Windsor, led by quarterback Brad Peeples, has one of the most ambitious schedules in Class 4A this season. The defending champion Wizards face No. 6 Vista Ridge and perennial power and second-ranked Pine Creek in the first two weeks of the season.
File photo by Matt Daniels
With the blank slate of a new football season – Zero Week notwithstanding – it can be difficult to quantify the top matchups for the first month of the season. But there are several that we believe will be just as good on the field as they are on paper.
Here are 10 of the many must-see contests for September.
Longmont (Longmont) at Pueblo East, 7 p.m., Sept. 3Last
season, this was a cross-classification game. This year, it's
potentially a 3A championship preview. Longmont, a runner-up and
semifinalist in Class 4A the previous two seasons, has moved down to 3A and should be an immediate factor. The No. 4 Trojans
received six first-place votes. Top-ranked Pueblo East, meanwhile, will
look to keep it going after a 13-1 championship season the culminated
with a 57-31 win against Roosevelt (Johnstown).
Regis Jesuit (Aurora) at Mullen (Denver), 7 p.m., Sept. 9 One of the state's most longstanding rivalries will reprise in this one, with Regis Jesuit aiming to defeat their parochial school rivals for the fourth straight season. Regis, ranked No. 8 in the CHSAANow.com season-opening poll, is coming off a trip to the quarterfinals and looking to gain steam in coach Danny Filleman's second season. Mullen and star running back
Marcus McElroy Jr begins the season ranked third but lost to No. 2 Pomona on Zero Week.
Windsor at Pine Creek (Colorado Springs), 1 p.m., Sept. 10 No
one will accuse Windsor of not playing an ambitious schedule the year
after winning it all in 4A. The top-ranked Wizards open against No. 6
Vista Ridge (Colorado Springs)
this week before taking on No. 2 Pine Creek in Week 2. Pine Creek won
it all in 2013 and '14, and the Eagles appeared bound for a three-peat
until having a 37-game winning streak snapped against Loveland in the
semifinals. Windsor, with quarterback
Brad Peeples and linebacker
Corte Tapia back in the fold, are under the guidance of interim head coach Skylar Brower.
Holy Family (Broomfield) at Fort Morgan, 7 p.m., Sept. 16 Fort
Morgan was undefeated entering the 3A semifinals last season but fell
to eventual champion Pueblo East. The No. 3 Mustangs will seek to build
on the 12-1 season, and the return of top back
Tate Kembel
(1,893 yards, 29 touchdowns) will be a good start. Holdovers from Holy
Family's 2014 squad will recall Fort Morgan's upset on the Tigers home
turf in the opening round of that season's playoffs. The Tigers, who
defeated Mountain View (Loveland) on Zero Week, begin the season ranked
ninth.
Pomona (Arvada) at Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch), 7 p.m., Sept. 23 (Altitude) It doesn't get any bigger than a rematch of last season's epic big-school championship game, does it? Valor's 29-26 win was a classic and each team figures to be firmly in the title mix again this season. Both played on Zero Week – and on television – as Pomona edged Mullen on Altitude and top-ranked Valor lost to Saguaro (Ariz.) on ESPN. Saguaro is ranked 18th in MaxPreps' XCellent 25.
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) at Grandview, 7 p.m., Sept. 23Grandview put a halt to Cherry Creek's 6-0 start last season and the No. 5 Wolves would be happy to put another dent in Creek's ledger. The return of 5A top rusher
Hayden Blubaugh (2,386 yards, 28 touchdowns) will fuel a Grandview ground attack that could meet its match against the No. 4 Bruins' stout defense. Creek returns standout defensive end
Jonathan Van Diest.
Kent Denver (Englewood) at La Junta, 7 p.m., Sept. 23Each
team entered the 2A semifinals unbeaten last season and is aiming to
get right back in the mix. Kent Denver will have to replace its top
three rushers from an 11-1 squad – including quarterback Rob Casey – but
the Sun Devils typically retool quickly under coach Scott Yates. La
Junta is in a similar situation but returns
Dax Bender among a few additional playmakers. On the same night, No. 3
Platte Valley (Kersey) and No. 6
D'Evelyn (Denver) square off in a matchup that is equally compelling.
Bennett's Jesse Rodriguez
File photo by Jeffery Tucker
With its top passer, rusher
and receiver back – in addition to top tackler
Cody Burghart –
Burlington is optimistic about challenging for the 1A crown. The Cougars
will navigate through a challenging schedule, including this showdown
with the No. 6 Tigers. Bennett brings back junior running back
Jesse Rodriquez, who averaged 9.4 yards per carry last season. The matchup of
No. 8
Platte Canyon (Bailey) at top-ranked (and defending champion)
Buena Vista
on Sept. 17 serves as an honorable mention.
Heritage (Littleton) at Denver South, 7 p.m., Sept. 24After a strong 8-3 showing in 5A last season, Heritage has moved to the 4A ranks and begins the season ranked No. 5. The Eagles will face a stern test in this one, as the third-ranked Rebels return top back
Marcus Lindsay and a bevy of additional talent, including quarterback
Amon Wright. South and coach Tony Lindsay have been knocking at the door the past several seasons, having gone 37-12 over the past four.
Akron at Sedgwick County (Julesburg), 7 p.m., Sept. 30This matchup is small-school heaven, as the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in 8-man clash in a rematch of last season's title game. Sedgwick County won that one 36-6, and you can bet Akron has been yearning for a shot at revenge from the moment the schedule was released. Sedgwick County was a perfect 13-0 last season after going 5-5 the season prior. Akron QB
Levi Basler ran for 15 touchdowns last season and threw for 11. … Another small-school game to watch is top-ranked 6-Man squad
Fleming at No. 4
Arickaree/Woodlin on Sept. 16.
