In case you haven’t been paying attention, a number of proposals for the next two years of football are making the rounds.
One has the Denver Prep League, save for East, dropping to Class 4A. (It isn’t sitting well with some city schools and may leave only 37 schools.)
Another has 2A putting its private schools from the Metropolitan League in a league of their own, as more than a few feel they have unnecessary advantages, or some such nonsense.
Others want to fiddle with the 5A’s American and National leagues, including lumping the Colorado Springs schools together.
Proposals will make the rounds through the end of the month.
Accordingly, Colorado High School Activities Association assistant commissioner Bert Borgmann will round up the best proposals, present them to the league and classification organizing committee near the end of November, then pass them on for a vote by the board of control in January.
Stay tuned.
Now, to more pertinent topics, such as Week 6.
This is more than the down side of the 2005 season.
It’s the gateway to the best play of the season.
Don’t miss The Denver Post game of the week, tonight’s Arvada West versus Columbine matchup in Jefferson County. Nos. 5 and 1, respectively, in The Denver Post/9News 5A poll should be a show.
But so should the following, labeled accordingly for your viewing pleasure.
Today
5A No. 7 Gateway’s engine has performed sweetly, averaging 44 points per game. The Olympians will start it up again at Heritage in the American.
Montbello’s race to the Denver Prep title next is due a stop against North.
One of the many weekly struggles in the 4A Mountain Plains will be Ralston Valley against Golden, which has scored 172 points in its past four outings.
Riding the 3A Metro, the league lead will be at stake when No. 5 Conifer visits Cherokee Trail.
Also in the Metro, an improved Alameda can get to 4-2 with a victory over Englewood.
Friday
5A Centennial matters matter, notably No. 2 Cherry Creek at No. 9 Fairview in Boulder, which always is a difficult trip; an emerging Grandview at Eaglecrest; and No. 4 Mullen, which has won the past two league titles, will be seeking its 20th consecutive league victory. Boulder will visit the Mustangs.
Poudre, which had a disappointing start, can get to .500 with a 5A Front Range victory at Northglenn.
5A No. 3 Bear Creek, so convincing in nonleague, will begin Jeffco play against Chatfield.
Indeed, we have noticed – Chaparral is undefeated. The Wolverines will be at Doherty in the 5A National. The league could turn even more interesting when No. 6 Arapahoe welcomes Lewis-Palmer. And changing times? 5A No. 10 Douglas County, bidding to take command within the district, is looking to unseat Ponderosa in another rival game.
They may be a combined 3-7, but the potential for entertainment will be there in a backyard battle in Aurora between Rangeview and Hinkley.
Highlands Ranch will be abuzz when top-ranked and defending 4A state champion ThunderRidge meets city foe Mountain Vista in the Mountain Plains.
4A No. 4 Pueblo South, which has won 16 of its past 17 Foothills games, will be at Mesa Ridge.
Montrose, ranked No. 8 in 4A, reached midseason 5-0. The Indians will open Southwestern play at Central of Grand Junction.
It doesn’t matter that it’s nonleague – 4A No. 2 Monarch will welcome No. 5 Green Mountain in must-see play.
Additional 4A nonleague to watch will be Liberty at No. 10 Pine Creek.
There is no time for 3A No. 7 Alamosa’s Mean Moose to be down after being upset last week. They will be at No. 2 Florence in another top-flight Southern battle.
3A No. 3 Palisade has the Western Slope lead. If the Bulldogs wish to keep it, they’ll have to handle defending state champion Rifle. Keep in mind recent tradition. In years past, it has been a good matchup.
Gold or Silver, the 2A Patriot always is worth your while. Consider Strasburg at No. 5 Burlington, Yuma at No. 10 Brush and Erie at No. 3 Roosevelt.
There will be serious Tri-Peaks West play when No. 7 Buena Vista visits Colorado Springs Christian.
1A No. 3 Lyons will begin the first of three consecutive road games, this one nonleague at Estes Park. They must not get caught napping for the Lions’ next home game will be against No. 2 Wray.
No. 4 Akron, which has lost only to top-ranked Limon and Lyons, will be at Nederland in the 1A North Central.
Kent Denver’s Scott Yates wasn’t the only coach to notch his 200th career victory last weekend. In an unusual occurrence, Wray’s Neal Rusher did likewise. His Eagles will be looking for No. 201 in a North Central game at Wiggins.
Head to the San Juan, where No. 7 Nucla will be at Dove Creek.
Don’t look now, but Springfield is in the Arkansas Valley race in 8-man. Next up: Cheyenne Wells.
Merino has taken the 8-man Plains lead and top ranking in the classification. The Rams next welcome Flagler.
6-man No. 2 Hi-Plains, impressive in last week’s whipping of Woodlin, will entertain Kit Carson.
Saturday
Horizon is putting up a fight in the 5A Front Range, but one of the league’s heavyweights, No. 8 Fort Collins, awaits. Also, Legacy, which has climbed to 4-1, will be at surprising Thornton, 3-2.
Wheat Ridge, too, is climbing back. The Farmers can get to above .500 in the 4A Mountain Plains with a victory against Arvada.
An impressive Grand Junction, No. 3 in 4A, has scored at least 41 points in every outing. Sand Creek’s Scorpions are next.
3A No. 6 Centaurus has a Metro date with a feisty Elizabeth.
Denver Christian has climbed back to above .500, but 2A No. 6 Kent Denver will pay a visit in Metropolitan play.
In 8-man, two league leads will be on the line, Longmont Christian at North Park in the Central and Sierra Grande at Mountain Valley in the Mountain.
Staff writer Neil H. Devlin can be reached at 303-820-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com.
