upcoming Class 1A bracket. Both teams are unbeaten and combined they've allowed only 55 points all season.
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One thing is for sure. The game will be close. Three of the last four regular season battles have been decided by one point. Akron had won nine-straight against the Lions before last year, including wins in the 2001 and 2002 state championship games.
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League Races Taking Shape in Class 4A
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Five of the seven conferences in Class 4A have teams in sole possession of first place. All five teams (Monarch, Pueblo South, Greeley West, Wheat Ridge and Fountain Fort Carson) are unbeaten and they hold down the top five spots in the state rankings. If the playoffs started today, Monarch would be the No. 1 seed with Pueblo South holding down the No. 2 slot.
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Of the five unbeatens, Wheat Ridge faces the toughest test as the Farmers host second place Standley Lake in the Mountain Plains. One of the more pleasant surprises statewide, the Gators are 5-1 after winning just one game in 2005. Wheat Ridge is set to welcome back starting quarterback Dylan Orms to the lineup. He missed last week's 25-0 win over Arvada with a thumb injury.
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Brush Set for Another Important Conference Encounter
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After disposing of then third-ranked Platte Valley, 21-7, last week, second-ranked Brush can move one step closer to the Class 2A Patriot title by beating 10th-ranked Roosevelt this week.
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Brush used 21 fourth quarter points to rally past the Broncos last Friday, including an impressive 96-yard drive that tied the score early in the final quarter. The physical Beetdiggers simply wore down the smaller Broncos. Platte Valley's only score came after recovering a fumble inside the Brush five yard line.
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Roosevelt and Brush are both 4-0 in league play. The Roughriders have won four-straight after beginning the season with non-conference losses to top-ranked Faith Christian and fourth-ranked Holy Family. Their schedule is very difficult over the closing three weeks with games against Platte Valley and Eaton after Brush.
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Alamosa Quarterback Has Shot at State Record
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With 24 touchdown passes through six games, Alamosa quarterback Clay Garcia has a shot at the all-time record for most touchdown passes in a single season. The record of 44 is held by Bill Musgrave of Grand Junction and Bear Creek's Justin Holland.
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Should the Mean Moose reach the state championship game as expected, that will give Garcia seven more games to get the needed 21 scoring tosses to set a new all-time mark.