Class 1A Quarterfinals
Weekend state playoff lineup by Neil H. Devlin. In bracket order; seeds and records in parenthesis:
(1) Akron (10-0) at (9) Peyton (8-2)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
What’s up? Defending champion Akron is on a 23-game roll, including the past five in the playoffs. … After a season-opening, 14-10 victory against 2A Yuma, Akron has recorded seven shutouts and not been scored on since Week 6. … Peyton’s Panthers in their first postseason since 2000 and come off a 27-7 win over Del Norte. … Coach Matt McIntyre in his second stint with Peyton.
What’s next? Akron’s in high gear. If the Panthers can somehow pull it out, it would rank as one of the top upsets in years.
(5) Hayden (8-2) at (4) Byers (9-1)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
What’s up? Hayden’s Tigers, 17-4 over two seasons, have established their program as a contender. … Running back Coy Letlow Hayden’s first option. … Lines returned all but intact from 2006. … Byers rolling behind 15 starters from a year ago. … First-year Byers quarterback Jordan Dodge surrounded by experienced skill, notably running back James Maes.
What’s next? A meeting between two programs eager to challenge the class status of Akron and Limon.
(3) Grand Valley (10-0) at (6) Wray (7-3)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
What’s up? Host Eagles put a scare into Akron in Week 6 before losing 14-7. … Aaron Orr has more than 1,000 yards in passing and rushing. … Cardinals haven’t lost since 2006 preliminaries and have won 18 of 20 games. … Grand Valley junior Colton Cowan has been a two-way terror, including more than 1,000 yards rushing.
What’s next? It’s as unusual as the road trip from Parachute in the mountains to Wray on the Plains – traditional Eagles against emerging Cardinals.
(2) Limon (9-1) at (10) Highland (7-3)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
What’s up? Only the use of an ineligible player in season opener kept Limon from its fifth consecutive undefeated regular season. … Limon (Matt Brown 24 TD passes) has won 15 of past 16 playoff games. … Highland, which made the playoffs for the first time since 1977, proved its worth last week in the preliminaries with a convincing 32-3 victory at Rocky Ford.
What’s next? Highland is in position to be prime spoiler against Colorado’s most-storied program.
Class A 8-man Quarterfinals
Merino (10-0) at Sedgwick County (8-2)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
What’s up? Visiting Rams and coach John Barber regularly turn out contenders. … Quarterback Ethan Kurtzer is Merino’s top playmaker. … Sedgwick County lost 16-8 to Merino in Week 6.
What’s next? Their first meeting was low-scoring and hard-fought. Another round can’t be bad.
Hoehne (10-0) at Sangre de Cristo (9-0)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
What’s up? The lone meeting of undefeated teams in the current rounds. … Including a forfeit victory over Holy Trinity, the visiting Farmers (leading rusher Cody Roberts) have scored at least 31 points in eight games. … Having slipped past McClave by two points last week, Sangre de Cristo can score, too – Thunderbirds, semifinalists in 2006, average nearly 40 points per outing.
What’s next? The final four awaits.
Stratton (8-2) at Dayspring Christian (9-1)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
What’s up? Stratton lost in last year’s finale by two points in triple overtime. … Stratton opened the season with consecutive losses to undefeated Merino and Granada, the defending state champion. … Dayspring lost to Stratton in last year’s playoffs and has returned with only a loss in Week 7 to Merino on its résumé. … Dayspring surpassed 40 points in eight of 10 games.
What’s next? An expected scorefest is a distinct possibility.
Granada (10-0) at Springfield (7-3)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
What’s up? Defending champion Granada has won 23 games in succession. … Coach Manual Gonzales a fixture – he’s in his fourth decade as a multisport coach. … Springfield, also in the running to be a featured town earlier in the year when “The Simpsons” movie was released, lost earlier meeting to Granada, 40-28 in Week 6.
What’s next? Granada well-oiled and poised for another final four showing.
Class A 6-man Semifinals
Peetz (10-0) at Hi-Plains (9-1)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
What’s up? With the 1-2 rushing punch of Gage Roelle and Levi Whitman, the visiting Bulldogs average 10 yards per play. … Made the semifinals in 2006. … Like their counterparts, the Patriots have had more than a dozen players attempt a rush. … Season’s only loss was to Eads, 40-26 in Week 6.
What’s next? Peetz rolled Hi-Plains 45-15 in the 2006 quarterfinals. Will it be a repeat or payback?
Eads (7-2) at Idalia (7-3)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
What’s up? Feeling? Idalia crushed Eads 69-6 in last year’s finale. … Eads enters with the distinction of beginning the season with a forfeit loss, against Arickaree, and earning a forfeit victory in Week 8, versus Edison. … In first year under coach Brad Wingfield, Idalia trying for their seventh title since 1998.
What’s next? Idalia has been the prime 6-man target for 10 years. Eads now at the head of a long line.
