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  • 8 Colorado high school football games to watch in Week 8

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    CLASS 5A

    No. 9 Fountain-Fort Carson (6-1) vs. No. 5 Legend (6-1)

    When/where: 7 p.m. Thursday at EchoPark Stadium

    Last meeting: Legend 42, at Fountain-Fort Carson 7, Oct. 18, 2024

    Streaming: NFHS Network

    Fountain-Fort Carson is pounding the rock again, and looking dangerous doing it. The Trojans took down Regis Jesuit a week ago, with Da’kari Releford Jr. going off for 170 yards and two TDs to top 1,000 yards for the season. The Trojans will need more of that from the junior tailback if they want to keep pace with Boston College QB commit DJ Bordeaux and a Legend offense averaging 47.1 points per game.

    Columbine (3-4) vs. No. 2 Ralston Valley (7-0)

    When/where: 7 p.m. Thursday at NAAC Stadium

    Last meeting: Ralston Valley 35, at Columbine 34 (OT), Oct. 18, 2024

    Streaming: NFHS Network

    Always a circle-the-date game on the Jeffco prep football calendar, this year’s edition appeared to lose a little luster when Columbine started the season 0-3. The Rebels have rebounded since, however, and were a last-minute touchdown away from upsetting unbeaten Arvada West last week for their fourth straight win. As it is, Andy Lowry’s Rebels stand as a gritty test for a Ralston Valley program that has won three of four against Columbine since 2022.

    Eaglecrest (6-1) vs. No. 1 Cherry Creek (7-0)

    When/where: 7 p.m. Thursday at Stutler Bowl

    Last meeting: Cherry Creek 44, at Eaglecrest 0, Oct. 18, 2024

    Streaming: NFHS Network

    Can someone, anyone, challenge Cherry Creek in the 5A Centennial League? Eaglecrest is the next team up with the unenviable task of trying to slow down the Creek juggernaut. The Raptors have won five straight since a Week 2 loss at Fort Collins, but now they face a significant step up in class. All but one of Eaglecrest’s six wins have been against teams that currently sport a losing record. Hang with Creek on Thursday, though, and the Raptors are for real.

    Mullen (3-4) vs. No. 8 Erie (5-2)

    When/where: 6:30 p.m. Friday at Tiger Stadium

    Last meeting: Erie 48, at Mullen 13, Oct. 18, 2024

    Streaming: Erie Tiger Network

    Mullen spent its nonleague schedule hanging with 5A giants. Sooner or later, the Mustangs gotta take one down. They get another chance Friday with a trip north. The matchup features a pair of D-I tight ends in Erie’s Gabe Sema (Northern Arizona) and Mullen’s Mason Bonner (Michigan), as well as Oregon State commit Braylon Toliver (670 rush yards) going up against a salty Mullen defense headlined by future FBS edge rusher Troy Mailo. This should be fun.

    Westminster (5-2) vs. Mountain Range (5-2)

    When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at North Stadium

    Last meeting: Westminster 28, vs. Mountain Range 15, Oct. 18, 2024

    It’s been 10 years since Westminster won a league title, but former pro QB Chris Helbig has the Wolves atop the 5A Metro North in his first year leading the program. Cross-town rival Mountain Range has already won more games this season than any Mustangs squad in the last 11 years and has allowed just 23 total points over the last three weeks. Can they limit Westminster’s freshman wunderkind Santana Soriano (1,378 yards, 15 TDs passing) and a talented group of senior pass catchers?

    CLASS 4A

    Bear Creek (6-1) vs. Heritage (4-3)

    When/where: 6 p.m. Thursday at LPS Stadium

    Last meeting: Heritage 61, at Bear Creek 23, Oct. 17, 2024

    Streaming: NFHS Network

    Two teams coming off losses in the hyper-competitive 4A South Metro League meet looking to get back on track. Bear Creek saw its unbeaten season slip away in a disastrous second half against Golden, while Heritage was the latest victim of the Dakota Ridge powerhouse. Both teams can put up points in a hurry. Expect fireworks.

    Mesa Ridge (3-4) vs. No. 2 Montrose (7-0)

    When/where: 6 p.m. Friday at Montrose HS

    Last meeting: Montrose 53, vs. Mesa Ridge 21, Nov. 23, 2024

    Streaming: NFHS Network

    Mesa Ridge took a big step forward with an upset of Pueblo West last week. The Grizzlies can take an even larger one this Friday with a trip to the Western Slope. The Red Hawks have beaten Mesa Ridge four times over the last three seasons, including a season-ender last fall in Montrose. Just staying within reach of the Red Hawks, who’ve taken double-digit leads into the third quarter in six of seven wins, is hard enough. Beating them? No team has done that in the regular season in the last 24 tries.

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    Matt Schubert

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  • No. 3 Columbine routs Arvada West with big plays for 21st straight win

    No. 3 Columbine routs Arvada West with big plays for 21st straight win

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    Late this summer, before Columbine began defending its Class 5A football title, senior offensive/defensive lineman DJ Ironshell summed up the Rebels’ football philosophy.

    “We just run the ball and let the pads do the talking,” he said.

    The Rebels’ pads talked plenty of smack Friday in their 35-14 win over Arvada West at Jeffco Stadium. But the other key in Columbine’s 21st straight victory was its penchant for big plays in big moments.

    The first two drives of the game illustrated the point.

    A-West, expertly guided by junior quarterback Logan Duhachek, put together an opening 16-play, 52-yard drive to eat nearly nine minutes off the clock. The Wildcats had first-and-10 at the Columbine 17-yard line, but senior linebacker Rory Marez sacked Duhachek for a 9-yard loss. On the next play, sophomore Keith Fischer sacked Duhachek for 11 yards. The Wildcats had to settle for a 52-yard field goal attempt that fell short and wide.

    “I think big plays was it for us tonight,” coach Andy Lowry said. “Our defense gave up a lot of yards in between but we got the big plays when we needed them. They had a lot of long drives but came up empty a lot.”

    The Rebels’ rushing attack, as it almost always does, produced from the get-go. On Columbine’s first play from scrimmage, junior Mark Snyder bounced off a tackle at the line of scrimmage, cut inside, and sailed 80 yards for a touchdown.

    “It wasn’t supposed to go that way, but I just cut back and was in the clear,” said Snyder, who rushed for 166 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries. “I’m not sure they even knew I had the ball.”

    That’s the way the night went. Talented A-West, which fell to 5-2, put up plenty of yards through the air and put together three impressive long drives, but the relentless Rebels (6-0) had a big-play answer every time.

    A-West tied the game, 7-7, late in the first quarter on a perfect 26-yard yard touchdown pass from Duhachek to junior wide receiver Keegean Balistreri. Duhachek finished the night completing 30 of 41 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns. But he also threw three interceptions.

    The Rebels quickly retaliated, stinging the Wildcats with a six-play, 59-yard drive with Snyder powering in from the 3-yard line.

    Two killer moments haunted A-West just before halftime.

    With 16 seconds left, Columbine senior running back James Basinger pulled off a remarkable 20-yard TD jaunt — near the end zone he put a hand down to stay on his feet and pinballed off would-be tacklers — to put Columbine ahead, 21-7. Basinger rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.

    On the ensuing kickoff, A-West’s Caleb Gomez almost returned the ball for a touchdown, but he was dragged down at the 2 as time expired. The Wildcats were also called for holding during the return.

    Snyder’s second game-buster of the night came on the fourth play of the second half. He burst through the middle for a 56-yard TD run to give the Rebels a 28-7 lead. That clinched the game for the Rebels.

    “James (Basinger) and Mark (Synder) had some monster runs tonight,” Lowry said. “They’re pretty special.”

    Columbine’s Mark Snyder (11) protects the ball while charging to the end zone for a touchdown against Arvada West LB Caleb Gomez (27) in the first quarter at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood, Colorado Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

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    Patrick Saunders

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