I … love … the game’s sounds through the din …
Touchdowns in which the players walk in …
Handing out good whippin’s …
And big wins …
Here’s to Colorado schoolboy football!
Week 3 will be another mix of league and nonleague offerings, but 2005 is rolling.
As for the best of Friday night’s lights, The Denver Post game of the week rolls into the land of Class 2A for defending state champion and top-ranked Faith Christian hosting No. 2 Kent Denver in Metropolitan League action.
Additional action that deserves attention is contained below:
Today
5A No. 3 Bear Creek is looking to go 4-0. The Bears will be at Northglenn in nonleague.
Head to French Field in Fort Collins for Pomona at 5A No. 9 Rocky Mountain. The Panthers have been pretty thorough through three victories and the Lobos are in the process of taking a legitimate shot at the big schools’ top tier.
When they last met, it settled the 2004 4A championship. Some of the faces will be different for the two Mountain Plains heavyweights, but top-ranked and defending champion ThunderRidge will be at No. 5 Dakota Ridge.
A surprising Wheat Ridge is 2-0. Next up for the Farmers: 4A No. 2 Green Mountain in the Mountain Plains.
As for all or nothing, Skyline, blanked in its opener by Mountain Vista, followed with a shutout of Silver Creek. Ranum awaits in 4A nonleague.
Friday
Hinkley versus Gateway is nonleague, but a must-see fun one for Aurorans.
Chaparral, coming off a quality victory at Rangeview – definitely the Wolverines’ best in a while in big schools – can secure its first undefeated 5A nonleague slate with a victory at Highlands Ranch.
Much of the big-school focus to date has evolved around the top five. But don’t forget about No. 6 Fairview. The Knights can go to 3-0 if they defeat visiting Chatfield.
Lewis-Palmer has put up 90 points in two victories. The Rangers will look to click further against Coronado, which has shown life in a bid to avoid another stay in the cellar.
So what reward does Poudre receive for losing its first two games by a combined four points? Why, of course – a date at 5A No. 1 Columbine.
Yes, it’s early, yet pivotal for both teams. Regis, off to an 0-2 start, will be at Douglas County (1-1). Neither wants to enter league play on a down note.
The price of gasoline remains near $3, yet No. 8 Loveland at No. 4 Grand Junction in 4A nonleague could be worth it.
Mountain Vista at No. 9 Greeley West will further shape the depth of 4A.
4A No. 10 Thompson Valley, an infrequent visitor to rankings, entertains Skyview.
3A No. 3 Niwot will visit Silver Creek, a team that has yet to score in 2005.
Oh, to be in southern Colorado, where 2A No. 6 Burlington will be at 3A No. 4 Florence.
Nothing foolish about the Patriot League Gold – the No. 5 Roosevelt RoughRiders will host No. 7 Eaton.
1A No. 2 Wray is headed for its third of four games to begin the season against the 2A Patriot, this time at Brush (2-0).
4A Montrose at 2A No. 10 Pagosa Springs is another reason dismissing the current classification setup is in vogue.
Top-ranked and two-time defending 1A state champion Limon is at 28-0 and counting. However, the Badgers know that No. 3 and host Akron, which was 1A’s dominant program before Limon grabbed it back, will not be very accommodating.
8-man’s Wiley was genius in capturing Holly in a shutout last week, thereby making this round at Cheyenne Wells that much more interesting.
Arickaree, which snapped a string of 18 consecutive losses in 6-man last week by downing Liberty, is seeking its first winning streak since 2001. The Indians will be at Woodlin.
It’s down to a one-league 6-man, but here’s one of significance – No. 5 Peetz at No. 3 Revere.
Saturday
No. 4 Mullen has been unusually quiet in starting 2005 – the defending 5A champion Mustangs lost in double-overtime in Zero Week, were idle in Week 1 and won in the desert last week against a Las Vegas power – but hopes to start getting loud against Montbello. The Denver Prep League Warriors, ranked No. 10, have the city’s lone victory (by a point) in a combined 20 nonleague games.
Each has shown chinks in its armor, so Rangeview at No. 7 Ponderosa in 5A nonleague will possibly include making statements before heading into league play.
In 4A nonleague, Fossil Ridge, 0-12 in its inception, will welcome Adams City.
No. 3 Monarch will hit the road to Longmont in 4A nonleague.
3A No. 1 Centaurus can’t get caught napping in the Metro against the unique Ridge View Academy, which actually hung with Smoky Hill (Colorado’s second-largest school) before defeating Alameda last week for a 1-0 league start.
Opposites from another era? Colorado Springs Christian has won 7-0 and lost 7-0. The Lions will be at Ellicott’s Thunderhawks in 2A nonleague.
Julesburg, which won last week for the first time since the 2002 8-man preliminaries (a span of 18 games), will be at Stratton in Plains play.
Neil H. Devlin can be reached at 303-820-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com.
