Here’s a look at the week ahead in high school sports:
FOOTBALL
LIMON
Historic Badgers into their 40s
History? Limon has volumes of it, including owning the most Colorado titles (17). Next up for the Badgers, who are ranked No. 1 in The Denver Post/9News poll: at No. 8 Rocky Ford, Friday, 7 p.m., to wrap up their Class 1A nonleague season and a chance for their 41st victory in succession. Only one other 11-man program has had a better mark. From 1988-92, Longmont won 45 games in a row; next were the 1959-62 Badgers teams (42). The all-time leader is 8-man Stratton with 48 in a row from 1992-96. If all goes well for the three-time defending 1A champions, they could tie their previous mark in a South Central League opener Sept. 15 at home against Peyton. To catch Stratton, Limon needs its fourth consecutive undefeated regular season. Keep in mind it has a Sept. 29 home game against No. 2 Burlington, formerly a 2A power.
ALAMOSA
Mean Moose in the area
In one of its infrequent jaunts to within shouting distance of the Denver area, 3A top-ranked Alamosa will be at Elizabeth, Friday, 7 p.m., in nonleague. The Mean Moose, who lost twice in 2005 to eventual champion Florence, including in the semifinals, will bring another potent offensive attack. Having scored 423 points last year, second only to Florence’s 590, Alamosa is coming off a 51-0 whipping of Pagosa Springs that included Clay Garcia passing for 288 yards and five touchdowns, and strong, two-way play by by Sonny Yohn. Garcia surpassed 3,000 yards passing a year ago. The Mean Moose, who went 14-0 in winning the 2001 3A title, are 61-23 since 1999 and made the playoffs six times in the past seven seasons.
SOCCER
ARAPAHOE
Warriors pitch another standard
Early-season boys action must include the Warrior Kickoff Classic, now in its 15th season. Play began Tuesday and will be capped Saturday, 7:30 p.m., in Littleton. Included in the eight-team field for the host Warriors are Smoky Hill’s Buffaloes, who were 5A champions in 2004 and runners-up in 2005.
SOFTBALL
COLUMBINE
Sanders Memorial Tourney in Aurora
Sixteen teams will meet Friday and Saturday at the Aurora Sports Park to honor Dave Sanders, the 25-year teacher and coach killed in the Columbine massacre April 20, 1999. The 5A-dominated field will have pool play for five-game sets and be mainly represented by the Denver area, plus Pueblo and the Western Slope. Meanwhile, the Erie Festival, hosted by the six-time defending 3A champion Tigers, will include Oklahoma power Broken Arrow, which, a few years back, gave us shortstop Destiny Frankenstein.
