If the second time around is supposed to be easier, then Week 2 in Colorado schoolboy football 2007 is for you.
All we’re sure of is half the teams in Colorado now realize they won’t go undefeated.
However, intrigue is a large part of it, including The Denver Post game of the week that will be based in Lafayette, where newer and emerging suburban Cherokee Trail will visit the Boulder Valley’s Monarch at Centaurus High School in the Class 4A Skyline League. The host Coyotes, who also have one of the state’s hipper mascots, are ranked No. 6 in The Denver Post/9News 4A poll.
The next go-round, which begins today, also includes the following notable matchups:
Today
* An upbeat Arapahoe, fresh from fighting through Chaparral, can’t rest. A road game at No. 3 Douglas County in the 5A Continental is next.
* The city’s Montbello, humbled last week against Cherry Creek, opens at home against No. 2 Mullen.
* Who cares about classification numbers? It’s about competition for 5A No. 7 Overland, which will be at 4A No. 5 Dakota Ridge – the Trail- blazers’ second consecutive 4A nonleague foe.
* 5A No. 8 Legacy is like Led Zeppelin, goin’ to California, where the Lightning will take on the Adolph Leuzinger Olympians. Leuzinger took its mascot in 1932, when Los Angeles – they are based in nearby Lawndale – hosted the Olympics for the first time. In addition, Peter Ueberroth granted permission for the school to use the five-ring logo.
* The 4A Pikes Peak will begin with the likes of No. 10 Fountain-Fort Carson at Rampart.
Friday
* Our Shea Stadium doesn’t have jets leaving and landing frequently nearby, but it will have No. 5 Mountain Vista against Highlands Ranch, a backyard bout in the 5A Continental.
* 5A No. 3 Pomona and Donovan Bowens, who rolled to five touchdowns on just 15 carries last week against Sand Creek, will welcome Chatfield in the South Metro.
* Also in the South Metro, top- ranked and defending 5A Colorado champion Columbine and its 14- game winning streak will be on the line against Palmer.
* 5A No. 10 Cherry Creek and Jack Elway (he threw for four touchdowns and ran for another in the Bruins’ opener) will be at Fort Collins in nonleague. A year ago, the Lambkins, on their way to the semifinals, sacked Elway seven times in a road rout.
* 5A No. 10 Thomas Jefferson, off to a brisk 2-0 start, has a date in Fort Collins with improved and always tough Poudre in nonleague.
* A week before heading into the 4A Mountain Plains, defending state champion Wheat Ridge will be at Denver’s George Washington.
* Nice road trip for Elizabeth, which will be at defending 3A champion Alamosa in nonleague. The Mean Moose have won 15 in succession.
* Olathe has more than sweet corn. Its No. 9 Pirates will welcome Meeker’s Cowboys in 2A nonleague.
* Lyons, which ended Limon’s 50- game winning streak in last season’s 1A semifinals on the way to the 1A title game, next gets 2A’s Estes Park Bobcats.
* It’s in the 8-man Plains, so it’s always good – No. 2 Merino at Haxtun.
Saturday
* East, which trailed 21-7 at halftime last week against Littleton before rallying to win, can move to 2-0 with a win over Thornton in 5A nonleague.
* 4A No. 1 ThunderRidge is getting around – the Grizzlies won at Fruita Monument last week and next will be at Central (G.J.) in nonleague.
* Ditto for Montrose, which was here in a victory over Wheat Ridge in Zero Week. The 4A No. 8 Indians will be on this side of the hill to take on Golden.
* 1A Denver Lutheran, which beat 2A Denver Christian last week for the first time in 24 years, will host 1A Clear Creek’s Golddiggers in nonleague.
* Kent Denver’s tough nonleague schedule – the Sun Devils have faced 3A Steamboat Springs and 2A Faith Christian – will continue with a tough roadie at Brush’s Beetdiggers.
ON TAP
Denver Post staff writer Neil H.
Devlin looks at the weekend ahead
in high school sports:
FOOTBALL
CLASS 5A
Bear Creek tradition has familiar name
The long list of Bear Creek quarterbacks who have excelled since Tom Thenell took over the program 16 years ago has included the likes of Sean Davis, Ricky Rahne, Justin Holland and Jake Spitzlberger. The Bears’ latest strong arm comes with a familiar name. Zach Thenell, a sophomore and son of the head coach, threw for five touchdowns and 311 yards in his first varsity start as the Bears rolled Lewis-Palmer 69-31 in last week’s Class 5A South Metro League opener. The younger Thenell had plenty of help, notably from Tommy Flanagan. Bear Creek plays Arvada West on Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
CLASS A 8-MAN
Camp Granada
A year ago, Granada outlasted Stratton 47-46 in an epic 8-man
finale that took three overtimes and helped 35-year Bobcats coach Manual Gonzales lose some of the sting from finishing second best to the Eagles in 1993, 1994 and 2002. The teams meet again Friday, 7 p.m., when the Bobcats, ranked No. 1 in The Denver Post/9News poll, visit No. 9 Stratton in nonleague.
BOYS SOCCER
CLASSES 5A-4A
Making big pitch
At least our guys don’t have to worry about Beckham playing or not. The 16th annual Arapahoe Invitational at Littleton Public Schools Stadium begins today and ends Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The six-team field includes Cherry Creek, Evergreen, Highlands Ranch, Mullen and Overland.
VOLLEYBALL
EAGLECREST
Raptors unleashed
It’s probably worth the wait. A week after the official openers, defending Class 5A state champion Eaglecrest will make its season debut today (7 p.m.) with a match at Fort Collins in nonleague. Coach Tanya Bond’s Raptors, 31-0 a year ago and semifinalists in 2005, boast Courtney Karst among their returnees.
CROSS COUNTRY
BOYS, GIRLS INVITATIONALS
Weekend runs
Call it Run DMXC – don’t miss cross country this weekend. Notable Friday after-school meets will be hosted by Aurora, Cherry Creek, Estes Park and Grand Junction. As for Saturday, don’t sleep in or you won’t be there for morning starts at Centaurus, Douglas County, Highlands Ranch, Thomas Jefferson and Leadville.
SOFTBALL
TOURNAMENTS
Early scrambles
Before regular league rotation, one of the objects of the game statewide is to get as much tournament time as possible. That continues today through Saturday with important stops in Aurora (Dave Sanders Memorial), Berthoud, Erie and Loveland.
Staff writer Neil H. Devlin can be reached at 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com.
