By Saturday night, liken the 2005 Colorado schoolboy football regular season to the proverbial glass of liquid, as in attempting to determine whether it’s half-full or half-empty.
Midway’s mark, Week 5, raises the question: Are we full of it or a big empty?
With a half-season remaining after this round, all we are sure of is there’s a half-season remaining.
But Part II can wait. Part I should be capped appropriately with the unusual qualities of Colorado. The Denver Post game of the week will head to Haxtun, where the top-ranked Bulldogs, who have not permitted a point this season, will host No. 2 Merino in Class A 8-man Plains League play.
Friday night, early fall, two undefeated teams in the The Denver Post/9News poll, the intensity of northeastern small school ball and a sweet setting that helps define the region.
What else is there?
Actually, there are the following marked for your viewing pleasure.
(Footnote: If the stands are a little lighter in the Denver area Friday, there may be a reason. Foo Fighters will be performing.)
Today
5A top-ranked Columbine, which should be fresh after last week’s bye, will open Jefferson County play against Pomona.
Just as it was in 2003, in their only title run, Ponderosa’s Mustangs know losing another Continental league game may cripple their playoff hopes. Next up: Hinkley, in the National.
5A No. 6 Arapahoe is looking to reach midseason at 5-0 with a Continental National home victory against Doherty. The host Warriors have won 14 of their past 15 games in the regular season. FYI: The game has been moved from Littleton Public Schools Stadium to Englewood High School, and kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m.
4A No. 4 Pueblo South has a share of the Foothills lead and can keep it by downing Liberty.
A year ago, Fossil Ridge had to forfeit its game against Loveland as the new SaberCats were beaten up and down in numbers after administrators had foolishly projected them as competing in 4A. They’ll actually play this one, in the Northern.
Over four weeks, defending champion and top-ranked ThunderRidge has humbled teams ranked ninth, fifth and second in 4A. Ralston Valley has next against the Grizzlies in the Mountain Plains.
Friday
Christian Recht Field. Boulder Panthers vs. Fairview Knights, 5A’s No. 9. It will be their 42nd meeting, and is always something to see in the Centennial.
The aforementioned Fairview was knocked off last week by Eaglecrest. But the Raptors can’t feel good for too long – defending 5A champion and No. 4 Mullen awaits. Such is life in the Centennial.
Cherry Creek, No. 2 in 5A, may not be winning pretty, but the Bruins are winning. Next is Smoky Hill in Centennial play, which is two losses away from its 15th consecutive nonwinning season.
The 5A Front Range race is on. Rocky Mountain will have its next lap at Legacy and Thornton, which is off to a 3-1 overall start, will be at Poudre.
News in the 5A National – Chaparral has a share of the league lead. The Wolverines will welcome Lewis-Palmer.
5A No. 3 Bear Creek, coming off a bye week, will be at 4A Central (G.J.) before embarking on its Jeffco schedule.
Florence, No. 3 in 3A, will be in the area. The Huskies will take on 5A Independent Aurora Central.
5A No. 5 Arvada West will return last year’s favor with a game at Natrona County, Wyoming’s big-school champion in 2003 and last season’s runner-up. Natrona County is top-ranked this year.
Another day, another 4A Mountain Plains League biggie involving teams ranked in the classification’s top 10 – No. 5 Green Mountain at No. 7 Dakota Ridge.
4A No. 8 Thompson Valley can further legitimize its climb with a victory at No. 10 Mountain View in the Northern – or vice versa.
Fountain-Fort Carson at Mitchell in the 4A Pikes Peak is pivotal as both teams enter 1-1 in a tight league.
Littleton (4-0) is having a resurgence and experiencing its best start in years. The Lions will host Adams City in the Skyline.
Evergreen vs. sixth-ranked Conifer, both undefeated in league, means the 3A Metro lead belongs to the winner.
Former Palisade coach Todd Casebier, now heading Montrose, will face his old program in nonleague.
Max Marr Stadium is the site for important 3A Tri-Valley action, No. 2 Niwot at No. 10 Berthoud.
2A No. 8 Holy Family, knocked down last week by Platte Canyon in a 10-7 upset, will probably be ornery against Clear Creek in the Metropolitan.
1A Dove Creek at Ignacio in nonleague may come with the substantial sidebar of Matt Stiasny tying a national record for punts returned for touchdowns in a season. He had seven in the first three games and settled for a kickoff return for a score last week.
Y-E-S-S-S! No. 4 Akron at No. 3 Lyons in the 1A North Central. Tough play between tough kids.
8-man Arkansas Valley play will include the undefeated, No. 5 Granada at Springfield. Both enter 4-0.
Saturday
East, suddenly 2-2, gets its shot at perennial Denver Prep power Montbello early, and in multiple senses. It’s a 10 a.m. start, the second in succession for Montbello, and one of the hazards when 10 teams share a district site.
5A No. 8 Fort Collins, which won a thriller in front of a packed J. Ray French Field last week, will be in the northern metropolitan area for a Front Range date at Northglenn.
The 5A No. 10 Douglas County Huskies are rolling and due a matchup against district rival Highlands Ranch, which gave new coach Darrel Gorham his first Falcons victory last week.
Westminster, which is off to a .500 start, has played four games in which at least one of the teams scored 40 or more points. Will it happen again when No. 2 Monarch visits in the 4A Skyline?
This is just about as close to Denver as 1A No. 2 Wray gets – the Eagles will be at Nederland in the North Central.
6-man top-ranked Idalia, gaining steam by the week, will be at Bethune.
