Class 5A
No. 17 Fountain-Fort Carson won at No. 16 Cherokee Trail, 14-7: The Trojans (8-3) advanced in the state playoffs for the fifth time in six years, thanks in part to a critical fourth-and-short stop deep in their own territory in the second half and a 188-yard night from Da’kari Releford Jr. The Cougars (4-7) tied the game in the second quarter on a fourth-down touchdown from junior Nico Mavromat, but FFC opened the second half with a TD drive on its first possession and held CT at bay after that. Next week: at No. 1 Cherry Creek (10-0), TBA
No. 9 Arapahoe won vs. No. 24 Westminster, 58-42: The Warriors (7-4) put on their track shoes and ran away from the 5A Metro North League champion Wolves with Jayden Tackitt running in three of his four TDs in the second half in Arapahoe’s highest-scoring game of the season. Westminster finished 8-3 and reached the postseason for the first time in 10 years in head coach Chris Helbig’s first season leading the program. Next week: at No. 8 Fairview (9-1), TBA
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: Running back Jack McKeon continued a brilliant senior season with a 370-yard, four-touchdown tour de force, including a 50-yard sweep with 4:30 left that put the game away for good. The 50-yard burst was McKeon’s 27th TD of the season and came less than a minute after Caeden Reeder’s second TD pass of the night pulled T-Ridge (4-7) within 10 with 5:28 to go. Senior linebacker Kaden Souders added a 40-yard pick-6 for the Lambkins (9-2), who claimed their second playoff win in 10 years. Next week: at No. 4 Legend (9-1), TBA
No. 12 Erie won vs. No. 21 Regis Jesuit, 20-3: Jack Arnold threw a touchdown pass and ran in another in the second half to power the Tigers (7-4) past Regis Jesuit (4-7) and into the second round. The Raiders went up 3-0 early on with a Jack Manthey field goal, but that was all the points they could muster against a stout Erie defense. Next week: at No. 5 Valor Christian (9-1), 7 p.m. Nov. 14
No. 15 Columbine won vs. No. 18 Fruita Monument, 44-14: The Rebels (6-5) controlled this one from the start, putting 44 points on the board over the first three quarters to ensure Columbine registers at least one playoff win for the fifth straight season. Senior Mark Snyder (182 yards, 2 TDs) and junior Ben Frazier (107 yards, 2 TDs) both had big nights on the ground. Fruita (5-6) reached the 5A playoffs in its second season since moving up from 4A, but the Wildcats were shut out by Columbine until scoring a pair of fourth-quarter TDs. Next week: at No. 2 Ralston Valley (10-0), TBA
No. 10 Mullen won vs. No. 23 Rocky Mountain, 27-7: Senior QB Cole Parsons connected with Mason Bonner and Kevin Lewis for touchdown passes, Dante Dupuch tacked on a TD run of his own, and the Mustangs (7-4) claimed the program’s first playoff win in four years. The Mullen defense kept Rocky Mountain (5-6) out of the end zone until the waning moments of the fourth quarter in a dominant performance. Next week: at No. 7 Pine Creek (7-3), TBA
No. 14 Eaglecrest won vs. No. 19 Legacy, 32-10: Sophomore Clyde Surrell broke open a three-point game with touchdown runs of 56, 3 and 13 yards in the second half as the Raptors (7-4) nabbed their first postseason victory in six years. Cam Bell got things started with a 94-yard punt return in the first quarter, and Cooper Shaw added a pick-6 to give Eaglecrest a 13-3 edge with 8:49 left in the third quarter. Legacy (6-5) answered with a scoring drive after that, but then Surrell took over. Next week: at No. 3 Mountain Vista (10-0), TBA
No. 11 Grandview won vs. No. 22 Chatfield, 32-13: Maddox Johnson ran in three TDs, Noah Galvez drilled a field goal and Utah State commit Brody Flores returned a fumble 90-plus yards for a touchdown as the Wolves (6-5) eliminated Chatfield (4-7) and rolled into the Round of 16 for the fifth straight season under coach Tom Doherty. Next week: at No. 6 Arvada West (9-1), TBA
Class 4A
No. 16 Golden won vs. No. 17 Air Academy, 31-15: The Demons (8-3) are into the Round of 16 for the fifth straight season after jumping out to a 28-0 lead and cruising from there to eliminate the Kadets (5-6). Next week: at No. 1 Dakota Ridge (10-0), TBA
No. 9 Northfield won vs. No. 24 Skyline, 38-15: Senior back Zavious Chineth exploded for three TDs as the Nighthawks (9-2) claimed their first postseason victory at the 4A level with a rout of Skyline. The Falcons (4-7) replaced Longmont as the No. 24 seed in the 4A bracket after it was discovered that the Trojans mistakenly allowed an ineligible player to play in a game. But Skyline was unable to take advantage of the second chance against a Northfield team that has won eight in a row. Next week: at No. 8 Pueblo West (7-3), TBA
No. 13 Ponderosa won vs. No. 20 Silver Creek, 27-14: Junior QB Noah Anacleto threw touchdown passes to two different receivers, junior Colter Espinoza and senior Troy WcWhorter each scored a TD, and the Mustangs (7-4) advanced to the second round for the fifth straight season. Nolan Gaccetta found Jaeger Lupberger for a TD to cut Pondo’s lead to 13-6 in the second quarter, but that was as close as Silver Creek (5-6) would get. Next week: at No. 4 Durango (8-2), TBA
No. 12 Grand Junction won vs. No. 21 Highlands Ranch, 48-32: Sophomore quarterback Andrew Neese threw five TD passes as the Tigers (9-2) survived a shootout with the Falcons (4-7) on the Western Slope. Highlands Ranch went down by 17 before Jace Joos threw back-to-back TD passes, including his second of the night to George West, to cut the lead to 35-32 late in the third quarter. But junior Elias Morgan answered with a TD run, and Neese found senior Drew Marsh for his third TD reception to secure Grand Junction’s second straight trip to the Round of 16. Next week: at No. 5 Heritage (7-3), TBA
: Senior tailback Sonny Delpizzo found the end zone three times, including runs of 11 and 12 yards during a pivotal third quarter, to lead the Golden Eagles (8-3) into the Round of 16 for the season straight season. Colt Hoge’s 40-yard pick-6 capped a 22-point third for Frederick, which absorbed a first-quarter TD from Bear Creek (6-5) before taking control in the second half. Next week: at No. 2 Montrose (10-0), TBA
No. 10 Riverdale Ridge won vs. No. 23 Thomas Jefferson, 40-7: Senior running back Diego Galvan scored three touchdowns and the Ravens (11-0) responded to an opening-drive touchdown from Thomas Jefferson (5-6) with 40 unanswered points to notch their first playoff win in program history. Nick Radi connected with Quintyn Smith-Vargas for a touchdown on Thomas Jefferson’s first possession, but Riverdale Ridge pitched a shutout after that. Next week: at No. 7 Monarch (8-2), TBA
No. 14 Mesa Ridge won vs. No. 19 Loveland, 54-22: The Grizzlies (6-5) offensive machine hit on all cylinders as senior running back Cameron Tertulien scored three TDs, senior QB Leland Frescaz tossed two scoring passes and senior Jakehlan Watts found the end zone twice in Mesa Ridge’s largest scoring output of the year. Loveland (5-6) took an early 7-0 lead on a Jackson Gebhardt 7-yard run, and pulled back within a score at 20-14 after Gebhardt found Cache Villeneuve for a 29-yard scoring pass with 8:04 left in the second quarter. But the Red Wolves had few answers for the Mesa Ridge offense. Next week: at No. 3 Palmer Ridge (10-0), TBA
No. 11 Vista Ridge won vs. No. 22 Montbello, 38-13: Sophomore Daniel McFarland ran in each of the Wolves’ first three TDS, senior QB Colton Camba snuck in another score and junior Jackson Dismang put an exclamation point on the evening with a pick-6. Amari Williams gave Montbello (4-7) a glimmer of hope with a touchdown run that shrank Vista Ridge’s advantage to 17-7 midway through the third quarter, but the Wolves (8-3) scored three straight TDs after that to move on to the Round of 16 for the second straight year. Next week: at No. 6 Broomfield (8-2), TBA
