It’s October, so 3A’s South Metro must be getting good. Since 2001, league teams have won four Colorado 11-man midrange titles, and their regular heavyweights facing each other down the stretch have turned into must-see viewing. Falcon is coming off a knockout of previously top-ranked, undefeated and 2006 runner-up Pueblo County, and will get Florence, another challenger, at home in Week 9. The fun is just beginning for Alamosa, which will host Pueblo County in Week 8, then looks forward to a date to end the season at Florence.
In the spotlight: Falcon has been an honest-to-goodness, feel-good story this season. Hungry? The Falcons are ravenous – they have been eating rice cakes since 1992, the last time they made the playoffs. Their undefeated run also comes at a special time for the school. Students and teachers began a two-week break Monday and will return to a brand-new facility a couple of miles down the road from the current one.
Key matchup: An impressive offensive line has propelled Falcon and given it a legitimate chance to compete in 3A’s toughest league. However, senior running back Keenen Ballage, defending state champion in the 3A 100 meters, is emerging as perhaps 3A’s most important player.
Game facts
Who: Falcon Falcons (6-0, 3-0), ranked No. 2 in The Denver Post/9News Class 3A poll vs. Alamosa Mean Moose (5-1, 1-1), 3A’s No. 8, in the 3A South Metro League.
When: 4 p.m., Friday
Where: Al Bennett Field, south of Ortega Middle School, 401 Victoria Ave., Alamosa
Historical perspective: Including stints in 2A (1997 and 2000-01), the Falcons were 24-73 the past 10 years. They have dropped all seven games against the Mean Moose since 1998 by an average of 36 points. Defending 3A champion Alamosa, also the titlist in 2001 (both teams were 14-0), has made the playoffs six consecutive times and had its 19-game winning streak halted last week.
