Colorado football playoffs off and running in all classes

Despite lofty playoff seeds and stout regular-season performances, the Cherokee Trail (Aurora) football team isn't often immediately mentioned when discussing the state's elite big-school teams.

The Cougars have forced their way into the conversation.

After reaching the 5A championship game last season, where they fell 9-0 to Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch), the Cougars have put themselves in position for another run.

They are the No. 6 seed this season, but it was a mere play or two from being much higher. The Cougars' losses are a 23-21 decision to Chatfield (Littleton) in the opener and an even more heartbreaking 28-27 defeat to Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) in Week 6.

Make no mistake, Cherokee Trail is the real deal.

They can throw it. Quarterback Aric Johnson has amassed 18 touchdown passes and only five interceptions. They can run it. Junior Cameron Smith has rushed for 1,219 yards and 18 TDs. And they have speed on the outside, as receivers Jason Thompson and Izaiah Lottie each average more than 20 yards per catch.

"Our goal is to be balanced on offense as much as possible," Cherokee Trail coach Monte Thelen said. "This year we have been pretty balanced so far, which hopefully will continue. Balanced offenses are probably more difficult to defend, at least they are for us."

The Cougars take on No. 11 Mountain Range (Westminster) this week in the second round, a Mustangs squad that enters on a six-game winning streak and one that surrenders only 12.3 points a game. But Mountain Range is relatively unfamiliar to the deep rounds of the Class 5A postseason.

"Experience is valuable in most situations, and it is here as well," Thelen said. "We understand the ‘winner advances, loser is done' format of the playoffs."

The second-round features a number of compelling matchups after the gargantuan 32-team first round. Even No. 16 Douglas County (Castle Rock) at No. 1 Fairview (Boulder) holds intrigue, as Douglas County racked up 64 points in an opening-round win against Legend (Parker).

No. 12 Doherty (Colorado Springs) also enters on a roll, as running back Zach Young piled up 346 yards and seven TDs in a 59-35 first-round trouncing of Gateway (Aurora). Young has rushed for a state-best 2,309 yards on the season, but the Spartans will have their hands full with No. 5 ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch).

Two lower-seeded teams made it through, both from the Centennial League. No. 19 Overland (Aurora) will take on league champ Cherry Creek (seeded third) and No. 20 Grandview (Aurora) will meet fourth-seeded Regis Jesuit (Aurora). Also take note of the middle-of-the-bracket clash between longtime rivals Chatfield and Pomona (Arvada).

MaxPreps Colorado state football brackets

Unlike 5A, the 4A circuit begins action this week with a standard 16-team bracket. Montrose earned the No. 1 seed, fitting since the Indians were the only team to knock of defending champion Monarch (Louisville), which appears to field a more potent team than last season.

Monarch slid in at No. 2, and the Coyotes will be entering the playoffs on an interesting note. They instituted a running clock on all five of their Mountain League opponents, including playoff entrants Broomfield and Standley Lake (Westminster). On paper, it's tough to find a weakness on the Jay MacIntyre-led Coyotes.

"Our coaches always tell us that the strength of the team is the depth of a team," Monarch offensive tackle Kody Mommaerts said. "A lot of the teams we play have guys going both ways. We have an offense and a defense, so we're fresh and ready to go. If we can wear them down on a drive, it makes it that much easier on the other side of the ball."

The middle of the bracket holds some riveting matchups as well. Last season's runner-up, Denver South, earned the No. 8 seed and will take on No. 9 Durango. And the 7-vs.-10 contest is one that couldn't be more fitting. The regular-season contest featuring Loveland and Broomfield was wiped out due to the floods, but the Indians and Eagles will square off in round one.

A heavy southern presence decorates some of the top of the bracket, as No. 3 Pine Creek (Colorado Springs), No. 4 Falcon and No. 5 Pueblo South all will host in the first round. Of note, Falcon's Kalen Ballage has averaged about 10 yards a carry en route to 1,836 yards and 23 TDs.

In 3A, eyes shift directly to the middle of the bracket, where No. 9 Evergreen (8-2) will open with No. 8 Silver Creek (Longmont). Cougars coach Rob Moholm knows Silver Creek isn't a run-of-the-mill No. 8 seed. The Raptors (7-2) are the defending champs and feature much of last season's roster.

"It has been very challenging preparing for Silver Creek," Moholm said. "They are a very good football team that is well-coached. Also, knowing they have so much playoff experience and are the defending state champions has added to myself and coaching staff's prep time.

"I can honestly say I am staying up until 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. every night just trying to find one weakness. They are the real deal."

Moholm's squad fits that label as well. Quarterback Jack Curtis exemplifies the dual threat, having passed for 11 TDs with only four interceptions while adding 685 yards on the ground and nine more scores.

"Jack has been awesome for the Evergreen program," Moholm said. "He is a great leader and gives us the ability to not be so predictable. We have been a run team over the past 5 years I have been head coach. Jack has given us the ability to be more balanced."

Last season's runner-up Rifle will have to make a run as the No. 11 seed this season, as Western Slope-rival Palisade won the league and checks in at No. 2. Rifle will face upstart Coronado (Colorado Springs) (9-1), which didn't lose until Week 10.

The top seed is Discovery Canyon (Colorado Springs) (9-1), which will be hungry. The Thunder were anointed No. 2 last season and promptly were upset by No. 15 Pueblo East in the first round. This season, another Pueblo foe awaits in No. 16 Pueblo Central. The Thunder appears tough to beat this season, though, with another dual-threat QB in Alec Wirtjes.

Class 2A is already to the quarterfinals, where the top eight seeds were victorious in the first round. Included is top-seeded Brush (10-0) and defending champion Kent Denver (Englewood), which is looking to make a run from the No. 7 spot in the bracket.

The closest call in the first round was endured by No. 6 Bennett, which held off No. 11 Olathe 14-13. No. 8 Florence also eked its way past No. 9 Strasburg 26-20. The much heralded Manitou Springs vs. Jefferson matchup turned out to be heavily one-side as No. 2 Manitou cruised 49-8.

The 1A first-round featured two lower-seeded squads working their way into the quarterfinals. No. 11 Burlington (Burlington) upset No. 6 Hotchkiss 27-7 and No. 9 Resurrection Christian (Loveland) scored a mild upset over No. 8 Platte Canyon 36-20.

Top-seeded Buena Vista and No. 2 Limon remain the favorites here, as the frontrunners won their first-round matchups by a combined 88-18 tally.

The 8-man bracket essentially held to form, with only No. 9 Sanford — a 40-0 winner against Dove Creek — entering the quarterfinals as a lower seed. Top-seeded Hoehne and No. 2 Dayspring Christian Academy (Greeley) remain the teams to beat, as each is 10-0.

The 6-man semifinals will commence this week, as top-seeded Liberty/Stratton will look to keep its undefeated season alive against No. 4 Prairie (New Raymer) and No. 2 Hi-Plains (Seibert) will face No. 3 Eads in a battle of 9-1 teams aiming for a berth in the title game.