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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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  • Cherry Creek smokes nationally ranked Skyridge to start 4-0. Does any Colorado team stand a chance against Bruins?

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    GREENWOOD VILLAGE — The Massey Ratings require a recalibration.

    Utah’s Skyridge entered Friday’s game against Cherry Creek as the No. 20 team in the nation, while the Bruins were ranked No. 93.

    But the Bruins made those computerized rankings look buggy. They used a fast start and a furious finish to smoke Skyridge 51-28 at the Stutler Bowl, avenging their lone loss last season in the process.

    It was Cherry Creek’s third victory over an out-of-state team in as many weeks, after hanging on to beat Cardinal Mooney (Florida) on the road two weeks ago and dominating Millard North (Nebraska) last week.

    The performance against Skyridge suggests that Cherry Creek, owners of five of the last six Class 5A titles, is more than just a juggernaut in a flyover football state. This year’s Bruins — whose highest national ranking entering Friday among the three major services in Massey, MaxPreps and Rivals was No. 58 — have the size, speed and talent to play with just about anyone.

    “This was a game for everyone who underestimates Colorado ball,” said Cherry Creek star running back Jayden Fox, who had three TDs and over 200 yards rushing. “They say we’re not a football state, we don’t have good enough athletes — but this game showed this program has those athletes, those star players.”

    No, the Bruins aren’t a national heavyweight like Mater Dei, St. John Bosco, Bishop Gorman or Southlake Carroll.

    But they possess a blue-chip frontman in defensive lineman Tufanua Ionatana Umu-Cais, a Washington commit who is a Navy All-American. They have one of the most dynamic running backs in Colorado in Fox, a UConn pledge who went scorched earth on Skyridge. And they have a slew of other Division I recruits around those headliners.

    No wonder Cherry Creek’s had a tough time finding in-state opponents to fill out its non-conference schedule.

    Fox was nearly untackleable in open space on Friday. When he got even the slimmest margin of daylight, he took off. While senior quarterback Brady Vodicka tossed three TDs and sophomore Elijah Cromwell was a complementary ground threat, Fox was the unstoppable star.

    The Cherry Creek defense also set the tone early with interceptions by Michigan State commit Braylon Hodge on the game’s opening drive and then a pick-six by fellow senior linebacker Tate Matthews on the Falcons’ second drive. That gave Cherry Creek cushion for when Skyridge’s QB, Division I prospect Kaneal Sweetwyne, caught fire in the third quarter.

    “The game started for them a little bit like the game started for us last year in Salt Lake,” Cherry Creek head coach Dave Logan said. “Their quarterback is about as good as we’ve seen in a long time, and so we tried to change up fronts, coverages, disguises. We made some plays early and we needed them, because that’s an excellent team.”

    Cherry Creek coach David Logan, congratulates the team after the game against Skyridge at the Stutler Bowl Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in Greenwood Village, CO. Cherry Creek won 51-28. (Rebecca Slezak/Special to The Denver Post)

    With those two interceptions and Fox’s first carry in between leading to a 32-yard score, Cherry Creek went up 14-0 just 65 seconds into the game. The Bruins never looked back, despite Sweetwyne settling into the game and engineering four scoring drives to keep the Falcons from getting boat-raced.

    Alijah Landrum-Hamilton’s slick moves on a screen pass led to a 40-yard TD, and Fox added on a 75-yard TD burst as Cherry Creek took a 27-14 lead into half. On the opening drive of the third quarter, the Bruins marched the field, capped by Louisiana Tech pledge Vodicka’s 16-yard TD pass to senior tight end Ty Goettsche (BYU).

    After Skyridge made a third-quarter push and cut the score to 34-28, the Bruins used a field goal, a clutch defensive stop, and a 65-yard TD run from Fox to put the game on ice. On an outside zone play, Fox shed several tacklers and outran the Falcons’ secondary to quiet the Skyridge sideline and fan section, which had been energized up to that point.

    “We started to feel like we won, but we had to remember, we have to play for 48 minutes,” Fox said. “… We went out in the fourth quarter and did what we did at the beginning of the game.”

    By the time another Matthews pick set up Vodicka’s TD pass to senior tight end Anthony Betti, making it a 50-burger with 4:29 left, the game had turned into a homecoming celebration for Cherry Creek.

    Can any Colorado team beat the Bruins this year? Odds seem slim.

    After a bye, Pine Creek is the Bruins’ final non-conference challenger, a team the Bruins beat 21-14 last year. After that, Cherry Creek’s Centennial League slate should offer a challenge or two, but also more than a few running clocks.

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    Kyle Newman

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  • Grandview explodes for nine runs in seventh to beat Prairie View in first round of Class 5A state baseball tournament

    Grandview explodes for nine runs in seventh to beat Prairie View in first round of Class 5A state baseball tournament

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    All it took was one misstep from Prairie View for Grandview to open the flood gates.

    With the score knotted up at four, Grandview designated hitter Easton Flores hit a screaming fly ball to left field. Prairie View outfielder Favi Gaeta tried to make the catch, but he stumbled on his feet, while the ball went over his head, landing in the warning track as the go-ahead runner slid into home plate.

    Flores’ go-ahead single jump started a nine-run inning as Grandview pulled away for a 13-5 win over Prairie View in the first round of the Class 5A state baseball tournament at All-Star Park in Lakewood on Friday afternoon.

    “We just kept doing the right things (at the plate) so everything went well for us in that inning,” junior pitcher Jax Pfister.

    Grandview’s emphasis on the little things paid off in a big way. The Wolves recorded four straight bunts during their scoring outburst that served as a difference-maker. After Flores’ go-ahead single, junior infielder Chase Chapman drove in a run on a bunt single. A throwing error from Prairie View resulted in two more runs for Grandview.

    With the bases loaded and two outs, Pfister completely sucked the life out of the Thunderhawks by smashing a grand slam to left field.

    “(Prairie View reliever Travis Teague) had to come at me eventually. I was sitting on a fastball and he gave it to me,” Pfister said.

    Before Grandview’s onslaught, the third inning featured theatrics fitting for a state tournament. Trailing 2-0 against Prairie View pitcher Jerry Stone, shortstop Tony Crow hit a two-run single up the middle. Later in the inning, Chapman drove in two more runs after belting a triple to left-center, giving the Wolves a 4-2 lead.

    Prairie View immediately responded in the bottom half: Stone recorded an RBI double before senior right fielder Javi Gaeta singled in the game-tying run.

    Pfister gave up four runs on six hits and struck out six batters in five innings of work.

    “I got rattled at times, and that affected my strike throwing,” Pfister said. “But overall, I kept my composure and threw enough strikes to help get my team the win.”

    After an eventful third, both teams were held scoreless for three innings. However, there were plenty of opportunities. Grandview loaded the bases in the fifth before Stone struck out two batters and forced senior outfielder Tucker Smock to ground into a fielder’s choice. Prairie also had the bases loaded in the sixth, but couldn’t capitalize.

    “We weren’t disheartened or anything,” Grandview coach Scott Henry said after leaving runners on base in the fifth. “We knew we were gonna break through.”

    Cherry Creek’s Rudden shines on mound

    Wyatt Rudden was in control from the jump.

    Cherry Creek’s junior pitcher struck out two batters on 13 pitches in the first inning. And he didn’t stop there.

    With strong command of his fastball, Rudden recorded nine strikeouts in seven innings to lead the Bruins to an 8-0 victory over Chaparral in the first round of the 5A tournament.

    “(Rudden) was throwing (his) fastball for strikes and (used) his curveball when he needed it,” Cherry Creek coach Marc Johnson said. “He was dominant.”

    Cherry Creek was up 5-0 in the top half of the fourth when Rudden ran into a bit of adversity. After he struck out the first two batters, he hit senior designated hitter Derrick Ball with a pitch before walking third baseman Jordin Albertson. With runners on the corners, Rudden recorded his eighth strikeout to get out of the jam.

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    Ryan McFadden

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