For practical purposes, the real celebration as Colorado schoolboy football turns 88 begins today with conspicuous scheduling part of the party plans.
After yet another fittingly named Zero Week kicked off the latest two-year classification realignment, the more recognized opening to the 2008 season starts today with opposite thinking. The schedule will include out-of-state travel or league games as openers, which include the Rocky Mountain version of neighborhood rivalries that vary anywhere from 10 blocks to, say, hundreds of miles and thousands of feet in altitude.
Let’s hope by the time it turns 89 we can get some of these things right.
However, The Denver Post’s first game of the week is a doozy — Douglas County, the Class 5A state runner-up in 2007, hosting former 4A power ThunderRidge, now up there with the state’s big boys, today at 7 p.m. in Castle Rock.
In addition, the following have been marked for your holiday weekend viewing pleasure on a :
Today
— Why be shy? Rocky Mountain at Horizon should have significant, season-long meaning in the 5A Front Range.
— 5A Palmer at 4A Sierra will be nonleague fun — and a fair amount of speed and quickness at the skill positions — in Colorado Springs.
— Unfortunately, losing has been the thing for Sheridan and Jefferson, but their 3A nonleague opener will be contested at the newly spruced up — and it needed to be — Trailblazer Stadium.
Friday
— Week 1? And we have 5A Centennial League games? A couple will involve Arapahoe, back in the league after 20 years, at Eaglecrest, and new-look Cherry Creek against Smoky Hill.
— It makes sense, they’re within sight of each other — Mountain Range, up from 3A, will have its 5A Front Range debut against Legacy.
— They haven’t won anything in 2008, but Bear Creek and Columbine (both 5A), and 4A Heritage went to Disney’s land in Florida (4A Monarch, second in 2007, plays today).
— Highlands Ranch against Mountain Vista, crosstown 5A, Southern-style.
— Another why-not? 5A-4A game: Pomona versus Ralston Valley.
— Some of what goes around for Pueblo South, which had its 2007 season end in the quarterfinals against eventual 4A winner Pueblo West, comes around — the Colts will open against the defending champion Cyclones.
— Considering Conifer at Glenwood Springs or Palisade at Pueblo County? Either is worth the road trip.
— In the 2A struggle that is public vs. private, Eaton will host Holy Family.
— Florence at Buena Vista 2A commands attention if only to see the host Demons’ experimentation with Mason Finley (the 6-foot-8, 330-plus-pound shot putter) at tight end.
— It’s the first of several 8-man games of the week: Dayspring Christian at Granada, which was one of 2007’s semifinals.
Saturday
— Live from Denver, it’s (an unusual) Saturday night in the 5A Centennial, host Mullen against Cherokee Trail, which is taking on its first big-school foe.
— The West Metro has Golden against South and a dreaded 10 a.m. kickoff.
