After nine eventful weeks that comprised the regular season, playoff football is upon us. Let the games begin. (Complete brackets for each classification can be found on the football page at MaxPreps.)
Class 5A
The big-school bracket is divided into four regions, with defending champion Mullen (9-0) topping Region A, second-seeded Fairview the top seed in Region C, and Fort Collins and Pomona rounding out Regions B and D, respectively. Mullen is the overwhelming favorite to repeat when the 5A titlist is crowned Dec. 5 at Invesco Field at Mile High.
Region A: Mullen, which has allowed only 42 points all season, is the bully in this quadrant and should advance easily past 32nd-seeded Boulder. No. 16 Denver East against 17th-seeded Legacy figures to be the most competitive game seeding-wise, but take a look at No. 24 Cherry Creek, last season’s state runner-up, at ninth-seeded Chatfield.
Chatfield has won only once since all-state quarterback Sam Stratton suffered a season-ending knee injury against Pomona on Oct. 8, and the Chargers were hampered by turnovers last week in a loss to Arvada West.
Meanwhile, Cherry Creek has been competitive of late, after Kain Colter returned under center for the Bruins. Colter, who injured the labrum in his right throwing shoulder in the season opener, accounted for 311 of Cherry Creek’s 344 total yards last week against Cherokee Trail. Colter was the key cog on Cherry Creek’s charge to the title game last season.
Region B: Arvada West won the competitive Big 8 League title, and even though they are the fifth seed to Fort Collins’ No. 4, the Wildcats get the nod in most circles. One intriguing game highlights the first round in this quadrant.
Former Continental League rivals Ponderosa (13th seed) and No. 20 Regis Jesuit meet. Regis has won four in a row (and played Pomona to a 28-24 loss five games ago) and has allowed only 26 points during that stretch. Ponderosa scored impressive wins against ThunderRidge (No. 8 seed) and Highlands Ranch (11th) during the regular season, meaning the Mustangs have proven themselves against top competition.
Region C: Fairview is the unquestioned surprise team in 5A, and figures to advance to the second round. The game to watch in this bracket is No. 18 Grandview at 15th-seeded Rangeview. Grandview, the 2007 state champion, has been its usually stout self on defense, but has struggled all season to generate a consistent offense. The Wolves defense will be challenged by a Rangeview offense that features one of the state’s top running backs in Jon Mathews (1,361 yards, 13 TDs). The Raiders, winners of five in a row, average 258 yards per game on the ground.
Pomona is the top seed in Region D.
Photo by Dennis Marpuri
The Bears were a consensus top 5 team to start the season, but have been up and down all year, particularly on defense. Bear Creek can still rely on its offense, though, led by quarterback Zach Thenell. Thenell (2,451 yards) topped the classification in passing for the third consecutive season, pacing an offense that averages 33 points. Highlands Ranch counters with a five-game win streak, which included wins against Chaparral (seventh seed) and ThunderRidge, and balanced rushing attack led by Joe Hansley (713 yards).
Class A
Yuma is the top seed after winning its first league championship since 1980. Of course, the Indians’ highlight so far was ending three-time defending state champion Akron’s 46-game win streak two weeks ago. Yuma is one of three unbeaten teams in the 16-team field (Hotchkiss, Rye).
The top seed is favored in all eight matchups, but two openers are worth watching closely, one on each side of the bracket.
In the top half, No. 9 Meeker (6-2) will make the trek to eighth-seeded Ignacio (7-2) in what figures to be a defensive struggle. Meeker has yielded only 83 points, while Ignacio is surrendering less than 12 points a game.
Ignacio has won five in a row, a stretch in which it has given up only 14 points. A loss to Hotchkiss last week is the only setback for the Cowboys in the past five games. Meeker will try to pound for the win behind an offense that averages 240 a game on the ground.
In a loaded bottom half of the bracket, No. 11 Wray will be at No. 6 Burlington. These eastern plains rivals are very familiar with one another, and Burlington won the regular-season meeting 27-7. That was in Week 2, and the Eagles’ only losses since then came to Akron and Yuma.
Class A 8-Man
Although there are three undefeated teams lurking in the field, top-seeded Merino is the clear-cut favorite. Consider that the Rams, last season’s state runners-up, have played in five title games this decade (winning twice).
No. 9 Caliche at eighth-seeded Cheyenne Wells is the top game seeding-wise, but also don’t forget about No. 10 Miami-Yoder (8-1) and Swink (8-1). The teams could not be more similar statistically.
Miami-Yoder, which suffered its first loss last week to Simla (50-36) average 46 points a game, while seventh-seeded Simla comes in at 49 an outing. This one almost certainly will be decided on the ground, where Miami-Yoder averages 390, Swink 410.
Even the standout running backs seemingly could be swapped. Miami-Yoder’s Shane Reed has rushed for 2,029 yards (225 average), while the Lions’ Kyle Stroud has totaled 2,052 (228 average).
In other words, flip a coin.
Class A 6-Man
Top-seeded Idalia is the prohibitive favorite, as the Wolves already have beaten four teams (Hi-Plains, Eads, Otis, Peetz) in the field, teams that just happen to be the Nos. 2-5 seeds, respectively.
Idalia, after its first title since 2006, is hungry after losing in the finals to Hi-Plains last season. It would be a surprise if the Wolves are not in the title game, where they would attempt to win their sixth title this decade.
They open with Edison (4-4), which started the season 0-4 and is in the playoffs for the first time since the program began four years ago. Edison clinched its berth last week with a 68-62 win against South Baca, as Josh Doak scored on a 5-yard run with less than 4 seconds remaining.
Peetz at Otis is the best matchup on paper, pitting the Nos. 4-5 seeds, but Otis won the regular-season meeting 70-29. Take a look at sixth-seeded Fleming (5-3) at No. 3 Eads (6-2). Fleming has played a rugged schedule, with its losses coming to Otis, Peetz and defending champion Hi-Plains.
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