Denver Post staff writer Jon E. Yunt takes a look ahead at the action in high school sports:
FOOTBALL
Demons on a roll
It was a shocker last season when Glenwood Springs and coach Rocky Whitworth rolled through the regular season before bowing out in the first round of the playoffs to Sterling in overtime. So should we be equally surprised the Demons are back at it again?
After last Saturday’s 29-22 victory over former No. 1 Palisade in Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs has thrown its hat — probably by quarterback Dakota Stonehouse — squarely back into the Class 3A mix. The top-ranked Demons stay at home this week to face Moffat County before a Week 10 battle of the Springses at No. 5 Steamboat that will determine the Western Slope League champion.
BOYS SOCCER
Backyard brawls du jour
The Rangeview Raiders, led by high-scoring forward David Armstrong, carry their No. 12 national ranking, according to the latest NSCAA/Adidas poll, into tonight’s Class 5A second-round match against Aurora rival Grandview at 6 p.m. at Aurora Public Schools Stadium. As if the Colorado High School Activities Association didn’t see it coming when it put the brackets together, another crosstown rivalry pits Fort Collins against Rocky Mountain for the third time this season. The teams tied 0-0 the first time, and Rocky won 3-1 last Tuesday.
On Friday, Class 4A will have its Round of 16 games, and 3A will do the same Saturday.
VOLLEYBALL
Pairing down begins
Let the two-week jaunt to the Denver Coliseum begin Saturday for volleyballers. Forty-eight teams in both 5A and 4A and 32 in 3A will be pared to 16 teams in eight district sites per class for next weekend’s regional round. While 4A and 3A still reward league champions with the right to host, 5A is seeded, and the top eight become hosts. The top four 5A seeds are Cherry Creek, Grandview, Mountain Vista and Lakewood.
CROSS COUNTRY
Pack for Fort Collins
The state’s best runners descend upon Fort Collins on Saturday for the spectacle that is the state cross country meet. Finding a good spot on the vast Fossil Ridge campus to watch your favorite runner should not be a problem.
FIELD HOCKEY
Are you ready for some . . .
Hank Williams Jr. was hanging around the Centennial State this week. Maybe he cut a track for Monday night’s field hockey title tilt at All-City Stadium. St. Mary’s Academy (12-4-1), courtesy of its 2-1 overtime victory against Smoky Hill on Wednesday night, will play Kent Denver (14-2-1) at 7 p.m.
