The Denver Post game of the week, defending Class 5A champion Douglas County vs. new-to-5A and upstart Mountain Vista on Saturday night, has so much to offer.
The reigning Colorado power Huskies are riding a 20-game winning streak and priming for a playoff run. The Continental League title will be on the line. And the younger Golden Eagles, who stumbled the previous week, can make it crystal clear with a good showing that they’ve become serious contenders quickly.
So why is the game, which should attract thousands in the football-hungry Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch areas, to be played at Shea Stadium, a site that can’t handle big crowds, was rightfully bypassed as a state championship site two years ago and has poor parking and access?
Regularly scheduled or not, administrators passed on a chance to cash in for schools, fans and their interest by not moving the game. Adjustments in a facility-strapped district should be required, don’t you think?
On to more positive measures, such as Week 8, which is a mix of rivalries, league shuffling, playoff pushes and season-ending matchups.
Consider viewing any of the following:
- Save for getting waxed against Arvada West, No. 6 Bear Creek’s rise to a tie for the South Metro lead has been splendid. The Bears will play host to Doherty, then meet co-leader Columbine in Week 9.
- Two-time defending champion and No. 6 ThunderRidge, home against Green Mountain in the Mountain Plains, has won 29 of its past 30 games.
- A deep 3A Western Slope will offer the Battle Mountain-Palisade meeting as its latest proof.
Today
Friday
- No. 2 Mullen, 5A’s leading scorer and humming along undefeated overall and in the Centennial through exceptional play at skill positions, will welcome Boulder, fresh off defeating Smoky Hill. Vital league meetings also include Cherry Creek at Eaglecrest, and No. 4 Grandview can remain a game off the league’s pace if it defeats Smoky Hill, close to its 16th consecutive nonwinning season.
- The depth of the 5A Continental? The Highlands Ranch-Ponderosa matchup can help answer the question.
- No. 2 Pueblo South can move closer to another 4A Foothills title if it handles visiting Air Academy.
- Standley Lake will host No. 7 Ralston Valley in the 4A Mountain Plains.
- In the 4A Northern, No. 3 Greeley West at No. 9 Loveland and Niwot at No. 8 Broomfield.
- Significant 4A Southwestern play will involve Montrose at Grand Junction.
- The 3A South Metro, essentially the old Southern that used to provide major matchups week after week, has another in top-ranked Alamosa’s Mean Moose at No. 7 Pueblo County.
- True story – Fort Lupton, which has struggled for years, is playing improved ball. The Blue Devils (4-3) next will get Prairie View in nonleague.
- Denver Christian will be at Clear Creek in the 2A Colorado and one of the finest places to watch a game, Golddigger Stadium in Idaho Springs.
- Visiting Roosevelt will be at Platte Valley to see which one stays no worse than a game off the pace in the 2A Patriot.
- Trinidad’s Miners and veteran coach Randy Begano have moved to No. 9 in 2A and will be at St. Mary’s in the Tri-Peaks.
- In essence, No. 6 Byers at three-time defending champion and top-ranked Limon will be for the South Central title. Limon also can get to 47 victories in a row, one fewer than the state mark of Stratton from 1992-96.
- No. 3 Stratton at No. 6 Flagler will be for 8-man’s East I-70 championship.
- Meanwhile, No. 2 and undefeated Dove Creek at No. 7 Nucla will decide the West’s Western Division.
Saturday
- Another week, another long journey for a team in the 5A Denver Prep/Southwest – this time, it’s No. 9 Thomas Jefferson at Fruita Monument.
- A salute is in order to No. 4 Fountain-Fort Carson, which is undefeated. The Trojans, who will be at Pueblo Centennial in the 4A Pikes Peak, can keep command of the league with a victory.
- Mesa Ridge and Widefield, among 4A’s leaders in points scored and allowed, seem to be primed for one of those wild games, a nonleaguer.
- One of the few good points about the latest realignment is No. 10 Wray playing in Denver. The Eagles will be at Lutheran in the North Central.
Staff writer Neil H. Devlin can be reached at 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com.
