Leave the German shepherd in the front yard and switch on the nobody’s-at-home lights.
Many folks in eastern Colorado will going out Friday night. They’ll be at The Denver Post football game of the week, the much-anticipated Burlington at Limon matchup in Class 1A.
In fact, Gaskill Field, which is sure to be jam-packed, is a destination worth the drive from anywhere in Colorado. Burlington, ranked No. 2 in The Denver Post/9News 1A poll, faces the legendary and top-ranked Badgers, who have won three consecutive state titles and 43 games in a row. The game is a no-brainer in terms of must-see play.
With all in-state play reaching midseason by Saturday night, now’s the time to renew interest in the schoolboy game.
A series of high-end matchups with tradition and trivia is labeled below for your viewing pleasure:
Today
* A young and earning-on-the-job-training No. 7 Overland can get to 4-1 if it defeats visiting Boulder in the 5A Centennial.
It gets interesting for Fairview, which lost its opener and then strung together three straight victories to claim a share of the 5A Centennial lead. No. 4 Grandview will be heading up the Boulder Turnpike.
Horizon, another 5A surprise at 3-1, is looking to rejoin the classification’s upper end. It will take quality wins over the likes of Legacy, a solid Front Range foe, to do it.
No. 8 ThunderRidge, which hadn’t tasted defeat in two seasons before Friday, wants to get back on track, but the Grizzlies have a toughie, No. 2 Ralston Valley, in the Mountain Plains.
Aurora Central has been seeking the high end of 4A and will be right in front of the Trojans – No. 1 Monarch awaits in the Skyline.
* First-year Castle View would love to join the club in getting its initial victory. The 3A Central Metro’s Jefferson is next.
Friday
* Yet another reason life in the 5A Centennial is hard – No. 6 Eaglecrest, which fizzled badly a week ago against Grandview, must regroup against none other than No. 2 Mullen.
Defending 5A champion and top-ranked Douglas County, having won 17 games in a row, will be at Regis in the Continental.
Doherty and No. 9 Palmer, two Colorado Springs teams that have made lots of noise in the new 5A alignment, will meet in South Metro play.
The city’s big-school league has changed to the Denver Prep Southwest, but it will still be Thomas Jefferson vs. Mullen, a legitimate Denver rivalry.
Two football games in a week? It happens in schoolboy play, this time to Summit, which will be at first-year Prairie View in the Metro Central four days after taking on D’Evelyn in a game postponed from last weekend because of travel issues.
Don’t look now, but No. 9 Frederick can go to 5-0 it if downs host Windsor in the 3A Tri-Valley.
Estes Park, which has yet to score in 2006, will try to get on the board against visiting Platte Valley in the 2A Patriot.
The most appealing matchup in 8-man could be Cheyenne Wells at No. 3 Stratton in the East’s I-70 Division.
Saturday
* The day’s top stories may come from the 4A Foothills, where No. 3 Pueblo South will host Cañon City, and Cheyenne Mountain heads to No. 10 Mesa Ridge and running back Kenny Galbearth, who rushed for 378 yards and scored seven touchdowns last week.
* No. 7 Wheat Ridge, which will honor the 40th anniversary of its first title team, will host Green Mountain in the 4A Mountain Plains.
* Bailey will be the site for No. 6 Platte Canyon hosting Colorado Springs Christian and running back Nathan Walker in the new 2A Colorado.
* Neither is above .500, but it’s still Denver Christian at Kent Denver in the 2A Colorado.
* Byers and Calhan, acting like two playoff threats, will meet in the 1A South Central.
* Top-ranked Idalia, fresh from a 92-point outing, will be at Hi-Plains in key East Central action.
