With the oft-debated Week 1 of the Class 5A football playoffs over, let's review.
While the expected blowouts dotted some of the 32-team bracket, five of the 16 lower seeds won (after seven in 2009), lending credence to the theory that the system could be worthwhile.
The lower-seeded winners included No. 17
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) (42-20 against Denver East); No. 20
Arvada West (34-13 over Fountain-Fort Carson); No. 21
Grandview (Aurora) (a 35-22 winner against Pomona); No. 22
ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch), which upset Fort Collins for the second consecutive season; and No. 24
Palmer (Colorado Springs), which shellacked Lakewood 32-0 for its first playoff win in 17 seasons.
With 31.3 percent of the lower seeds winning, it doesn't appear the 32-team bracket will be going anywhere in the near future.
Click here to view MaxPreps' Colorado football playoff brackets.2. MoHi means business: The game of the year in 4A went to
Monarch (Louisville), as the Coyotes upended Wheat Ridge 26-14 in a regular-season finale that decided the Mountain Plains League and was instrumental in seeding. Wheat Ridge would have been No. 1 with a win, but fell to No. 3 while Monarch earned the No. 2. Although Monarch coach Phil Bravo lobbied for the No. 1 seed, the Coyotes were placed where they belong, behind Broomfield (the Eagles defeated Monarch 42-19 in Week 1). Monarch was 8-for-9 on fourth downs against Wheat Ridge. "We're always in four-down territory," Monarch running back Ryan Muller said.
3. Limon goes ballistic: Trailing 18-13 entering the fourth quarter of its 1A first-round game against Yuma,
Limon found a way to guarantee itself a win: Score 41 points in the fourth. The outburst, which led to a 44-32 win, included three special-teams touchdowns in the final 9:51.
TOP FOOTBALL PERFORMERS* Jordan Schlehuber, Grandview (Aurora): In the Wolves' 35-22 upset of Pomona, Schlehuber tossed three touchdowns in the final 5:48 to wipe out a 22-14 deficit. Two went to Eli Williams and one to Evan Baylis. "I've been watching him since the fourth and fifth grade," Wolves coach John Schultz said. "Jordan's clutch in the fourth quarter."
* Jade Gale, Falcon: With starting tailback Keenan Britton shelved for the season, Gale has taken over for the Falcons. In a 61-21 rout of Sand Creek, Gale rushed for 261 yards and four touchdowns – he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark – and also returned a punt for a score.
KEY MATCHUPS THIS WEEK* (14) Bear Creek (Lakewood) at (3) Ralston Valley (Arvada) 7 p.m., Friday, North Area Athletic Complex: Some are forecasting the first loss of the season for Ralston Valley (10-0) in this 5A second-round game while others believe Bear Creek is still a year away from advancing to the final eight.
* (11) Pueblo West at (6) Ponderosa (Parker) 7 p.m. Friday, Sports Authority Stadium: Perhaps the gem of the first round in 4A, these two 7-3 outfits will ensure one quality team already is home by the time the quarterfinals kick off next week. This one likely will be decided in the trenches.
* State volleyball, Friday and Saturday, Denver Coliseum: Flying
ponytails will be in abundance as all five classifications pack their
way in to the Coliseum and whittle down eight teams to one. The
championship matches will begin simultaneously Saturday night at 7.
RECRUITING NEWSDespite rampant speculation – or at the very least, rampant curiosity –
Brock Berglund is staying committed to the University of Colorado. The
Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) quarterback had been tight-lipped throughout the fall as the Buffaloes continue to endure a disastrous season that included this week's firing of Dan Hawkins with three games to play.
Berglund told The Denver Post on Wednesday that he is "as committed as ever to the football program at the University of Colorado" and cited a solid relationship with offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau as a primary factor.
Paul Willis is a regular sports freelancer for The Denver Post and covered high school, college and pro sports for the Rocky Mountain News from 2000-09. You can reach him at gdpdub@aol.com.
