It’s good to say hello to more league play statewide in Week 3.
Colorado prep football has more bugs than the critters on this year’s farms and ranches. Example: Fruita Monument doesn’t begin league play until Week 7.
But for the third time in this early season, The Denver Post game of the week is practically assured of being a charmer.
It’s an old favorite, annually as full of tenacity, intensity, ability and history as any Colorado matchup: Overland, ranked No. 6 in The Denver Post/9News Class 5A poll, against No. 8 Cherry Creek on Friday, a Centennial League opener that has been a regular stop for serious followers the past 20 years.
In addition, the regular season of Year 87 on the Colorado docket this week will include the following matchups of note:
Today
* The week’s early 5A Continental action pits Ponderosa against Heritage, teams not wishing to fall under .500 in a league that has turned to chewing up and spitting out contenders quickly.
*In the 5A South Metro, Palmer will be making its third consecutive road trip against a Jefferson County team, this one against Lakewood.
*New 5A Northglenn coach Mike Marquez doesn’t need directions for his next game – it’s at All-City Stadium, where he formerly coached at North and will face No. 9 Thomas Jefferson in nonleague.
*No. 4 Greeley West, one of the early pacesetters in the 4A Northern, will host Niwot.
*The 3A Western Slope will have multiple games of interest, and one of them will be Moffat County at No. 3 Palisade.
Friday
*Grandview’s Wolves, who have yet to win in Colorado this season – they dropped their opener to TJ and won last week in California – will be playing their third of four road games to begin 2007, at No. 2 Mullen in the 5A Centennial.
*The 5A Continental’s Friday Night Lights offerings include No. 3 Douglas County against nearby Chaparral and Highlands Ranch, which suspended multiple players for last week’s game, at Rangeview.
*A grand opening times two for the 5A Front Range – a hot Horizon at Poudre and Rocky Mountain at No. 7 Legacy.
*With Chatfield having knocked down Pomona last week, the Chargers’ next matchup, against No. 5 Bear Creek, is that much bigger.
*Meanwhile, defending champion Columbine, which has won 15 games in succession, will hit the road for Colorado Springs, where Doherty and running back Darius Turner will be waiting.
*Broomfield hopes to keep its early share of the 4A Northern with a victory against visiting Greeley Central.
*4A No. 1 ThunderRidge hasn’t joined the Western Slope, although it may appear that way. To date, the 2-0 Grizzlies have defeated host Fruita Monument and visiting Central (G.J.). Next up: at Grand Junction.
*Two of the four teams holding the 3A Tri-Valley lead, Windsor at No. 5 Berthoud, will give the league some early reshuffling.
*Sizeable road trip in 3A nonleague for No. 2 Florence, which will be at Monte Vista.
*Clear Creek’s Golddiggers, who own a piece of the 2A Colorado lead, will lay out the welcome mat for Bennett.
*No. 3 Lyons, 2006’s state runner- up, will host Holyoke’s Dragons as the 1A North Central continues to simmer.
*Haxtun, which dropped its first two home games, has a tough roadie in 8-man’s Plains Division at No. 6 Dayspring Christian.
Saturday
*Smoky Hill can earn a 3-0 start for the first time since 2001 – technically, the Buffaloes were 3-0 in 2004, but it was after being given a forfeit victory over Legacy – if it downs visiting Fairview in a 5A Centennial season debut.
*Top-ranked and defending champion Akron will make an infrequent visit to Denver as the Rams take on Lutheran in the 1A North Central.
*Nice early schedule for the 1A South Park Burros, who will host No. 2 Burlington in the 1A South Central. The Burros opened the season with No. 7 Custer County and last week took on West Grand. Know who the Burros will play next week? Limon.
*8-man’s depth will be on display when No. 5 Sangre de Cristo travels to No. 4 Nucla in nonleague.
Staff writer Neil H. Devlin can be reached at 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com.
