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GAME OF THE WEEK
Arapahoe (4-0) vs. Heritage (4-1)
7 p.m. Friday, Littleton Public Schools Stadium
5A South Metro League
It’s another meeting to decide who gets to keep the Brookridge Trophy, symbolic of the dairy farm formerly on the site of LPSS. It’s also known as the Milk Can Game. Arapahoe’s impressive start has included closeness — other than last week’s 28-8 victory over Hinkley, the Warriors beat Legend 19-7, Doherty 7-6 and the big one, Grandview 17-14. Senior Nick Thompson, who leads the Warriors with a modest 317 yards rushing and three TDs, had 101 yards and two TDs last week.
Since getting blanked — and dominated — in their opener against defending 5A champion Cherry Creek, the Eagles have piled up 127 points. Heritage QB Chase Hansen has thrown for 532 yards and five TDs, four to the athletic Tim Pless, who has 18 receptions for 360 yards.
Valor Christian (2-2) vs. Overland (3-1)
7 p.m. Thursday, Stutler Bowl
5A Centennial League
Both teams were idle last week. This will be only the second in-state game for Valor — it lost to Pomona and faced teams from Idaho, Arkansas and Utah. Junior QB Dylan McCaffrey leads the Eagles in both passing yards (913) and rushing yards (147). Cole Baker, Booker Schelhaas and Ben Waters have each caught two TD passes.
Trailblazers senior QB Ray Rountree has thrown for 700 yards and six TDs, and rushed for three more TDs. Jeremiah Collins heads Overland with 183 yards rushing. Brent Halliburton has 17 receptions for 249 yards and three TDs. Alijah Halliburton (no relation) leads Overland with 43 tackles.
Rocky Mountain (3-1) vs. Horizon (3-1)
7 p.m. Thursday, Adams 12 North Stadium
5A Front Range League
The visiting Lobos are one of six league teams that stand 1-1 after two rounds. Rocky Mountain went down to Legacy to open league, but handled crosstown rival Fossil Ridge 19-6 the past round. Cade Hairgrove has scored at least two TDs in each outing and has 10 through four weeks. He scored three times last week and had 165 yards rushing. Ryan Hutcheson heads the team with six catches with a gaudy 19.8 average.
Hawks coach Frank Ybarra said his guys awoke after dropping their Week 2 game to Chatfield. Horizon’s offensive line has been effective. Ask RB Cade Verkler, who has 603 yards rushing. Yes, this will be Horizon’s second Thursday night game and it will complete the regular season with five in a row. DL Elijah Larry heads the Hawks by being in on 25 tackles.
Cherry Creek (4-0) vs. Cherokee Trail (3-1)
7 p.m. Friday, Legacy Stadium
5A Centennial League
The Bruins were idle a week ago after traveling to Utah and handling Jordan in Sandy 38-35. Cherry Creek was won 11 games in succession. Senior QB Joe Caplis has completed only 43 percent of his 93 passes, but seven have gone for TDs. Is any team more talented on defense than the Bruins? DL Jonathan Van Diest has 4.5 sacks.
Cherokee Trail didn’t win a league game in 2014. Three of the Cougars’ four games have been decided by a touchdown or less. Cherokee Trail was a 23-0 shutout victim to the Bruins a year ago. Cougars junior QB Michael Morris threw for a TD and ran for another in last week;s 14-7 win over city-rival Rangeview.
Rock Canyon (4-0) vs. Regis Jesuit (3-1)
7 p.m. Friday, Lou Kellogg Stadium
5A Continental North League
The Jaguars won the big-school baseball title the past spring and this season’s Jags footballers have been inspired. Junior RB Jacob Snocker heads Rock Canyon with 370 yards rushing and six TDs. The Jags are averaging 30 points per outing. Eric Hommel has 21 catches for 279 yards and two TDs, and Gage Briad is 11-186 for another two TDs.
The Raiders had to push through a mistake-filled, penalty dominated 29-14 victory last week over 4A Denver South. RB Alec Barnes ran for 92 yards and two TDs against the Rebels. Quentin Birch is far and away the Raiders’ top target with 16 catches for 291 yards and three TDs.
Columbine (4-0) vs. Mullen (3-1)
7 p.m. Friday, Brother Bernard Kinneavy de La Salle Stadium
5A Jefferson County League
The two have developed an interesting history, everything from nonleague and league games to playoff meetings and a title game.
Fact is, the Rebels have been terrific on defense, permitting only one score when their starters have been on the field. Meanwhile, the Columbine offense is emerging with Jake Lowry at the controls and RB Mike Griebel (368 yards) heading a rugged ball-carrier unit. Ask anyone. Columbine’s good up front on both sides.
The Mustangs have started to prove they are prime-time players, and here’s another opportunity. Coach Tommy Thenell’s guys have put up 151 points, third in 5A. QB Jovan Tafoya has thrown for 789 yards and nine TDs, and RB Marcus McElroy has rushed for 267 and six TDs. Christian Cumber has two interceptions.
Vista Ridge (4-0) vs. Pine Creek (4-0)
7 p.m. Friday, District 20 Football Stadium
4A Nonleague
Vista Ridge has rolled to a 4A-leading 200 points. The Wolves also have Elway Tubbs, the QB who has astronomical numbers through four games — he’s 84-of-119 for 70. 6 percent, 1,220 yards and 16 TDs. Vista Ridge also has five receivers who have reached three digits in receiving yards, topped by Marquez Trunnell, who has 21 receptions for 359 yards and six TDs.
The Wolves will need all of the offense it can get as the Eagles stand second in 4A defense in points allowed (27) and have won the past two 4A titles, currently topped by a 29-game winning streak. Most followers know about the Eagles’ JoJo Domann, the talented two-way back headed to Nebraska, but other Pine Creekers, such as their starting linemen and RB D’Andre Toliver (271 yards, six TDs), continue to emerge.
Pueblo Centennial (0-4) vs. Pueblo Central (3-2)
7 p.m. Friday, Dutch Clark Stadium
4A vs. 3A Nonleague
This is the Bell Game, the 115th meeting between the two programs that will probably attract more than 13,000 fans. Denver hasn’t had anything close to it for decades. Centennial has won five games in a row against its rival, but Central leads the series 55-49-9, 34-28-3 since the Bell was implemented. Centennial has been shut out twice and managed only 20 points through 16 quarters.
Jake Sanchez has the Bulldogs’ only rushing TD. Both teams played in Zero Week. Central senior QB Mike Ranson has thrown for eight TDs, but been picked off seven times. He also has rushed for 592 yards and nine TDs. Five different Wildcats have caught TD passes, Isiah Collins, Beau Gordon and Wyatt Thomas have two each.
Aurora Central (4-0) vs. Adams City (3-1)
1 p.m. Saturday, Krogh Field
4A Nonleague
So who out there could have predicted these two programs would have been a combined 7-1 when they would meet? Thought so. In four outings, the visiting Trojans have rushed for 1,431 yards, topped by the 384 by Franciscos Aranda, who has surpassed 100 yards in three games.
Taevon Jordan has rushed for five TDs. Before the Eagles won their opener in 2014, they had been 1-49, and that victory was by forfeit. Adams City has surrendered just six points in the past eight quarters.
